Roll Bar Genius

[CCRsAC]

Mark,

Thanks for taking time to talk with me (and probably a bunch of other guys) about this last weekend. I've decided that I'm definitely interested. I'd like one in stainless and will reach out to you to place an order.

[MPTech]

Darn, something else I NEED.

[WAYNES WORLD]

Originally Posted by skunkman

The "Broomstick Test" is to see if the witch will scream when she finds out how much it costs. Hopefully this will pass the test!!!

Thanks! I just about spit my lunch on the keyboard!
Wayne

[Todd Buttrick]

Originally Posted by convincor

Todd, that # is for 1/8".
Your looking at "thickness Tolerance"
If you want .065 use #8990K52
It's 1/16" think, 6" wide 36" long.

And didn't get pics..

DUH. You're right. Ordered the 1/16"

[picah]

Originally Posted by Mark Reynolds

The price for the 5 piece kit is $165.00. For driver and passenger sides order two at $165 each.

The price for a fishmouthed 1.5" diameter harness crossbar is not determined yet.

The price for mill finish stainless steel (like Wayne's World) is not determined yet, but we expect it to be between $200 - $250

Just my $0.02 but I think that a harness cross bar of smaller diameter would look much better and be just as strong - how about 1 " ??

[dv/dt]

For a 200 lb load:

4130 Steel at 1.5" with .156" wall thickness would give a yield of 92g.

4130 Steel at 1.25" with .156" wall thickness would give a yield of 60g.

4130 Steel at 1" with .156" wall thickness would give a yield of 35g.

I went with 1.25" for mine. Never looked at mild steel but it would be about 85% of these values.

[Todd Buttrick]

nice! well done dv.

[mirose]

Quick Welding question related to the installation of these rollbars (I am highly considering getting these):

I remember once reading that you should remove your EFI computer from the car before doing any welding (I am not sure why, but I assume the welding can send a big electric spike through the car). While not impossible, this is a bit of a pain. From what I see here, you just need a few tack welds to set the angles right and then pull the roll bars off and do the finish welding off the car....

So....do those quick tack welds count as something that necessitates EFI removal? If so, do I just disconnect the EFI or actually remove it from the car so its protected? Are there any other precautions that I could take that are less onerous? Thanks.

[kevin12973]

You should be fine if you just disconnect the battery, however, if you have a MSD box you should completely remove it. I have been told this from dirt track guys that commonly weld on their cars after a race weekend. They say MSD boxes cant take the slightest stray electron. Better to be safe.

[Todd Buttrick]

I gave the beta bar a shot of satin black. I'm lovin this. Scott has a stainless bar ready to deliver and I ordered the rubber slab to make new grommets for my old trim rings. I'll polish up the stainless bar and take pics this weekend.

[blate]

I emailed Breeze Sunday...I need a stainless one
Do we know when these will go on sale?

[Todd Buttrick]

[convincor]

Todds got his new stainless and he will post pics soon.
As for the two prototypes he had pictured already if someone is interested send me a pm. And I think I may have one more assembled that would fit same as the first stainless he had pictured. So if your holes aren't drilled or your not painted you'd be good..

[Todd Buttrick]

A couple of pics of a half-assed polished stainless bar installed. The "half-assed" part is my own inability to be patient and do it correctly.





and a compare to a stock MK1 lower bar.

[Bill_VA]

When you guys did the broomstick test, what forward part of the car did you use? How tall was the dummy in the seat? With or without a helmet? Could the bar be mounted a inch or so higher if necessary?

[convincor]

Broom stick is done at the highest point at the front frame area which would be where the x brace is.
There are to many variables in what would pass the test such as how the seat is mounted, or two people the same height one with short legs and long torso. Or short torso and long legs.
You would have to determine what works for you.
I'll tell you this, it's 2-1/2" lower that the stock bar and the tragectory of the rear leg determines height. A change in height would have to change the angle that the hoop is laided back. So you really can't change the height.

[Jetsbaby]

I guess people with the stock F5 low back seats your head would be over the roll bar? Depending if you are 5'9 or shorter? Can we see some pictures of people sitting in the car with the new roll bar installed?

[Someday I Suppose]

Really interesting project guys. Curious as well how a drop butt mod would effect how the bar fits. I am guessing with the weld your own kit that it won't be too much of an issue, but curious if any of the mock ups were done on a car with a lowered butt.

-Scott

[CRZN 427]

Originally Posted by Someday I Suppose

.... Curious as well how a drop butt mod would effect how the bar fits. ...Scott

When I did the Full Drop Butt Mod on my MK-II there was no change to the location of the roll bar mounts.

The rear bumper mounts got lowered and the tube structure in the trunk side panel area got modified so the body would lower down with out interference, but that does not affect the mounts for the roll bars.

Regards, Rick.

[KC Wildcat]

If you wanted to give a broomstick height number, you would need to remove the seat, set the straight edge and measure from the straight edge down to the sheet floor (perpendicular to the floor - use a plumbob?) You would want to down to a point maybe 6-8" in front of the base of the rear wall - because you want it to be where the middle of your head is (accounting for thickness of seat back, angle of seat, etc.) Then you could mock something and sit in your seat - so you are accounting for seat platforms, adjusters, thickness of seat bottom, your torso/body/height, etc.)

[CCRsAC]

Bump for a cool product - just placed my order for a stainless kit.

As for the "broomstick test," no rocket science to it. As you pull through tech, they'll ask you to sit in the car with your helmet on and then they'll place a broomstick on your rollbar and the top of your windshield. If your helmet is below the broomstick, you pass - that simple.

[plw]

Angle,Height,Thickness,Stainless,its all perfect and looong overdue,Pat

[Todd Buttrick]

I've been on the road the last couple of days but will take some pics of me in the car with helmet this weekend for the broomstick guys. As mentioned before, there are so many variables so I'll provide as much details as I can to help determine if this is right for you. The pic below is a CSX for some sort of reference. Just to keep things in perspective, this is not a safety improvement mod but more of an aesthetics mod.

[KRUSTY990]

Fit this new bar yesterday. Ready for TIG this week. BEST mod ever!!! Changes the whole car. No more chrome. Great job guys. I'll post pics when done.

krusty

[CraigS]

Re; drop butt mod. i did that on my MkII last month. The bar doesn't move but the hole in the body for the rear leg sure changes. Gets lengthened to the rear about 3/8 to maybe 1/2 inch. So new trim ring needed to cover up the oval hole.

[Carl Johnson]

Nice work Scott!

[convincor]

Looks fantastic Carl!!!
That harness mount looks great to..
Obviously you used the one you had on your 2" bar. What did you use to sleeve it down to the 1-3/4"??

[Carl Johnson]

The X brace/harness mount had a 1/16 rubber "gasket" wrapped around the 2" bar. I simply exchanged the 1/16th rubber for 1/8th rubber - done.

[convincor]

I think that looks alot better then a bar welded across. And it's not permanent..

[plw]

Wow Carl that looks sweet,Kudos to you guys who made this mod happen im sure it was not easy and no more chrome plating at 2 to 3 hundred dollars and hoping they got the prep work right the first time, no top bolt either that should get a few double takes at the car shows,Pat.