Roll Cage vs Roll bar? It's suspension if your suspension doesn't keep you RSD
 

PT car = street car that is track capable not a race car. So at what point do you do a cage?

I'm thinking a 4 point Bar (I'm not calling a 4 point a cage) will afford some added insurance and even let me run Silverstate GT up to 150.

For a 3-4K lbs car 1.75 120 wall BAR seems to suffice until your get real serious.

Any reason I should rethink this and go full cage? I would like to be able to drive the car without a helmet on the street and not constantly be worrying about hitting my melon on the front hoop :mad:

Unlike GW I'm a Sasquatch at 6'4" so head room is always a premium. Hitting my head so often is probably the cause of the brain damage that is drving me to spend so much $$$ on an old Ford :rolleyes:

I say do it as long as no kiddies are riding in the back seat. You're planning on beating on that moster and have enough HP to really do some damage. Given your 'fittment' in the car get one custom made once you hve seats/pedals installed.

Years ago when i was at that decision point I spoke to Uncle Frank about it. Noob that I was, I told him I wasn't planning on driving it hard enough to roll the car but would take it on the track (how stupid was that statement?). Frank's response - "no one ever 'plans' on rolling their car."

700 horsepower and a dry sump. :lol:

This is a tough debate. If you have kids that want to ride in the back seat, you are building the wrong car in my opinion. With the chassis and engine you plan, you need at least a 6 point and race belts. Only you know to what degree you will use the car. OK, maybe you don't know until you turn the key and get out to some events.

So, as the old saying goes, you can't bake your cake and eat it too. What's important to you? Your kids safety, your safety, streetability, track compliance? Only you can make that decision and it's an important one for the function of the car.

You really don't know what a missile you are building. That goes for you to Ron. Believe me, 700hp will motivate anything down the straightaway in a big way. I've run a couple road courses with speeds pushing 140, the thought crosses your mind! And it does and will happen to someone in this community, eventually. I'm not trying to be a downer, I just think safety is vastly under thought in this community.

I remember when I built my first shifter kart. I didn't realize how important seat fit really was till I got it on the track and really pushed it. After one cracked rib I bought a really nice seat.:(

I agree nobody ever plans on crashing but you are an idiot if you aren't prepared for it. I always wore a helmet when I rode motorcyles even before the law.

No kids. Talked my wife into that before I got married. That's how I can afford the car and hopefully will stop working by 55. :D

No back seat so a 4 point with a proper diagonal bar is a no brainer in my mind. I just keep going back and forth in my head on adding the front hoop and down bars or not. Working in the front of the cage will add a lot of fab work.

Ron what did you do in your?
Todd I'm guessing you went with an 8 pt deal?

Dumb Question
 

So - I'll ask a dumb question. I've heard this mentioned several times. People are worried about their head impacting the front down-bars. I understand the concern, but if not for the down-bars - - if your head is thrust in that direction wouldn't it hit the A-pillar or the steel dash. I know the cage down-bar is much more rigid than the dash and the A-pillar, but my head (and I'm pretty hard-headed!!) is still the softer of the group.

I'm wrestling with this for a future project as well. I plan to have a 5-pt harness setup, but the other factor is if you wear a harness without a Head and Neck Restraint you are asking for trouble too.

It's all a calculated risk, I suppose. Please post what your decision is what your logic was behind it. It may help me make a decision.

Thanks

You only live once. Go full cage

Rob - I did the diagonal 5 point like you mentioned. 1 5/8" DSE pre-fab, sanctioning body non-compliant, not tied into any frame rails but fabbed strong enoungh for "what if". I also worked w Cris to prep the car for sub down bars, trangulated/reinforced under the dash. This was done for tortional ridgidity.

Brandon - My opinon only, but a good seat combined w good belts and a good halo is a good start. HANS is a whole 'nother level up, welcomed on track.

If I ever build a track only car, it'll have a sanctioning body compliant cage and I'll strongly consider a HANS system.

Cage systems in a PT car is a very personal choice and something is better than nothing...:cheers:

Spoken like a true pro...:thumbsup:

I've got a 10 point in the Studebaker, kind of a pain in the ass without the removable door bars. It's got Kirkey seats in it so no chance of smackin my melon in the back, front bars are far enough away.
To me, if your going to do any kind of track or open road event you should be protected. Blown tire or busted suspension part above 100mph can get ugly.

Its like the guy with the bad ass bronco or jeep, built to play but only has a single hoop, how bout the guy on the crotch rocket with shorts and flip flops?

A well designed cage compliments the car.
:cheers:
Dan

First off you need to ask yourself, "What will I be doing with my car?" If you are like alot of us you will start out with a few track days.......then the addiction hits :unibrow: . It's probably worse than nicotine and heroin combined. You wont be able to get enough. Your bank account begins to dwindle. Your family will approach you and tell you to get professional help. You cant hear them and the faster you get the more you want. :unibrow: :lol:
Put the cage in my friend....if you dont now you'll wish you did later ;)