bar vs. cage

[512Stroker]

I am kind of confused as to what the main difference is but here it goes...  I am going to be doing the interior/paint/wheels/suspension this spring/summer and would like to put it in while I have everything out.  Right now I only have the 318 but will have the 496 within a year(ish).  Should I put roll bar/cage in while I can get at everything easily?  How many points?  I am thinking 6 or 8.  And finally what are the regulations... the NHRA rules seem somewhat unclear to what is needed.  I don't plan on ever going faster than 10's.  I am hoping for high tens, low elevens (eventually).  Thanks for your help.

One last thing, can I use the 8 pt kit from summit?  I think it is competition engineering...

[dartracer]

An 8 point bar is al you need for a car running in the 10s with a stock fire wall. Comp eng, and S-W both have good kits.

[mopowers]

If i remember correctly, my NHRA rulebook says a 5-point bar is good for 10 sec 1/4 mile times an under 135 mph.  I struggled with this question for a while to before installing my 12-pt MS cage.  I would definitely do it while your doing interior work anyway. 

Another thing- I would tie it in to the frame connectors as well.  Goodluck and post some pictures of your progress.

Here is a page I got from another site. 

A roll bar is required in any convertible running 13.49 seconds or quicker in the quarter mile, and in other cars beginning at 11.49. The roll bar is accepted in vehicles running as quick as 10.00 second e.t., provided the stock firewall and floorboard is intact, other than for installation of wheel tubs. The rollbar must be constructed of minimum 1 ¾ inch o.d. x .118 inch wall mild steel tubing, or 1 ¾ x .083 chrome moly tubing, and must conform to the following diagram:
NRHA Roll Bar

If the floor and/or firewall has been modified, then a full roll cage is required beginning at a 10.99 e.t. A full roll cage is required in any vehicle running 9.99 seconds or quicker, and any vehicle running 135 mph or faster (regardless of e.t.). The roll cage must be constructed of minimum 1 5/8 o.d.x .118 mild steel tubing, or 1 5/8 x .083 chrome moly tubing, and must conform to the following diagram:
NRHA Roll Bar
The roll cage of any vehicle running 9.99 or quicker, or 135 mph or faster, must also be certified by NHRA every 3 years, and have a serialized sticker affixed prior to participation.

[512Stroker]

I will do the 6 point then.  I would do five but my wife has what I call "safety anxiety"... so 6 point roll and 4 point harness.. or do I need the 5 point harness for a certain ET?

[mopowers]

I believe if you are running stock seats, you can use stock seat belts down to 11.49.  If you are running after market seats, you need an SFI approved harness.  But again, this is going off of memory.  I'll have to look in the rule book when I get home.

[512Stroker]

One more question about the cage.  My brother owns a body shop but does not install cages so he refered me to a friend of his... they quoted me 35/hour to trim/fit/install the summit kit... is that pretty good?  Probably looking around 700 total.

[jet-taz]

i just finshed putting in their six-point roll bar. nice fit didn't have to cut the main hoop down. little fittting.

[Ciscodog]

Well, you have to pull all your interior out if you decide you want to upgrade later on.  If that's something you want to do, then go conservative.

[440WIP]

If they know what they're doing, $35.00 per hour is very fair. If they don't know what they're doing............
Daryl

[512Stroker]

This cage stuff is a lot more work than I had imagined.  Is it possible to mix-and-match?  For instance, summit sells just the main hoop and jegs offers the pro street door bars (bent to clear the armrests) and the rear bars to save the rear seat...  It would still be a 6 point just multiple purchases rather than one single kit.  Unless the kits are long enough to add bends before installation like on the door bars and the rears as well.  Let me know what you think/know.

[mopowers]

If you''re going to have a shop do the install for you, they are probably going to want to bend the tubing themselves.  In that case, just take the car to them and have them build you a custom roll bar.  Just something to think about. 

[jet-taz]

512 stroker you need to empty your pm box. couldn't send you one.the bars are pre -bent. and are too short to reach the back. the are ment to be put in at a angle so you can get in/out easy.put i wanted more of a race  look to it. most bar kits are set up for strip use. you might need to have one custom .

[joshking440]

Hey, I just went through this same thing.  NHRA says if you have stock floor pan and fire wall you have to have a 6 point cage to get from 11.49 to 10.00...but...since we have unibody cars you have to get the extra diaganal bars from the main hoop to the subframe connectors, or tranny tunnel if you dont have sub frame connectors.  I had a 8 point put in, Chrome-Moly and all for 900 and thats installed.  The guy that did it worked for Murph McKinney...he builds all the top fuel stuff.  www.jbracecraft.com 

After the bar was in I added the rest of the bars to go to a full cage, which is an extra 1100 bucks, but after you see how tight he gets it to fit, its worth it.  I also think he can do it with the interior in the car.

[512Stroker]

I have been looking at autoweld chassis.  They may be the ones to go with since I can get different options for the rear bars and the doors.  I think someone else on this site was saying they went with them and it was a good fit.  Little more money but probably well worth it.  I will also talk to the chassis shop that is doing the install and see how much if I have them do it custom.  They do excellent work and it is decently priced since they are business partners with my brother.  Will keep you updated when the time comes.