So, I'm pretty much all recovered from the grinder accident,the kitchen is all but done and the weather is good so I'm ready to start doing some work on the car again! I could use some advice.
In my down time I've been thinking and realizing I should really just sack up and run some sort of bar or cage in it. I've replaced the outer frame rails (inner rockers?) and torque boxes and tied the subframes together, but it's still a convertible and with the power I'm hoping to get from the 460 I'm pretty sure it's still going be squirrely and probably not the safest thing around.
I don't know a lot about cage designs at all - what are my options? I want to have a functioning convertible top, use of the back seat, doors, etc, but also want to tie the front and rear together and run through the firewall to the front rails to control the MII front end. So, I'm kind of picturing a basic 4-point bar in back, coming along the top to the A pillars down to the floor and forward bends to front rails. Kind of like a full cage but with out the crossover bars in the back and nothing at the doors. Would something like that work?
Also, where should I go to have something like that built, and what would the cost be, roughly? Is there anybody out there that will take your measurements and do the bends for you, then send you the tubes for install?
1) Contact your local NHRA safety inspector - even if you are not intending to build an NHRA compliant roll-bar - you will be well served to know what they require. My GUESS is that their specs and your wants are not mutually exclusive and if you are putting a 460 that is anything past a JY van motor in a mustang you are probably going to need a 4 point bar to run at any sanctioned track ( I forget what they changed it to - but I think a 4 point is required at either 12.99 or 12.49 - a cage is required at 9.99 or 135mph trap)
2) Even if you do your own fitting - I would have someone whe welds cages for a living weld your cage. I am a fairly decent welder and I am going to pay to have this done. The first time the car is shiny side down is a really bad time to figure out that you have a weak weld.
Well, leave it to me to differ. I have seen the generic cages companies build & you won't be happy with them. About the only ones to fit nice are for a Fox chassis car. Since you want something custom but not necessarily NHRA/IHRA legal, I would go to Harbor Freight & buy a bender, buy the tubing, & do one myself. Do the swing out bars like Greg said & put all the bars where you want them. I built mine to be legal & used an expensive bender but & it's hard work but simple. You decide to go that way you can email me & I'll help you, I've done several. If you pay to get it done it'll cost ya. My guess would be $2K or more depending on how many bends & how much tubing
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If you didn't build it, it will always be someone else's
Thanks for all the advice. I've been digging around and have come up with a few options. Mustangs Unlimited and other places like that all seem to have this basic 4 point bar which is supposedly designed for a vert, which I guess I could build off but it's kind of expensive http://www.mustangsunlimited.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=RB3+01
Thinking maybe getting the basic 4-point since I think the rear area is going to be the trickiest with the convertible, then building the rest myself, tacking it together, and then taking it somewhere to finish it off to Nathan's point. I'm pretty good with the MIG, but the cage probably not the place to make any mistakes.
I called Autoweld for the chassis and suspension for my Fairlane. The woman that answered the phone and the "tech" guy were the rudest people I have ever dealt with on the phone. I wouldn't call them again if they were the last chassis shop on earth.
Joe
3-'63 Fairlanes
'72 Gran Torino Sport (Q code)
'79 F-150 4X4
