Camaro Cage
 

I am having a roll cage installed in my 1971 Camaro in the next few weeks. I am setting up the car for NASA HPDE track outings. I spoke with the shop that will be doing the work and they said to get 360 degree welds on the main hoop will require cutting holes in the floor, welding the forward bars and then raising the hoop and plating the floor under the bar. I took a picture of where I will want the bar located and I believe it is a critical structure area of the car. Will anything be compromised if I let them go ahead and cut through the floor? Is there anything I should request as far as reinforcements? Here is a pic of the area in question.


http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/...n/photo4-2.jpg

If it is a competent shop they should know what to do for reinforcing plates and adequately tieing into the structure - ask them for some pictures of other cars they have done and how they reinforced the main hoop mounts and the rear tubes.

cage
 

I would think that a halo bar could be made and then the a-pillar bars. The a-pillar bars would come up to the bottom of the halo bar and should be able to be welded without going completely through the floor with the down bars. I did this on two Nova's in the past. Just an idea....

I've also seen where some shops will build a raised box in the location you show, build the cage to the top of the box and pull the top plate off for final welding to drop the cage, then raise the cage and slide the plate back and weld it to the top of the box.

I don't know about your camaro but I've seen guys wack the top off and weld it back after the cage is complete. You can also see a "structural box" like what's already been mentioned.

:cheers:
Dan