Pictures of Autopower Roll Bar?

[brkntrxn]

Sirl and David,

I don't disagree with your statements. That roll bar was an Autopower drag racing bar for our Vert and I had the diagonal installed and rear down tubes modified to install into the hardtop. Short statement is I was never happy with the work done to it: it was installed too straight up and down, as you pointed out the diagonal does not create a halo for the driver, etc.

I'll edit the original post to point out the lack of halo design.


-Kevin

 

[David Hester]

I remember you mentioning that.
It's funny the 2010 SCCA GCR seems to have left that part out. Just mentions it should run top to bottom. Doesn't say which direction. I want the stiff part above my head, though.

 

[brkntrxn]

You are correct, David. When I did the research last year, I found very few actual explicit directions in the various rule books that stated which way the diagonal had to run.

FWIW, no groups ever turned me away for having the bar like that. However, at that time, I never ran with NASA or SCCA who might be a bit more strict.


-Kevin

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Final installation with grand daughter crawl though.

PVC white tubing, used for fitment prior to cutting holes for down tubes in trim panels.

 

[TroyV]

Smart use of the PVC. As they say up around Boston.. Work smahtah, not hahdah..

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Smart use of the PVC. As they say up around Boston.. Work smahtah, not hahdah..

Troy They bust my chops something terrible down here about my Syracuse cAAArrr!
I guess our short "a" is quite harsh. Sounds the same as the TV news guys to me. LOL!

Been to Boston twice, you guys really do "pahk the cah"!

 

[sprint200]

Well, I've been busy trying to get ready for this season of OT (if congres & the economy will cooperate!). And the most important thing on the list has been fixing the mounting plates on the roll bar. So here are a few pic's of the work in progress......should be finished and back together by the end of the week.


Here is the test fit with the bar still in place:


Here is the plate welded in place.....no comments on teh welds okay....the sheet metal is pretty thin:


And here it is with a coat of primer & grabber orange paint.....


I'll feel much better about the car now and NOT be thinking about the wrong stuff next time out on track.:nono:

I'll follow up with some more shots as I finish up:thumbsup:

 

[sprint200]

Bringing this thread back because I promised an update when I finished re-installing the bar. It took more than a week but, hey?...... So here it is.









I'm believe that this will be much safer than it was before. The load will be distributed on the seat beam and rocker tunnel in the back and across the front seat's rear mounting brace in the front (with a touch of help from the rocker). Now the main concern will be punching through the fender wells on the down tubes....:bash: but I didn't have the energy to tackle that problem this winter! :rollseyes Oh well.....it's better than it was and at this point I can't start from scratch.

I'm not putting the back seat in again so the next project is to figure out how to dress that up?....with limited funds :idea:;-)

 

[NJ 03Mach1]

I'm not putting the back seat in again so the next project is to figure out how to dress that up?....with limited funds :idea:;-)

05-10 Ford Mustang Rear Seat Delete - RearSeatDelete.com


I have the 99-04 kit and it's amazing. Looks great, it's light and fit was almost perfect.

 

[WP64]

Why would you mount the main hoop to the floor pan when you have a perfectly good bulkhead right there??? Griggs uses the bulkhead and welds a channel piece to the ends of the main hoop that saddles over the bulkhead, then it's bolted or welded to the bulkhead.

Their site only has the S197 bars on it, but I believe they also make a SN95 bar that mounts to the bulkhead. Here's the Griggs main hoop for the S197

.......

More pics here Griggs Racing Products

 

[David Hester]

Biggie is having mainhoop mounting plates in at least 2 planes. Looks good in that regard, but Griggs "roll bar" doesn't come with rear kickers, it could fold back. Also rules state how big your mounting plates can be as well as attachement points. Note shoulder belt mount is not valid for SCCA. Don't know about NASA, but their rules were adapted from SCCA

Only meets "intent" of rules for open track.
Certainly not legal for any type of competition as pictured.
Check rule books if you intend to do any type of driving above track days.

per their disclaimer
For race car use, simply weld in and add two tubes to rear frame section and it will meet most 4 point roll bar requirements, or become the foundation for a full 6 or 8 point roll cage meeting SCCA/NASA Spec.

 

[WP64]

Biggie is having mainhoop mounting plates in at least 2 planes. Looks good in that regard, but Griggs "roll bar" doesn't come with rear kickers, it could fold back. Also rules state how big your mounting plates can be as well as attachement points. Note shoulder belt mount is not valid for SCCA. Don't know about NASA, but their rules were adapted from SCCA

Only meets "intent" of rules for open track.
Certainly not legal for any type of competition as pictured.
Check rule books if you intend to do any type of driving above track days.

per their disclaimer
For race car use, simply weld in and add two tubes to rear frame section and it will meet most 4 point roll bar requirements, or become the foundation for a full 6 or 8 point roll cage meeting SCCA/NASA Spec.

I've read a few SCCA and NASA cage specifications in my day, David, but thanks for the advice...

Griggs disclaimer points out that their main hoop bar is the basis for a full cage that will meet SCCA/NASA specs. All their SN95 & S197 main hoops attach to the bulkhead, if you want a 4-point they'll make it for you, which I have in my 'track day' runabout, if you want a 8, 10 or 12-point with NASCAR door bars they can do that as well.

My point is, why attach the main hoop to the floor pan when the bulkhead is right there? Seems like the most rigid place in a SN95 or S197 Mustang for the main hoop attachment, yet most manufactures run it to the floor pan necessitating floor plates to meet spec.. I can appreciate that a floor pan location is a easier and cheaper way to do it, but is it safer and which design will add more rigidity to the car?

Common sense would also suggest that a bulkhead attachment also sets the bar more towards the rear allowing the seat and bar to be mounted further back which will allow for better weight distribution and more leg room if need be.
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[gcassidy]

I think you answered your own question, in part. "Easier and Cheaper" will always win over a large number of prospects, either because they don't know better, or that really is all that can be afforded.

But the floor mount ones are not that hard to tie into the bulkhead with custom made plates. It would be nice of the companies that make the more popular ones to offer an optional brace plate of their own. I think some guys first getting into this sport look at the floor mount and angle braced rollbars installed and say "Wow, that looks pretty strong" but as time goes by and you see all kinds of rolls, you realize how thin a floorpan can be.

 

[David Hester]

I agree the bulkhead below the rear seat is substantial, but think about where your seat is attached. Kinda like wearing a raincoat that stops at the waist. You aren't protecting where your butt is.
Griggs disclaimer points out that their main hoop bar is the basis for a full cage that will meet SCCA/NASA specs
Except the shoulder belt attachment points aren't considered in the 6-8 points requirement. Soooo it wouldn't be spec without a lot of work.
If you were really tall, I guess that would work, but if you have normal legs, you may be too far forward of the bar to do much good. After it IS back where the rear seat would normally be, right? The rollbar is not about chassis stiffening, but it can... unless it is in attached in just one plane like this

, its about protecting the driver. Hence the rear kickers.
There must be another reason nearly everyone else is attaching to the floor besides just being cheaper.
Just saying.
ROLL CAGE ATTACHING POINTS
1. AMERICAN SEDAN, IMPROVED TOURING, SHOWROOM
STOCK, SPEC MIATA, AND TOURING CLASSES–The roll cage
must attach to the vehicle structure (floor pan/ rocker boxes) { notice nothing about shoulder belt points - dave} within the passenger compartment in a minimum of 6 points
and a maximum of 8 points as specified in these rules.
2. All other classes–There is no limit on cage attachment points.
The roll cage shall be integrated into the frame or chassis.
3. Mounting Plates
GCR - 89
9. Cars and Equipment
General
a. Mounting plates welded to the structure of the car shall
not be less than .080 inches thick nor more than 0.25
inches thick. The maximum area of each mounting plate in
the American Sedan, Improved Touring, Showroom Stock,
Spec Miata, and Touring classes shall be 144 square
inches. That's 12 square inches. How big are all those plates in the Grigg's mounts?
Just saying. Check rulebooks before you spend your money.

Griggs makes great innovative stuff. Just not sure this is one of their best ideas.