e30 roll bar project

[Digitalwave]

Why do you need a roll bar anyways?

[Dave]

street cred, TJ, street cred.

[Digitalwave]

Honestly, I applaud the work effort and he built a roll bar for $110 that looks good at first glance, but I have a big feeling that he didn't need it at all, and Charlie is right, that thing just isn't safe, on the track or on the street.

[IS]

Actually, being 6'4", the harness bar is at a perfect height. What do you mean the bar is unsafe? That's a pretty standard design and the cross bar is about a foot behind my head. Although, I will be putting padding on the area directly behind me.

Don't be so eager to make such strong claims - you have nothing to back it up with. I put many design considerations into this projects and have had input from a couple 911/914 racers.

Albeit my DD right now, by the looks of things, it will be more of track/weekend toy by the end of this summer. I'll be using my subaru legacy "snow car" for getting to and from work and school.

Charlie - one thing I could have done is bring the cross bar weld point a little further up in the bend to bring the bar more towards the passenger side.

[Charlie]

Albeit my DD right now, by the looks of things, it will be more of track/weekend toy by the end of this summer.

With the proximity of that "harness" bar to the head/neck line on the seats with no seat back braces, no tech guy will even think of signing that thing off.

-Charlie

[Charlie]

Act
Charlie - one thing I could have done is bring the cross bar weld point a little further up in the bend to bring the bar more towards the passenger side.

Agreed. Both of those bars are way too close to head/neck level, even with padding.

-Charlie

[Thom]

Hi! I'm the guy who did the welding etc.

I hadn't considered the height of the x-bar, but it's very similar to the bar that I used to have in my 911 cab and other aftermarket roll bars I've seen. I used a similar design when I built the roll cage in my 911, but then again that car has an aluminum racing seat.

I didn't actually design this roll bar, I just lent guidance (and tools) here and there to help Serge execute his vision.

I think I might have some pieces of FIA-rated foam left over that I could kick down to mitgate the issue a bit. Looking in the PCA CGR's, 3.2.f Any portion of a roll bar/cage assembly within 12 inches of a driver's or passenger's head shall be padded.

I've been involved in safety equipment discussions on other boards, and it always seems that now matter what equipment/design you come up with, someone is going to say something like 'but what if you slide off the track into a nest of rabid weasels?'

[Dave]

Agreed. Both of those bars are way too close to head/neck level, even with padding.

-Charlie

You could put it at the middle of the seat back and it'd be at head level for some people . . . .

;)

[Eric]

nice DIY job!

you'll learn this with time... but those cross bars are a bitch for trying to get anything done in the back seat! I hated the cross bars in my M3, i wish i didn't have them all the time.

[IS]

nice DIY job!

you'll learn this with time... but those cross bars are a bitch for trying to get anything done in the back seat! I hated the cross bars in my M3, i wish i didn't have them all the time.

But even at 6'4", I can still get in the back seat. Two people, on the other hand, might be tough. ;)

[Digitalwave]

Hi! I'm the guy who did the welding etc.

I hadn't considered the height of the x-bar, but it's very similar to the bar that I used to have in my 911 cab and other aftermarket roll bars I've seen. I used a similar design when I built the roll cage in my 911, but then again that car has an aluminum racing seat.

I didn't actually design this roll bar, I just lent guidance (and tools) here and there to help Serge execute his vision.

I think I might have some pieces of FIA-rated foam left over that I could kick down to mitgate the issue a bit. Looking in the PCA CGR's, 3.2.f Any portion of a roll bar/cage assembly within 12 inches of a driver's or passenger's head shall be padded.

I've been involved in safety equipment discussions on other boards, and it always seems that now matter what equipment/design you come up with, someone is going to say something like 'but what if you slide off the track into a nest of rabid weasels?'

What was the point of this post?

And you are saying that you are still going to let people sit in the back with the bar?

[Thom]

What was the point of this post?

It was my longwinded way of saying "Hmm, I didn't think of that; oh well..."

And you are saying that you are still going to let people sit in the back with the bar?

No - 'back seat passengers' and 'roll bar|cage' are (to me, anyway) mutually exclusive terms.

[Digitalwave]

Me too, but your boy's last post made me think he was thinking otherwise...

[Thom]

Me too, but your boy's last post made me think he was thinking otherwise...

I don't think he meant having rear passengers while the car is moving - the FIA padding would be better deployed on the rear door panels in this case.

[IS]

Digitalwave - although I'm sure you're the pinnacle of automotive knowledge here, not one of your posts has been useful. I am not an idiot, so please refrain from posting crap just to hear yourself speak.