Roll cage questions - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

wretched73 · 03-26-2011, 06:30 PM

I'm currently rebuilding my '83 camaro and I was thinking of putting a roll cage in for safety reasons but also for rigidity reasons. When the cars done i wanna run autox courses and some road racing events so I figured I should make it up to their rules.

I got the SCCA 2011 rule book online but haven't looked into it yet.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend one. I don't have access to a tubing bender so making one myself isn't reasonable. But I do have someone who can weld well so installation isn't an issue.

Any help/thoughts/pointers are welcome!

And 198esp1, I did read your cage build thread. Just looking for some information that would aid a novice, My car won't be driven as competitively as his.

198esp1 · 03-26-2011, 07:42 PM

depending on what you want, you need to look at the scca gcr. roll gage tubing size is determined by vehical weight. my car has 1.75x.120

WildBillyT · 03-26-2011, 08:23 PM

I have to ask, and I'm not trying to be a prick. Cage or Bar?

I put a 6pt S&W bar into my brother's chevelle and it came out nice. It's not that far a drive to S&W to go and pick it up if you go that route, to save on shipping.

wretched73 · 03-26-2011, 08:24 PM

No worries, cage though.

racerz · 03-26-2011, 09:45 PM

S&W makes a nice piece.. have one in my car and the fit was neat and clean..mild steel around $175 and can ad a swing-out for around $30.

198esp1 · 03-26-2011, 10:18 PM

not a hundred precent sure but i doubt you can get dom tubing for that price and erw is not legal in the scca.but like i said not a hundred precent sure. Here is a pic of one i just did in a little honda civic 6point bolt in is what the owner wanted and the car is not raced but is built to scca specs 1.75x .095 car is under 2800lbs

wretched73 · 03-26-2011, 10:21 PM

great thank you!

Do you know off the top of your head if SCCA says you need to have a cage? Or will a bar suffice to a certain point?

198esp1 · 03-26-2011, 10:40 PM

for autocross you dont need a bar or cage. I put mine in for chassis stiffness, my suspension has no rubber bushings it is 100% rod ends. Im just trying to get the suspension to work as efficiently as possible and eliminating chassis flex is one way.

wretched73 · 03-26-2011, 11:21 PM

I agree. I've been researching for a few months now and thats how I'm trying to build my car up. I'm just trying not to dump tons of money into it now and realize after the fact that i could have done something better. Especially in something with a lot of fab work like a roll cage.

Does something like a 10 pt cage give you more rigidity than lets say an 8 pt bar?

198esp1 · 03-27-2011, 07:06 PM

typically a 10 point will stiffen up the chassis more than just a 8 or 6 point as long as your pads are in the right spots.

wretched73 · 03-27-2011, 08:08 PM

awesome thank you, I was thinking of running them through the floor pans to the SFCs. Is that a crazy thought?

WildBillyT · 03-27-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wretched73

awesome thank you, I was thinking of running them through the floor pans to the SFCs. Is that a crazy thought?

I think that's how most would do the install.

wretched73 · 03-27-2011, 09:18 PM

Good to know, anyone have pictures of them done? Or where should i start searching?

1QWIKBIRD · 03-27-2011, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wretched73

awesome thank you, I was thinking of running them through the floor pans to the SFCs. Is that a crazy thought?

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

I think that's how most would do the install.

Or section the floor and tuck the SFC's up into the interior. This will help ground clearance, chassis stiffening and give you landing points for some of the bars. Then stitch the floor back to the side of the SFC. More work for sure, but the payoff is probably worth it.

wretched73 · 03-27-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1QWIKBIRD

Or section the floor and tuck the SFC's up into the interior. This will help ground clearance, chassis stiffening and give you landing points for some of the bars. Then stitch the floor back to the side of the SFC. More work for sure, but the payoff is probably worth it.

i really like that idea, time to start up some drawings!

198esp1 · 03-27-2011, 10:26 PM

in a road race /autocross 3rd gen with a full cage you usally dont use a frame connector. you could use a bar between the b and a pillers welded to the rocker. Here is what I would like to see if you were serious about chassis stiffness and safety. The cage is a blainfabrication job. Blain is a top race car fabricator in california and specializes in road race camaros. my cage is basically a copy of some of his work

http://www.blainefabrication.com/pro...tz/schotz1.jpg

wretched73 · 03-27-2011, 10:33 PM

absolutely, in the next few weeks i'll come up with some design ideas and post them up