Anyone here have a NHRA legal roll bar/cage? SN95

Something I did not know when I bought my new car - convertibles under

14.00 seconds need a roll bar to run at the track?

Anyone here give me some advice about cutting the car to install one of these?? How much? How long will a shop need my daily driver? Will this automatically kill the range of seat movement? Etc..

Thanks in advance for any help -

Chris

2003 Cobra Vert
Reply to
Christopher Shea
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Maximum Motorsports makes a roll bar for convertibles that is removable. I believe that it is NHRA approved.

Reply to
Ironrod

Chris,

I had a local shop fabricate and install a bar similar to the maximum motorsports bar for my 90 convertible. It did significantly limit seat travel. This was my #1 concern since I'm 6'4" and typically have the seat back as far as it will go (reclined, too).

In conjunction with the roll bar installation, I also installed corbeau forzaII seats (non-reclining). I had purchased the low profile seat rails with these, but ended up having to fabricate my own to get the seats to sit on the floor of the car (the sliders still work), otherwise, my head was touching the convertible top. BTW, forzaII seats don't seem to be sized for adult butts (and mine isn't that big). But a little work with a bottle jack and you can re-shape the metal seat frame tubes until they're just right.

In retrospect, there are a couple of things you should consider:

  1. Your existing seats won't recline (at least not as much as you might like.
  2. Get removable, swing-out door bars! Driving around with door bars installed is a pain. Your elbow will feel cramped. You won't need welded door bars unless you plan on going much faster.
  3. Kiss your back seat goodbye. The only way to get in and out of the back seat is by lowering the top and climbing over the rear tubes. I wouldn't feel safe carrying passengers (read kids) in the back seat knowing they can't get out in an emergency. So, back-seat travel is in top-down weather only.

Expect to spend about $1000 by the time it's all said and done. The bar might not be much, but labor for getting it installed correctly will cost you. So will the harness you will need (included in the $1000).

BTW, I did quite a bit of work myself: I took out all of the seats, removed the convertible mechanism covers, took out all the carpeting, etc, and only had the shop fabricate and install the bar. I had to prep/paint the bar, notch the rear seat backing plate for clearance (fun, not), cut carbet to fit around bars, and put everything back together.

-Edgar

Christ> Something I did not know when I bought my new car - convertibles under

Reply to
Edgar Circenis

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