Does this look weird?

[Hayabusa]

Hi everybody,

I need some honest response from you guys. I ´m currently building a `67 Dodge Charger as a weekend dragracer and I´ve scratchbuilt this rollcage.

Question is, does it look weird or is it OK?

Edited May 3, 2012 by Hayabusa

[zenrat]

It did. Then I remembered it would be left hand drive..

The loop behind the seats looks narrow to me. Aren't they usually the full width of the cabin?

[Modelmartin]

You have made a 5 point cage. I would make a more typical six-point cage and leave the center bar out and put in two door bars. Of course you would need to make the main hoop full width to do that so each door bar can go on the outside of the seats. The bars to the rear can angle in to clear the wheelhouses. The door bars and the rear bars should attach to the main hoop at the same point. The diagonal on the main hoop is good but I would add a horizontal bar behind the driver's seat for belts to attach to. Make the hoop as tall as you can to almost touch the inside of the roof. Hope that helps!

[Harry P.]

If you want to win any of those weekend drag races I suggest you get rid of the passenger seat.

[martinfan5]

I would mock the interior sides up, so you know how wide to make it

[mickey1938]

I would make the Main Hoop, and then two down Bars on the side of the Seats like a Pro Stock, then two Back Hoops to the Rear, but like Harry P. suggested I too would remove the Passengers seat if you want to Win.

mickey1938

[mickey1938]

Thats right on DoubleD

mickey1938

[Craig Irwin]

The bar going forward should never attach to the upper bar in the center, it should go from the corner to the outer floor above the boxed section of the unibody. Better yet do the six point posted above .

[Hayabusa]

Thanks for all comments. I reworked the rollcage and it now looks like this.

Edited May 4, 2012 by Hayabusa

[Zarana-X]

you want to build something that looks like this. what you've built already does look to be constructed nicely but yes,it's a bit "weird" in that it wouldn't really offer any protection to the driver or passenger in the event of a rollover.

Not to be an ass, but you just made it look weirder, and created a shear point where the front bar and rear bar are offset on the main hoop. Your main hoop is too narrow, it should be as wide as possible, and possibly taper above the doorline. This cage would never pas safety inspection. Your construction is well done, but its not following a sensible form. I would suggest a do-over and replicate the cage in the picture.

[Hayabusa]

@Zarana-X - I really appreciate all tips & comments. I´ll scrap the rollcage and try to come up with something that DoubleD suggested. I think that some of the tubing was too thick (main hoop) anyway.

The reason I did the main hoop a bit narrow, was that it would then connect with the rear subframe i.e create a more stable fixture. However, that may be me thinking in the wrong way?

[turn1wonder]

Hi Stefan.

From what I understand any bend in a cage is a weaker point.

Try to do any connections at the bends, also you could add gussets at those points as well (a gusset is like a triangle piece of sheet plastic/metal).

Bob

[Hayabusa]

Hi Bob,

guess you´re right about that, makes sense.

I´ve now made a new rollcage which, I think, looks more like the one suggested by DoubleD.

[Fat Brian]

Awesome, looks really good.

[turn1wonder]

Very good Stefan, better job than some of mine

Bob

[Scuderia]

ALL of your cages looked better than ANY of my homemade cage attempts lol. Good job on this last one especially

[Jantrix]

Yep, the newest pics look the best. Good work.

[Hayabusa]

Thanks everbody. It was a learning process, but now I know how to do it right the next time. I used Everegreen .080" styrene rod.

[Hedgehog]

It did. Then I remembered it would be left hand drive..

The loop behind the seats looks narrow to me. Aren't they usually the full width of the cabin?

That's what I was thinking of it. It looks too small.

[Hayabusa]

Thanks DoubleD. Also, thank your for the pic. and advise.