Sedan vs. Coupe - caged convenience

[jalopi]

Potential wheel-to-wheel action in the future.

Plans are for drifting though - me spinning out + getting t-boned in the drivers' door = possibility. Hence the want for nascar bars.

But thanks for the heads up Iron, I'll take a look at your threads and see what's up.

[Axxe]

We're doing nascar bars in a sedan....notching the B-pillar a tiny bit for clearance will be required from the looks of it.

[Jaxx_]

I can't imagine having more than 1 set of wheels in the car with a cage and passenger seat... And even that seems like pushing it. I can only carry 2 wheels in my trunk because they are 8J and have huge tires on them. but additionally, even if they were proper size I don't think that more than 3 would fit in the trunk. I think I fit 8 14x6 wheels in the trunk at one point, but I could be making that up. At this point I can't have a fixed back passenger seat because I wouldn't be able to put wheels in the rear seat area. I don't even have a cage.

[TobyB]

There is actually quite a few PRO3 cars based on 4-door sedans. And many of them run NASCAR bars.

Hmmm. In for pix.
I'm 5'11", and Rob couldn't get Nascar- style side bars into my 4- door.
And he tried pretty hard, too. Neither of us could see how you can get a seat AND the bars in.
The B- pillar's well ahead of the plane of the seat...
I ain't got 'em, Olsen doesn't... I should look at other 4- doors, but I THINK we're all x- brace.
And I would very much like the extra room of Nascar bars, even before the extra protection.

The other big drawback is the B- pillar location. The blind spot's very far forward,
and uncomfortable.

That said, getting into the back half of the car's easy, and doing wiring and
paint and so forth was a lot easier than in a sedan. Fewer bruises than the 2002,
certainly.

If I was to do it again, I'd start with a 2- door, simply for the Nascar bars.

But I don't hate my car at all.

t

[Jb325is]

Hmmm. In for pix.
I'm 5'11", and Rob couldn't get Nascar- style side bars into my 4- door.
And he tried pretty hard, too. Neither of us could see how you can get a seat AND the bars in.
The B- pillar's well ahead of the plane of the seat...
I ain't got 'em, Olsen doesn't... I should look at other 4- doors, but I THINK we're all x- brace.
And I would very much like the extra room of Nascar bars, even before the extra protection.

The other big drawback is the B- pillar location. The blind spot's very far forward,
and uncomfortable.

That said, getting into the back half of the car's easy, and doing wiring and
paint and so forth was a lot easier than in a sedan. Fewer bruises than the 2002,
certainly.

If I was to do it again, I'd start with a 2- door, simply for the Nascar bars.

But I don't hate my car at all.

t

I've seen a lot of people notch the door post for NASCAR bar clearance, it's done a lot in Spec Miata's for larger drivers. You can tie it in there also if you aren't limited by class restrictions on attachment points.

[e30_302]

My NASCAR bars from rollcagecomponents.com bend right around the B pillar. Massive improvement over the X bars.

[Jalves619]

Not an e30 but this was what the guy who did my coupe was working on while my car was in his shop. Not a huge fan of how big a blind spot that "gusset" might create but it looks sturdy.

[ForcedFirebird]

My NASCAR bars from rollcagecomponents.com bend right around the B pillar. Massive improvement over the X bars.

I'm wrapping up a cage in a Benz e430 crap-can car, and this is exactly how I did it.

[TobyB]

Yeah, wow- maybe the driver had short legs?

Shoulda said- Pro3 car, so we can't legally modify the shell.

My NASCAR bars from rollcagecomponents.com

Yeah, Rob mocked up one tube like that and had me try it- that return bend
shared space with my left elbow....

t

[ForcedFirebird]

Not an e30 but this was what the guy who did my coupe was working on while my car was in his shop. Not a huge fan of how big a blind spot that "gusset" might create but it looks sturdy.

I find with the HANS on, and full containment seat, pretty much have to rely on mirrors with such limited head movement. Not likely you will be turning your head and looking over your shoulder in a race situation.

[Jalves619]

I find with the HANS on, and full containment seat, pretty much have to rely on mirrors with such limited head movement. Not likely you will be turning your head and looking over your shoulder in a race situation.

Right I noticed there was mention a few people driving to and from the track which led to that comment. Haven't had a HANS on, but even with the harness and these small B pillar gussets I had done, I feel the need for some mirror upgrades to regain some visibility.

[ForcedFirebird]

Yeah, wow- maybe the driver had short legs?

Shoulda said- Pro3 car, so we can't legally modify the shell.



Yeah, Rob mocked up one tube like that and had me try it- that return bend
shared space with my left elbow....

t

Haven't studied Por3 rules, but seeing Se30's can compete, I imagine the rules are similar - and in Se30, you can modify the car to fit safety as long as it doesn't reinforce the chassis - ie no pillar gussets, no connecting strut towers to cage etc. Notching the b-pillar, door jambs etc are acceptable.

[jalopi]

rollcagecomponents.com[/IMG]

goddamnit I feel stupid as fuck now, I've been to that site and seen their pictures of sedans with nascar bars MULTIPLE times...

two small quibbles I have with the RCC cages though - apparently having a "negative" turn on nascar bars (the part where they bend back in to go around the B pillar to connect to the main hoop) considerably reduces their strength. I mean, I'm sure it's still slightly better than a X bar since you're putting more space between potential harm and you... but I don't know, I'm not an engineer.

Another is their standard mounting of the rear bars... shit's mad ghetto. I did notice that they'll offer a rear X bar that mounts in the trunk, but no price was listed.

How was the fit & finish on the RCC cage btw? did you have to cut/bend/re-notch anything?

[ForcedFirebird]

goddamnit I feel stupid as fuck now, I've been to that site and seen their pictures of sedans with nascar bars MULTIPLE times...

two small quibbles I have with the RCC cages though - apparently having a "negative" turn on nascar bars (the part where they bend back in to go around the B pillar to connect to the main hoop) considerably reduces their strength. I mean, I'm sure it's still slightly better than a X bar since you're putting more space between potential harm and you... but I don't know, I'm not an engineer.

Another is their standard mounting of the rear bars... shit's mad ghetto. I did notice that they'll offer a rear X bar that mounts in the trunk, but no price was listed.

How was the fit & finish on the RCC cage btw? did you have to cut/bend/re-notch anything?

X bars are very strong in that they keep tension between the main hoop and door bar, NASCAR is more for driver room than extra safety.

I have used RCC proir to purchasing a bender, and you will have to cut/notch almost 100% of the pieces. If you ask, they will leave the rear down stays extra long so you can go to the trunk floor at no additional cost. We offer pre-made cages at a heftier price, but are 100% exact fit since they are tacked in a car prior to shipping. Basically open the box, weld in...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=325176

[e30_302]

Cut/notch every single joint. Rear downstays go to the rear shock tower for us, pretty much a 45* angle.