Bolt In Roll Bar

[ResIpsa]

First of all I have no association with RPM Roll Bars or M&H Engineering LLC, but I know a bunch of guys have been looking for a bolt in roll bar.

I am not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but it appears that RPM Roll Bars has the first true bolt in roll bar for our cars. They seem legit and sell bars for a whole bunch of other cars.

Here is the link RPM Rollbar - Rollbars they don’t list a price but from looking at their other products it seems the price will be somewhere around $1,200 for mild steel to $2,250 for chromoly. That is certainly not cheap but the fabrication appears really nice.

I would have considered this had I not already dropped my 370Z off at a local Northern Virginia shop for a custom install. That shop quoted me $900 for a complete custom install with chromoly and tig welds. Seems like a really good deal. However, my car has been gathering dust in their lot for over a month.

[synolimit]

That is way to much!! Your quote is about norm and what I'd expect, the wait I don't. Also not a fan at all how that's held together. I'd take a auto power all day vs that thing.

[Sh0velMan]

The auto power cage is awful and isn't rules legal for basically any governing body.

These cages aren't much better, and are certainly ovepriced. I got a steal at right around $1k installed for my custom cage. I'd expect most folks are gonna pay 1200-1500 for a 4 point weld in custom with DOM or Chromoly built to NASA/SCCA specs.

[ResIpsa]

I tend to agree with what everyone is saying. And those "door bars" look sketchy.

[wstar]

It's certainly better than a "harness bar", so I guess if it's a street car and you just want a mild safety upgrade for drag strip stuff or something, maybe you could run a design like that? I donno. As mentioned already, it won't be rules-legal for any kind of auto sport, and it's not nearly as safe as a real cage.

[clintfocus]

ive seen one of these in person on a Camaro, the door bars were on the sketchy/flimsy side. No pics of how they have it mounted for the main hoop which id like to see. A bolt in bar is limted by design, and it shows in this bar, very close to the driver area and not flush with the interior. If you want a roll bar for track days, best bet is to get something custom weld in. If you were in socal id refer you to the place who did the work on my roll bar

[skidad62]

I had an RPM bar in my Mustang and it was awesome. Workmanship and fitment was great. Very solid piece. I had the chromoly and it was very light. Comes painted.

To those that haven't seen one in person - you should.

Comes track certified to 9.99

[wstar]

What does "track certified to 9.99" mean? I mean, I get that that's a quarter-mile time, does that mean rules set by ... NHRA, or? In any case, I'm willing to stand corrected on the "rules-legal" if some drag-racing body accepts these. I don't know of any major *road* -racing outfit that this would pass tech for, though, and by design it's obviously not as safe as a real cage.

[synolimit]

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

The auto power cage is awful and isn't rules legal for basically any governing body.

These cages aren't much better, and are certainly ovepriced. I got a steal at right around $1k installed for my custom cage. I'd expect most folks are gonna pay 1200-1500 for a 4 point weld in custom with DOM or Chromoly built to NASA/SCCA specs.

So they write this for their health and blatantly lie?

[Sh0velMan]

Originally Posted by synolimit

So they write this for their health and blatantly lie?

There are cages they make that ARE rules legal.

The one they make for the Z is not legal.

Look at this picture of their 'Race roll cage' they sell.

If you can't spot what makes this cage illegal (in more ways than one) then... well, whatever.

[skidad62]

Originally Posted by wstar

What does "track certified to 9.99" mean? I mean, I get that that's a quarter-mile time, does that mean rules set by ... NHRA, or? In any case, I'm willing to stand corrected on the "rules-legal" if some drag-racing body accepts these. I don't know of any major *road* -racing outfit that this would pass tech for, though, and by design it's obviously not as safe as a real cage.

I was using mine for drag racing and yes it's NHRA certified. You need to go to a 10 point cage quicker than 10.0. They do sell an extension package to go full 10 point cage and certify to 8.50

^ when you make statements like above - I'm always interested in real world experiences... do you have a full cage and track experiences with tech? My RPM cage was top drawer - and our drag racing tech inspectors loved it (as long as I stayed in the 10s lol.

It is a 'real cage' and I would trust their welds compared to most other cages - many come pre bent - then you have to cut and weld them in - that's where quality can fail and inspections can be blown. RPM is prewelded and painted - ready for sandwich bolt in through the floor plates.

If their cages fail a tech inspection for NHRA or SCCA they will buy it back from you.

Their quote -

"NHRA/SCCA legal to 10.0 to 11.49, with extensions kit available
to be legal to 8.50.
NHRA/SCCA legal door swing out
NHRA/SCCA bolt in seat belt mounts included
CAD engineered and precision welded
Manufactured chassis tag including date and serial for each roll bar
Completely removable and 100% welded
Improves your ET by making your chassis more rigid
Engineered with light weight, chromoly structural tubing
Factory seat remains fully adjustable
Aesthetically engineered to follow factory car design
Mandrel Bent tubing"

I also had their optional 5 point seat harness mounting kit - bolts through the floor in 3 places to secure the 2 lap belts and the submarine strap. Very well designed too.

[skidad62]

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

There are cages they make that ARE rules legal.

The one they make for the Z is not legal.

Look at this picture of their 'Race roll cage' they sell.

If you can't spot what makes this cage illegal (in more ways than one) then... well, whatever.

My RPM was for a Mustang drag car (and it was legal)... I don't think the pic shown above is an RPM bar??

This is the RPM design for 370Zs (fully welded)

[Sh0velMan]

Originally Posted by skidad62

My RPM was for a Mustang drag car (and it was legal)... I don't think the pic shown above is an RPM bar??

This is the RPM design for 370Zs (fully welded)

I was actually referring to the Auto Power bars.

Even so, that cage you posted is certainly NHRA legal, but is not SCCA/NASA legal as it lacks a diagonal upright within the main hoop.

The auto power isn't legal because that same upright is not straight a straight shot from the driver upper to passenger lower. It angles forward towards the front of the car AND changes direction laterally.

[wstar]

Originally Posted by skidad62

I
^ when you make statements like above - I'm always interested in real world experiences... do you have a full cage and track experiences with tech? My RPM cage was top drawer - and our drag racing tech inspectors loved it (as long as I stayed in the 10s lol.

Not yet, but I'm getting there, and I've been reading rule books and forum threads on it a lot getting ready for mine. My car's actually at my cage builder right now, I should have it back in about a week for some nice pics and thread updates . They're doing an SCCA/NASA -legal custom cage for road racing, 6-point with door bars on both sides, and the footwell extension thingies. It's a top-notch shop for this work that does them regularly, and they're not charging much more than some of these kits...

I think drag racing in general is very different when it comes to the tech inspection rules and process, at least it seems that way based on my limited trips to the local NHRA strip and what I've read.

[wstar]

Update on the reference in the post above: Car is back and caged! wstar's Journal