[Evan]

Hi everyone - I've never had any experience with roll cages at all - but i think i should put one in my dart that i'm building. first - are you guys making your own or buying kits(where from?)? also - 8 pt, 10 pt, 12 pt? it will be a street car with around 750-800 hp. Also - I'm not even sure if i need one, since i wont have to worry about track rules. what do you guys think - any advice is appreciated. thanks a lot -Evan

 

[nasty68]

I had bought mine from S&W Racecars in PA. I bought a 10 pt. With the power you will be making, it wouldn't hurt to get one to make the chassis stiffer.

 

[strange246]

I used one from Competition Engineering, 8-pt...With that much power I'd use one, just a street car, go 6 or 8-pt, race car 10+

 

[Evan]

ok, thanks guys. the reason i would get one would be to stiffen the chassis. I just wanted to make sure I was on the right track here. Did those cages fit pretty good, or did they need some modification? thanks -Evan

 

[Evan]

By the way, Ryan. I've been watching the progress on your website for well over a year now. I love that car and you do some nice work. I should have looked at your roll bar installation before even asking the question - look nice. -Evan

 

[DART VADER]

I used one from Competition Engineering, 8-pt...With that much power I'd use one, just a street car, go 6 or 8-pt, race car 10+   

I used the same one. 8-point. I had it powder coated then installed.

 

[Steve DeTar]

Evan, on my 71 Swinger, I used a Chassis Engineering roll cage, their ladder bars, Comp coilover springs, ladder bar rear crossmember, made my own subframe connectors that were slipped in both front and rear stub frames 8" with 2 X 3 square tubing and used the extra for outriggers. On the front since it was a 12point, I cut the inner fenders, bent the front strut bars to attach to the outside edge of the front shock mounts, split the inner fenders to go on each side of the front strut down bars and welded them in. Boy did it make it stiffer.

 

[Evan]

Mr. DeTar, that sounds sweet! I'm making the dart a street car, so I wont be doing anything like that, though - just a little roll cage and frame connectors. DART VADER - did you weld it together, then powder coat it, then install it? How did you get it in the car?

 

[Duster Five-O]

Can we get a pic of that Steve?

 

[strange246]

By the way, Ryan. I've been watching the progress on your website for well over a year now. I love that car and you do some nice work. I should have looked at your roll bar installation before even asking the question - look nice.        -Evan

Thanks man, if you need any help just have to ask....I did modify my rear bars that go into the trunk and the door bars I bent to clear the stock armrests....Subframe connectors are also well worth the time, just make those yourself it's pretty easy...

 

[Evan]

Yeah, I've been planning on making the subframe connectors. What did you do to the rear bars? Should I buy the kit, or just the main hoop and bend the rest of the stuff myself? thanks -Evan

 

[Evan]

oh - i see - you matched them to the roof line, right? that looks good. did you do it for any reason? are you planning on putting the back seat in or something? I'm just curious. thanks a bunch -Evan

 

[Steve DeTar]

Duster Five O...I wished I had the pic's. I lost this car in my second divorce...

 

[strange246]

oh - i see - you matched them to the roof line, right? that looks good. did you do it for any reason? are you planning on putting the back seat in or something? I'm just curious. thanks a bunch          -Evan

Yeah the back seat is going back in, not planning on using it but I like the looks of a full interior in a street car, I thought about buying the steel to make the rear and door bars, in the end it was cheaper to modify the kit....If you decide to bend them, be sure to have a bender thats up to it, I used a 16-ton hydraulic pipe bender and I still had to heat it up some to bend it...

 

[Tom1951]

I don't have a welder so I am haveing resto shop do mine. He is getting a kit from Alston Chassisworks. He told me that there stuff fits great band doesn't require alot of extra fabbing. WWW.cachassisworks.com Tom

 

[Evan]

Tom, I checked out that website - thanks, that looks like good stuff.
Ryan - I like that idea - I've been debating what to do with the back seat area. I was thinking about making a piece of sheet metal to weld in where it used to be, but thats an idea - just leave it alone!!! The kit came with rear bars that were long enough to bend like that and still fit? thanks -Evan

 

[strange246]

Tom, I checked out that website - thanks, that looks like good stuff.
Ryan - I like that idea - I've been debating what to do with the back seat area. I was thinking about making a piece of sheet metal to weld in where it used to be, but thats an idea - just leave it alone!!!  The kit came with rear bars that were long enough to bend like that and still fit?      thanks        -Evan

Yup, the rear bars are plenty long, I made the bends and just kept test fitting till I was happy, I ended up running them down through the speaker holes.....the main hoop fit like a glove, I was happy with it all....

 

[Evan]

That's good - I will just go ahead and buy the kit then. thanks for your help -Evan

 

[strange246]

Anytime, just make sure your welding machine is up to it.