Vert -- Rollbar / Rollcage (Update ?)

[jhwalker]

Has anyone found a good street solution? High-quality, looks good? Doesn't look like Speed Racer when the top is down...

It get's tiring knowing that at any moment you could be tossed off the strip for running under 14 secs. Learning to launch this thing, we expect to get into the 12's next time out. The strips have looked the other way with our low 13's but we have been told the 12's will not be ignored.
The following responses are not needed:
1. Coupe owners laughing and making snide comments ha ha
2. Folks who saw one somewhere but have no facts
3. References to an earlier thread that had no answers in it

If a good solution was posted that I missed, great.
thanking you in advance,
JW :bash:

 

[racerat]

I have the same concerns as you. I'm knockin' on the 11's and it's only a matter of time.
The red vert in this thread has a nice roll bar.
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=292256

I plan to have something like this made for my car. The front bars will be completely removable as will the cross bar in the back. I want to have the main part of the bar padded and upholstered to look similar to a lightbar.

 

[jhwalker]

Tell your fabricator that there is a market for a good setup.
I know 2or 3 guys right around here that are more concerned with how it works and how it looks than how much it costs.
Needs to pass muster at the track and still be reasonably useful in a street car.
The red car looked pretty good. Looked like it retained the back seat.

JW

 

[jhwalker]

You know, looking at that red car again, it looks pretty good.
I'll register over there and ask the guy who made it unless you already know that.
JW

 

[Joe Lynch]

http://members.cox.net/jlynch/rollbar/rollbar.html

is all I can offer, other than I love driving it and racing it with the rollbar.

Joe Lynch

 

[my03svtcobra]

i run in the 12's with no bar and no problems

 

[racerat]

Originally posted by my03svtcobra
i run in the 12's with no bar and no problems

I do too on my local track, but what about a FFW? I don't think we'll be able to at an event like that.

 

[jhwalker]

Our local tracks make me sign a waiver stating that I understand that I will get booted and run no more if I run under 14.0 ET. in the Vert. Hell, I ran 13.8 with a first, second, (missed third) fifth and then ran it on thru the traps in 5th. The only way to run over 14 is to back off in third and coast thru the traps.

So they make me think about it, but have not actually reacted to a 13.2, other than to say if I go under 13 they really are going to boot me.
Too many things for an old guy to think about -- so I think I'm going to give up the back seat and get on with it.
(Joe -- I studied your pictures a little more and think I answered my questions) 1. yes, 2. yes 3. yes Correct me if I'm wrong please)
Joe -- thanks for the pictures and info. They look good.
1. So you just jump over the bars when you get in and out?
(I'm old and weigh about 205 mmmmmm... boy.)
2. Back seat is history? (tonight the family said they were so tired of listening to me bitch and moan about this that nobody cares about the back seat anymore)
3. At the track you wear the heavy duty multipoint seatbelts?
thanks
JW

 

[maoun]

i'm in on this purchase, for whatever we decide...no doubt

now, for those with those 4 pt bars...is the backseat still usable? what's the deal?

 

[jhwalker]

M
Racerat said
"I plan to have something like this made for my car. The front bars will be completely removable as will the cross bar in the back. I want to have the main part of the bar padded and upholstered to look similar to a lightbar ".

That was my goal too.
See Rhodes Custom below for the removable concept. Their's looks very strong. The objections I have gotten have centered on crash safety for the front seat people. The logic is that the removable stuff simply cannot be strong enough. I'll admit that I want to do more than just survive a rollover. I knew a guy who rolled his mustang GT vert at high speed and scraped off part of his head in the process. He had a neat party trick where he would remove the plastic helmet and you could stick your hand where half his brain used to be. :xpl: Party on!

As far as keeping the back seat, which is my goal, the discussion centers on the safety of any passenger in the back seat. The thought is that even a minor accident could cause major damage to a passenger (head, knees, arms) if he/she hit the metal structure (padded or unpadded) -- front or side. Which leads to good ole liability. Some good shops will not even talk about anything but the full bore 8 pt cage thinking that our 'heirs and assigns' will come after them after we kill or maim ourselves.

Here's the rhodescustom reference to check out.

http://www.rhodescustomauto.com/ The Fab Shop shows a very nice Vert where they kept the back seat for looks but the bar across where the knees would go makes it appear to be for looks only IMO. It does look very nicely finished. It also shows what they do in the process of installing.

This same discussion is going on on another site
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1697&perpage=15&pagenumber=2

gotta go to work now -- work is easier than making a decision on this.
JW