coupe or sedan

[Wh33lhop]

So basically

No cross bars defeat the purpose of a cage
Making it unobtrusive wouldn't be worth it
Pipe dream

Look at that, that's exactly what I just conceded in post 40. I just liked the idea, so I put it out there. Relax.

that works when it's you and your 20-something friends. Doesn't work when it's you, your wife and your mother/father-in-law. Hell, even my work friends don't want to ride in the back. can't say I blame them.

It's worked for short jaunts with 4 people. I'm not a taxicab but it's nice to be able to pile in with a few friends to take a trip down to a hamburger joint or something. When I get married/graduate/etc I won't be relying on the E30 as the only car. Hopefully.

[Fidhle007]

A cage without crossbars would just be more metal to break into sharp edges when you crash racing your buddies to Taco Bell. The level of safety you'd gain by installing an "unobtrusive" cage would be marginal at best, and stiffness wouldn't be improved at all. It's weight and a hazard and pointless.

[kishg]

That's kind of the point of the unobtrusive cage idea, make it so they won't...

a cage is obtrusive, period. there is no unobtrusive cage. not one that works as a cage anyways.

[nando]

that works when it's you and your 20-something friends. Doesn't work when it's you, your wife and your mother/father-in-law. Hell, even my work friends don't want to ride in the back. can't say I blame them.

[Wh33lhop]

That's ridiculous. You cannot have passengers in the back seat with a cage. They will die.

That's kind of the point of the unobtrusive cage idea, make it so they won't... but I really hadn't thought it through.. at all.

And seriously, you put people in the back seat? I feel bad putting a kid back there if there's no room in the front.

I've hauled around 3 passengers many a time.

[Asbradley21]

That's ridiculous. You cannot have passengers in the back seat with a cage. They will die.

And seriously, you put people in the back seat? I feel bad putting a kid back there if there's no room in the front.

[Wh33lhop]

If you want a race car, get a fucking race car. If you're driving your car around with your friends in the back don't be a retard. Try replacing some basic maintenance parts and see how stiff your car feels then.

When did I say I was going to do it? I was just running the idea by people because it's something I've wondered about for awhile. Nothing wrong with a double duty car, if you can keep the bars out of the way. Obviously it would be no small chore to do so (and no cross bars would sort of defeat some of the purpose), so chalk it up to pipe dreams.

[Fidhle007]

What rear seat?

[!kid]

yeah having a cage/roll bar should make your rear seats useless for passengers

[Fidhle007]

I get that cages are generally for stripped track cars, just putting the idea out there for a non-intrusive cage. If you don't have intrusive rear door bars and people can get in and out through the rear doors, I don't see why people wouldn't sit back there. A non-intrusive cage could still add a good deal of rigidity (and possibly safety), and I like being able to haul people around when it's called for. The E30 is my only car, it's not the roomiest thing around but it can seat 4 when you want it to. I'd like to keep it that way, and have the added rigidity as a plus.

Having recently ridden in a coupe with good bushings and struts and H&R race (as opposed to my stock worn out crap), it actually seems like the E30 is decently rigid, but you can never have too much. Call me a chassis freak.

If you want a race car, get a fucking race car. If you're driving your car around with your friends in the back don't be a retard. Try replacing some basic maintenance parts and see how stiff your car feels then.

[Wh33lhop]

if its your only car, you don't need a cage in it. are you going to take the championship in light to light racing or something?

Nah, I just like to park really hard. ;)

[nando]

That's what I was thinking.



I get that cages are generally for stripped track cars, just putting the idea out there for a non-intrusive cage. If you don't have intrusive rear door bars and people can get in and out through the rear doors, I don't see why people wouldn't sit back there. A non-intrusive cage could still add a good deal of rigidity (and possibly safety), and I like being able to haul people around when it's called for. The E30 is my only car, it's not the roomiest thing around but it can seat 4 when you want it to. I'd like to keep it that way, and have the added rigidity as a plus.

Having recently ridden in a coupe with good bushings and struts and H&R race (as opposed to my stock worn out crap), it actually seems like the E30 is decently rigid, but you can never have too much. Call me a chassis freak.

if its your only car, you don't need a cage in it. are you going to take the championship in light to light racing or something?

[BenM]

This looks wrong to me for some reason. Why is the horizontal bar behind the driver bowed outward and not inward?

I believe an older design to provide more seat adjust ability.

Spoke with my dad, he suggested heating it up and manipulating it that way.

[FredK]

Last night I attempted to fit a newly acquired VSR Roll Bar to my '91 4dr. 318i and ran into an issue. The rear plates that are supposed to bolt to the wheel arches are way off position, as in too far inward. Unless the rear wheel arches are different, I can't figure out why the rear plates don't sit right.

Thoughts?

This looks wrong to me for some reason. Why is the horizontal bar behind the driver bowed outward and not inward?

[Dave]

I bought mine used - came out of a 2 door. I put it in a 4 door. They should all be the same. The only difference in e30s from 2 to 4 door is the exterior sheetmetal on the sides where the doors are.