Roll Bar Install Progress

[Geri]

Was pretty happy with my first shot at coping the mid-bar. Hand drill with a hole saw, a vice and a chop saw. I ended up square and tight.

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very nice work.

 

[6PKRTSE]

this is a very nice cage- a good point is that the dash was removed so the bars could be put where that are- the dash can be modified to fit over it. good job. I've seen many build a cage with the forward tubes and cross bar was on the driver side of the dash- now the dash can never be removed. yours is a clean effective cage.

That is the best way to install it. My A Pillar bars go thru the top of my dash also. Major pain on an E Body with the angle of the windshield & the purists cringe since the dash pads cost so much....

 

[Geri]

very nice work.

I have a long history building roll cages and complete chassis for drag race cars and street cars going back to 1973.
I know good work when I see it.

 

[LemonWedge]

If you guys haven’t seen the rest of Doug’s (DVW) 64, you’re missing out! The car is an absolute masterpiece from stem to stern.

 

[Dodge 330]

No issues with my door bars at any tracks. No, they are not 100% by the letter of the rulebook.

As I recall it added 80 lbs.

 

[LemonWedge]

I don't think anyone will say anything. That being said a straight bar is much stronger. Are you worried about safety or just being able to race? That's up to you. Mine has WAY more bars than are required. The only time in View attachment 566761 5 years my car has even been checked for chassis cert or for a license is NMCA.

I want it to be safe, but I really didnt want to lose the armrests. No question the car is safer now than it was before. Glad to hear a few of you agree with my feeling that I won’t be turned away. I may add an identical bar on the passenger side at some point, but it won’t happen initially.

 

[malex]

That's some very nice work going on there LW! Rear bars built and fit perfect and that door bar blends right in, not an inconvenience at all.

I bet there's been a lot of do I , don't I, on the right side door bar. If you were taking votes on it I be saying do it. It's not restrictive at all, looks terrific and would sure sturdy up that right side of the car.

Great work!

 

[LemonWedge]

Got out in the garage today for the first time in a while. I got the bars back out of the car and painted today. I’m a sales rep for a paint company and got to use some of my own products to finish the bars. I figured I’d paint the individual pcs., then wire brush the ends back clean to weld, so all I’ll have to do once installed in the car is hit the joints again.
This should be a solid system for this application. I applied 2 coats of Rodda Barrier III rust inhibitive primer. Then topcoated with Cloverdale Speed Enamel, a phenolic modified semigloss topcoat. Sanding between each coat. Both are simple single component products, but should hold up well.
I guess now comes the fun part.

 

[LemonWedge]

Final coat will continue to shrink down. I think I’ll be happy with the semigloss finish. I weighed all the individual components..... was very happy to come up with a total of 55 lbs. Raceweight should be right around 3865. Porky by racecar standards, but this is a full interior streetcar carrying all of its factory accessories, street wheels, and front tires.

 

[malex]

Final coat will continue to shrink down. I think I’ll be happy with the semigloss finish. I weighed all the individual components..... was very happy to come up with a total of 55 lbs. Raceweight should be right around 3865. Porky by racecar standards, but this is a full interior streetcar carrying all of its factory accessories, street wheels, and front tires.

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That has a nice low gloss shine, going to look great! Was wondering how it coming along LW; hadn't heard anything for a while.

 

[Frustration]

Nice work Lemon Wedge. I'm anxious to see what you pick up with the head mods. I purchased the Stealth CNC jobs new for my current 496. Was debating whether the CNC work was worth the extra dough. Any idea what you'll pick up? It will be a bit less than if you hadn't put the bar in. I'm guessing it will run nearly the same with the added weight of the bar. Good luck.

 

[LemonWedge]

It better go faster! The bar is only adding 55lbs, which should translate to a little less than a tenth. I’d hate to think that all that headwork would only get me .07. Remember that these were 1st gen stealth heads bought in 2009. I don’t think they were putting really good grinds on them back then. Just the 5-angle backcut valvejob that modern performs should be worth at least a tenth over the simple 3-angle Source prepwork.
My sense is that it’ll pick up 3 to 4 tenths. In the heat of summer, it ran Around 11.55-57 last year. I see it solidly into the 11.2x’s this year, bottom 11’s in good air. Anything less and I’ll be disappointed with the investment.

 

[1967coronet440]

Hey LW, want to come to the Midwest and do my cage, I have an extra bedroom and my wife is a good cook

 

[gtxracer]

It better go faster! The bar is only adding 55lbs, which should translate to a little less than a tenth. I’d hate to think that all that headwork would only get me .07. Remember that these were 1st gen stealth heads bought in 2009. I don’t think they were putting really good grinds on them back then. Just the 5-angle backcut valvejob that modern performs should be worth at least a tenth over the simple 3-angle Source prepwork.
My sense is that it’ll pick up 3 to 4 tenths. In the heat of summer, it ran Around 11.55-57 last year. I see it solidly into the 11.2x’s this year, bottom 11’s in good air. Anything less and I’ll be disappointed with the investment.

Gary, you already know that multiple tenths can be hard to come by. That being said, Who am I to say!

 

[Frustration]

Keep us posted. Hopefully this wet, cold stuff will be leaving soon. I'll be anxious to hear the results. My new source motor with CNC Stealth Heads pushed my Road Runner to an 11:07. I do not have a bar. Debating whether to put one in. I like to race it, but it's a street car first. Good luck.

 

[LemonWedge]

Hey LW, want to come to the Midwest and do my cage, I have an extra bedroom and my wife is a good cook

Let’s not get carried away just yet, Bo. I’m pretty happy with my ability to turn my vision into steel bars at this point, but nothing is welded yet. I’m spending some time practicing as I really want to be able to say I did it all myself, but I am not an experienced welder, and if I’m not satisfied with my ability to lay a consistent bead, I’ll be calling in a favor, as I have a few buddies that I know can handle a mig torch pretty well.

 

[LemonWedge]

Gary, you already know that multiple tenths can be hard to come by. That being said, Who am I to say!

I know I’m asking a lot, Bob. And you’re right, I’m getting to the point where multiple tenths just doesn’t happen with one mod. Realistically I think the car will be capable of doing it, but it’ll probably take some further tuning and a little weight shedding. We’ll see. Looking forward to seeing you out there this year!

 

[dvw]

.30 at the new weight with all else being equall, is going to take about a 55hp increase.
Doug

 

[LemonWedge]

Well, after a few hours of practicing and finally using up all of my spare tube with practice welds, I’m just not satisfied with the welds I’m producing and I’ve come to the conclusion that my desire to have this project done correctly will outweigh my desire to do it myself. So I called a friend and fellow racer that does chassis work, and I know is a professional level welder. He is willing to help out by spending next Saturday at my place welding up the bars in the LemonWedge Plymouth. I spent today getting the back seat back in and the floor plates and bars tacked in place where possible.

It feels good to know that it will be done correctly, and I’ll soon be able to shift my focus to getting the motor back together.

 

[gtxracer]

Well, after a few hours of practicing and finally using up all of my spare tube with practice welds, I’m not satisfied with the welds I’m producing and I’ve come to the conclusion that my desire to have this project done correctly will outweigh my desire to do it myself. So I called a friend and fellow racer that does chassis work, and I know is a professional level welder. He is willing to help out by spending next Saturday at my place welding up the bars in the LemonWedge Plymouth. I spent today getting the back seat back in and the floor plates and bars tacked in place where possible.

It feels good to know that it will be done correctly, and I’ll soon be able to shift my focus to getting the motor back together.

Gary, does this mean you will be ready for a trek too Boise and Nightfire in August?