[1quick6]

I was wondering what it would cost to get a decent rollcage fabricated and installed in a MKIV? Do the pre made pieces/kits that are welded together, and installed work good? Can the back seats still be used with a cage in the car? I was also wondering how much a 6 or 8 pt roll cage will stiffen up a MKIV, does it become almost too stiff to street drive?

 

[JWatson]

I would figure about $1000-1200 for a custom fabricated rollcage...if you can find someone in your area to do the job correctly. A very good rollcage for the money is Autopower made in San Diego,Ca. Figure on spending $600 for a DOM tubing cage and maybe another $50 for the optional shoulder harness
bar. With the Autopower bar you can keep the back seat...but it's really useless with a cage installed. The complete 6 point bolt-in cage is number 83531 and available from any distributor that carries the Autopower line. It will definitely stiffen the chassis and improve handling.

How's that?

J

 

[1quick6]

Thanks

Thanks, that is what I was looking for

 

[V8THIS]

Jeff,

Alsome pic in your sig. Is that your car?....got any others on the road race course?


-Mike

I would figure about $1000-1200 for a custom fabricated rollcage...if you can find someone in your area to do the job correctly. A very good rollcage for the money is Autopower made in San Diego,Ca. Figure on spending $600 for a DOM tubing cage and maybe another $50 for the optional shoulder harness
bar. With the Autopower bar you can keep the back seat...but it's really useless with a cage installed. The complete 6 point bolt-in cage is number 83531 and available from any distributor that carries the Autopower line. It will definitely stiffen the chassis and improve handling.

How's that?

J

 

[JWatson]

Just a little story...

Mike,
Yea...that's my car. I sometimes refer to it as "our"
car because racing is a team effort....believe me. There
is no way we could race without the help of our crew.

That particular picture was taken on Saturday or Sunday
(I don't remember) at Texas World Speedway, June 2001. I'm
thinking it was Saturday because we started from the pole. The
yellow 240SX was on the outside of the front row with me. As
you can tell...I pulled about 10 bus lengths on the entire field
of 20 cars Talk about a good race...we lead every lap and
finished 1st in class & 1st place overall. Then on Sunday morning,
we go out to qualify in a 20-25 minute session. We burned off
about 3 or 4 good hot laps and then I pulled in.....went to our
paddock area and parked the car. My crew is screaming WTF??
What's wrong with the car? What happened out there? I told
them all real calmly " If we can't do it with those laps...the car
felt great" Talk about a cocky attitude. Turns out we missed
the pole position by .003 seconds!! I'm thinking no problem...
we can start from the outside...next to the Nissan again.

Same story...different day! We pulled another holeshot...lead
every lap, 1st in class & 1st overall. Now do you see why I
love Racing?? Winning NEVER sucks.

I have a few other pic's...I'll post them from time to time. Oh yea
...We have almost every race on video. If I get a chance, I plan
on putting a few on the net.


Jeff

 

[osofast240]

I was wondering what it would cost to get a decent rollcage fabricated and installed in a MKIV? Do the pre made pieces/kits that are welded together, and installed work good? Can the back seats still be used with a cage in the car? I was also wondering how much a 6 or 8 pt roll cage will stiffen up a MKIV, does it become almost too stiff to street drive?

performance factory can get you one at a good price 718 429-3773

 

[RSA Supra]

I have the piping sitting in my garage from SW Racecars it is will still allow you to store your targa. It was the cheapest out there, and looks of good quality. It weighs about 100lbs in mild steel, they'll make it out of chromoly, but it is a few $100 more.

Its going to cost me about $650 to powdercoat and install it.

 

[carcnoid]

Jeff,

That really is an awesome sig. If you put any video's on the net, please let me know!

 

[jkbrauch]

Does anyone know of a roll bar that does not interfere with the full range of travel of the front seats? I've removed my rear seat but have found out that Autopower roll bars sit in front of the rear seat bulkhead. I suppose I'm looking for a bar that mounts behind the bulkhead so full front seat travel is available. I am considering doing the OTC but don't think it would be wise without at least a roll bar. I have not heard how Supras do in rollovers without roll bars. Any feedback on that??

Thanks, Jeff B.

 

[fleadh]

Does anyone know of a roll bar that does not interfere with the full range of travel of the front seats? I've removed my rear seat but have found out that Autopower roll bars sit in front of the rear seat bulkhead. I suppose I'm looking for a bar that mounts behind the bulkhead so full front seat travel is available. I am considering doing the OTC but don't think it would be wise without at least a roll bar. I have not heard how Supras do in rollovers without roll bars. Any feedback on that??

Thanks, Jeff B.

Hey Jeff,

Do you mean full travel so you can slide the seat all the way back? If so, the autopower should leave you plenty of room for that. How tall are you?

If you mean full reclineing travel - that will be tough if your running a rollbar, that has an integrated harness bar.. that will typically block the reclineing of the seat.

From my own experiences, no matter what autopower tells you, running factory seats with their rollbar or cage just doesnt work (especially in the supra) the factory seats are just to big. It will fit, but its just too tight.. you may want to look into ditching the factory seat.

If your running in the Touring group for OTC, i wouldnt let not having a rollbar stop you.. most cars wont have one.

-mike

 

[jkbrauch]

Hey Jeff,

Do you mean full travel so you can slide the seat all the way back? If so, the autopower should leave you plenty of room for that. How tall are you?

If you mean full reclineing travel - that will be tough if your running a rollbar, that has an integrated harness bar.. that will typically block the reclineing of the seat.

From my own experiences, no matter what autopower tells you, running factory seats with their rollbar or cage just doesnt work (especially in the supra) the factory seats are just to big. It will fit, but its just too tight.. you may want to look into ditching the factory seat.

If your running in the Touring group for OTC, i wouldnt let not having a rollbar stop you.. most cars wont have one.

-mike

Thanks, Mike - I'm not interested in the recline - I don't have it anyway with my Recaros in the car because they're wider than the stock seats. I'm 6-1 and my son is 6-4. He needs the seat almost up against the rear beat bulkhead. Maybe the Autopower would work?? I'm hestitant to run at high speeds close to the limit without a roll bar - I know bad things can happen in the heat of battle. If I knew the Supra did OK in rollovers I wouldn't be so worried. I've seen too many racing accidents to want to be one myself. I've been there and done that in shifter karts. Do you have the Autopower or do you think it may work for me??

Regards, Jeff B.

 

[fleadh]

Thanks, Mike - I'm not interested in the recline - I don't have it anyway with my Recaros in the car because they're wider than the stock seats. I'm 6-1 and my son is 6-4. He needs the seat almost up against the rear beat bulkhead. Maybe the Autopower would work?? I'm hestitant to run at high speeds close to the limit without a roll bar - I know bad things can happen in the heat of battle. If I knew the Supra did OK in rollovers I wouldn't be so worried. I've seen too many racing accidents to want to be one myself. I've been there and done that in shifter karts. Do you have the Autopower or do you think it may work for me??

Regards, Jeff B.

Interesting. Im about 6'1" and i have no problems, i recently put in a 1 piece race seat to replace the factory seat. I have a full autpower cage, but it hasnt been installed yet (i waited over a month to get a bracket for my old seat 1 piece seat, then said fuck it and bought a different one with a supra bracket), cage is going in this weekend).

When my friend an I were test fitting the autopower cage it was too tight with the stock seats, so we deceided to wait till i had the race seats mounted so we didnt have to adjust the bar placement later.

If you changed the recaro out for a 1 piece racing seat while at the track, i doubt you or your son would have any problems with the rollbar... on the street however, it may be an issue for your son with the recaro seat since its really big.

Best thing might be to try and find somone local with a rollbar or cage and jump in to see in person...

-mike

 

[jkbrauch]

Thanks again Mike -

I talked again with Autopower and decided to try their roll bar as is. I think the clearance with the Recaros should be OK after talking with them. Any idea on the number of Supras in the OTC? If you're running, what class will you run in? I have a local friend who will be running his blown SHO Taurus. Sounds like the event will be alot of fun.

Jeff

 

[fleadh]

Thanks again Mike -

I talked again with Autopower and decided to try their roll bar as is. I think the clearance with the Recaros should be OK after talking with them. Any idea on the number of Supras in the OTC? If you're running, what class will you run in? I have a local friend who will be running his blown SHO Taurus. Sounds like the event will be alot of fun.

Jeff

At the moment, i think im the only supra entered. I know 1 or 2 are getting ready to enter the unlimited class, but i dont know of any others that will be entering in the touring class. Ill be in Touring 2, my profile is at http://www.opentrackchallenge.com/profiles/team77.htm if your bored.

The event will definitely be fun... with many high rollers in the field, ending the event in vegas should provide entertaining.

Good luck with the rollbar install, take some pics and let us know how it turns out.

-mike

 

[kingerm]

Will the Autopower roll bar let me keep putting the targa in the trunk area? Any pics of this cage? I was looking for a rollbar/cage combo, one that went completely around except for the area where the targa top would be on the door edges. Bad example, the F&tF supra had a cage but didn't obstruct the top doorway areas. Thats what I want. Would this type of cage still work under rules for SCCA, NIRA, NHRA. I want to do some track events so this is my main concern.

Thanks

Enrique M.
97 TT 6spd

 

[jkbrauch]

The roll bar (cage?) in the F&F is an Autopower product.

Jeff

 

[Eric]

Interesting. Im about 6'1" and i have no problems, i recently put in a 1 piece race seat to replace the factory seat. I have a full autpower cage, but it hasnt been installed yet (i waited over a month to get a bracket for my old seat 1 piece seat, then said fuck it and bought a different one with a supra bracket), cage is going in this weekend).

When my friend an I were test fitting the autopower cage it was too tight with the stock seats, so we deceided to wait till i had the race seats mounted so we didnt have to adjust the bar placement later.

-mike

Mike,

How much seat travel do you lose with the autopower?

 

[kingerm]

What about regulations? I want to have a roll cgae still have it look good but be able to take it to the track whether it be SCCA, NHRA or NIRA. Any websites that point out what can and can't be done?


Enrique M.
97 TT 6spd

 

[fleadh]

Mike,

How much seat travel do you lose with the autopower?

When we were test fitting the cage, the problem with seat travel was the back of the seat hitting the harness bar... so it depends how much you normally recline your factory seat, the less you recline the more travel you get. With my current one piece race seat, there will be no issues with travel, and ive gained about 2 1/2" or 3" of headroom as well.

One thing i dont like for a street car with the autopower setup, was the mail roll hoop and elbow is very close to your head if you have the factory seats. And after you pad it (you really really dont want to run around on the street with an unpadded rollbar, especially if your not using a harness) it will be even closer.

Ill know exactly how the fit is after we install the cage this weekend.

-mike

 

[Steve Jarvis]

This sounds like a funny issue when your putting a roll bar/cage in your car, but the Autopower forces you to remove your rear speakers. I am just going to have a local guy fabricate one that goes over the rear seat area and through the plastic above the speakers. It will also have a bolt in crossbrace and harness bar. This way when I have the cross brace and harness bar out on the street, I can still use the rear seats and store the top. I will then bolt the cross brace and harness bar in for the track. I only do local events, so I don't have to worry about meeting any specific regulations.

Later, Steve