Guest Anonymous Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 Hello out there everyone. I looked in the archives for some info on roll cages and roll bars and really didn't find too much. Has anyone out there found one for a zx? I mean there are quite a few for z's, and I don't know enought about the z vs the zx, to know if it wouldn't be too hard to modify it for a zx, or what. I don't want to make my own just yet, since I don't have a welder at school and what not. Thanks for any and all information. sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I almost think a race-car fabrication shop or the like would be able to make and install a custom cage for you. You may have to go that route (I don't know ZX availability, sorry). Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Gad Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 Check out this site, They seem pretty reasonable http://www.swracecars.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 S + w blows chunks STAY AWAY Had too redue every bar hoops needed it too but we left them alone . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 Cerberus, I use S&W regularly to supply me with roll cage gussets, tabs, Dzues fasteners, steel stock, and I have seen several of their cage kits that were fine quality. If you had issues with their kit, you should have called them as they have EXCELLENT customer service. Mike Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bayley Posted September 7, 2001 Share Posted September 7, 2001 Ah yes, the great S&W debate. First of all, I'll agree with Cerberus in saying that every bar had to be cut or modified. However, the installer must realize that this is a very custom job and S&W provides the bare bone basic to get this job done. It should not be taken on by anyone who isn't prepared to to cut, weld, and be a little creative. A custom 6 point bar will cost at least $1000 from a professional shop, usually more. The S&W kit cost something like &120 - $140 depending on what you get. At that price, you can expect to be doing a lot of custom fabrication and fitting. Heck, pricing out the raw material (nothing bent or pre cut) comes out to at least $100. The extra $20 - $40 for having S&W bend the main hoop and "rough in" the support bars was money well spent. Also, the guys at S&W were very friendly and polite, so I'm sure they would be happy to tell you (ellobo) if they have a ZX kit, or not. Here's a couple pictures of my S&W 8 point: -Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 10, 2001 Share Posted September 10, 2001 thanks for the info. It sounds like i'll have to wait till next summer to start the roll cage stuff. I'll keep on researching, and see what I come up with. If anyone else finds out more info, then let me know, also if anyone has pics of rollcages in a zx, or there z, that would help too. The one's that andrew sent were great!! What does everyone weld to as well? Just curious. I mean, I know the frame right? Just wondering. Thanks for any and all info. sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 I did they sent me free tube ! They said the design wasn't the best .Look at how much had too be done too do it right .Good company bad design on 240z kit .If they did it or a customer is unknown too me .Pics r on my page.Andy you gotta be short that back bar would never pass NHRA cert otherwise . [ September 20, 2001: Message edited by: Cerberus ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 Has anyone done a rollbar where its braced onto the rear strut towers instead of continuing to the floor? Just curious, it would seem doing that with a rear strut brace would triangulate (or would that be Rectangulate (Is that a word? ) the roll cage rather well there. Just a thought... Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 I second that question, Lone. I would love to take a rollbar to the strut towers instead of to the floor but I suppose it wouldn't be quite as strong. Opinions? Anyone done this already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bayley Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 Hey Lone, Check out Pete's page. I believe he tied his bar into the strut towers. I probably should have done it that way myself... oh well. Cerberus, Which back bar are you talking about? The lateral support behind the seats, or the down tubes going to the floor? I checked all the rules when I was fitting this bar and I made sure that all my measurements were up to spec. I've never had any problems at the track and I've seen people with cages WAY out of spec. get passed. -Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 The bar in the back Looks awful close too your head! Must be 3" away from helmet .Look at mine on homepage Lat bar too the back way back.No pics r cropped sorry bout load time .Doesn't really show lat but if you look carefully you can barely see it in one pic .Can't access page right now speaksleazy has something wrong If anyone wants I'll zip up pics and send them.Also look at how i did bar behind seat curved then supported too wheel well .Also I have foot bar installed have all pics If interested. [ September 21, 2001: Message edited by: Cerberus ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 No GOOD pics of my bar on my site, but yes, I had it mounted up on the ledge behind the seats, and had the bar tied to the top/front of the strut towers. I was looking mostly for structural stiffness improvements, and I felt that tieing into the point where most of the suspension loads come into the unibody made sense. I had the installer narrow the roll bar hoop to fit it between the inner fenders. Not NHRA legal, but it allowed the seat to move back far enough for my 6'2" frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 Same here. My rear hoop is just behind the piece that has the dome light. The rear bars goto the strut towers and I've got a brace between the struts too. Pics on my site should show this I think but I've not got many good pics of it. I swear that when I have time I'll document every inch of the darned car and post pics of it to my site. Need to REALLY redo my site to make it easier to find things too. The Pics section was supposed to just be random pics but it's grown into the documentation for my car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bayley Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 Oh yeah, 3 inches from the helmet... Well, there's really no getting around that at 6' 3" I just make sure I slouch when I drive up to tech . By the way, I can really appreciate what you (Cerberus) did to the Optispark system on your LT1. I spent all Saturday night ripping everything apart on my B-Body LT1 only to find out that the F-body Optispark I was mistakenly given does not fit on Impala Lt1's Those Optispark systems were (still are) a joke! Jim, ever replaced the plug wires on your Impala before? I'll sell my Impala and buy a 1984 Dodge Minivan before I do that again!!! -Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 Thanks guys, appreciate the info, should have known Pete would have done it.. I agree with Pete as well on the suspension points being stiffened. I think the Z could use as much of that as possible. I hope to do a cage like that in the future, my car handles ok, but I know it could be much better if the cars chassis was stiffened. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 quote: I would love to take a rollbar to the strut towers instead of to the floor but I suppose it wouldn't be quite as strong. Opinions? Anyone done this already? Several California racers at least have done this. Make sure you put a FULL cap on the strut tower when you tie this in. Otherwise it has in the past just crumpled/punched thru the tower. At least a largish heel plate at a minimum. Quite thin sheetmetal unsupported their and the cage can transfer immense force to the towers and without a large enough bearing surface the rear will still crumple forward (ie. cage punches thru towers). I know Richard King I believe has the 280ZX Autopower cage but I've yet to see pics...please Richard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 yea good ole optispark .I have a 700.00 part serving as a plug. Electromotive took care of that!Mine's a 12 pt cage. Geez you made me count past 10 See I can't Count past 10 its 14 .Overkill [ September 21, 2001: Message edited by: Cerberus ] [ September 21, 2001: Message edited by: Cerberus ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 I guess if racers are using this tower-tie method sucessfully, then what can I say. The first thing that comes to my mind is if all the towers are tied together, but not rigidly to the control arm attachment points (or choice points on the unibody), then this still allows a movement relative to each other (towers to control arm pickup points), which defeats the handling bennefits of the cage anyway? And points refer to the number of locations (points) that the cage is attached to the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 the amount of bars that go to the floor determines the count i believe. even if 2 bars weld into the same spot. correvt me if im wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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