Functional or Shelby-style roll bar for the DOHC '67 vert?

[bnickel]

Are you looking at the 4-point from AutoPower? That's what I have in my 67vert, and I agree with those who say it ruins the lines of the car. But aesthetics had to take a back seat to safety and performance for me when I made that decision. For that reason (safety over aesthetics) I say do the 4-point. Also, if you are going to have it padded be carefull around the rear quarter area, the top mechanism gets a little close to the bar which is moved inwards considerably compared to the coupe/fastback version of the same bar. it is not impossible but you're gonna want some thin padding on the outside of the bar back there.

Other than passenger safety the other reason to get the 4-point is for performance. These 40-year old verts have a lot of flex in them. I know you have SFCs but they still aint gonna tie the chassis together enough without a stout 4-point (or better) up top.

Are you going to have a functional back seat? If not do the cross-bar, they also makes your safety belt setup much easier and more effective. I am not using one and would like to use a 67 shelby style shoulder-belt setup, but cannot find the retractors. Branda told me that there's some guy that makes his own and sells on eGay for ~$550 but I've not seen them or him. Might be another project you can get into and sell, the hobby definitely needs one if you ask me, even though they'd be low volume.

edbert, i remember reading somewhere that you could use 70 stang/cougar lap belt retractors instead of the shelby versions which are almost identical as far as functionality. i wish i could remember where i read that so i could tell where you to look, but maybe if you do a google search for shelby seat belts or something you could find it.

 

[70vert]

I'm with dark knight/chepsk8

Has to be at least 5 points, and yes a bolt in bar is legal. If you're not going to put a functional roll bar in, I say skip it..

I'm with dark knight, either a 5 point bolt in or nothing. I like chepsk8's bolt-in-sandwich around frame/rockers.

4 point would uglify, IMO, without providing as much safety or any drag racing fun.

light bar would uglify (IMO), without providing any real safety, maybe less - imagine a broken-off light bar whipping around the passenger compartment in the event of a rollover . . .

When I get up to that level of power, if I ever want to go to the track, I'll do a 5-point bolt in. Thanks, this thread has been very helpful and very clear, concise, to-the-point. :SNSign:

 

[tylerrocks]

I dont like the way that shelby bar looks? come to find out thier non-functional? You have a really cool build going down and I think a "2 point" rollbar would be an eyesore. PLUS the 4 point bar WORKS.

Tyler

 

[1320stang]

Man, I'm the only one that voted with the classic Shelby bar. It never was a roll bar, but in a rollover, I'd think it'd be better than nothing.

No one has thought of this, put the classic bar in, but have a bolt in for the track that fits around it.

Reen, I think I know you well enough thru Stangnet to know that this car isn't just going to be a show car, it'll get driven, and likely driven hard, but not to the ragged edge. Your building this car as the start of a series of cars you hope to build. I think you may really need to have both options, either as I have spoke of above, or swap from one to another to show potential buyers the options available.

But truthfully, how much track time will this car truely see? I'm sorta thinking one or two times to see how well it performs, I don't see it as a track regular. I see it more of a vehicle that you'll commute back and forth to work on nice days.

But in my opinion, the 4 point bar absolutely kills the look. I don't know that there's anyway you can do it and it look good, padded or not, and if your going to do a 4+ point bar, it might as well be NHRA legal and I'm not sure if a bolt in 4 point is legal anymore.

 

[reenmachine]

Reen, I think I know you well enough thru Stangnet to know that this car isn't just going to be a show car, it'll get driven, and likely driven hard, but not to the ragged edge.

But truthfully, how much track time will this car truely see? I'm sorta thinking one or two times to see how well it performs, I don't see it as a track regular. I see it more of a vehicle that you'll commute back and forth to work on nice days.

That's totally right -- it's likely the car will never even see the drag strip at all. That's not what it's for. I have a buyer who is very close to pulling the trigger and he's dead set against the 4-point bar. He's got a number of other Shelbys, including convertibles, and he wants a car with that same look but that is fun and reliable to drive. So, it looks like the car is going to get the Shelby-style bar.

The thing that prompted this whole debate is that the Branda bar I got for the car doesn't come anywhere close to fitting and will require significant rework to be just right. Frustration with that is what got me considering other options.

 

[Edbert]

The thing that prompted this whole debate is that the Branda bar I got for the car doesn't come anywhere close to fitting and will require significant rework to be just right.

Hmmm...that suprises me...what did Tony have to say about it? I mean the 1968 Shelby vert bar should be an exact fit in a 67 vert, nothing back there changed. Have you compared it to an original 68 vert bar?

 

[NasaGT]

Alot of people will disagree with me, but I think the Shelby Vert Bar is fugly. Just doesn't 'fit' the car at all.

What about a light bar for a 99-04 vert or the 05-06 vert? Can anyone photochop one of these onto a classic vert???

 

[68keyblr]

Now that you've got one out the door (knock on wood) and your legend has grown, you'll probably be in a position to have a buyer before you start the next one - so the buyer could specify which one they want!

 

[bnickel]

That's totally right -- it's likely the car will never even see the drag strip at all. That's not what it's for. I have a buyer who is very close to pulling the trigger and he's dead set against the 4-point bar. He's got a number of other Shelbys, including convertibles, and he wants a car with that same look but that is fun and reliable to drive. So, it looks like the car is going to get the Shelby-style bar.

The thing that prompted this whole debate is that the Branda bar I got for the car doesn't come anywhere close to fitting and will require significant rework to be just right. Frustration with that is what got me considering other options.

Pete, as another option you could have one built out of 3" oval tubing. if it followed the lines of the shelby bar and was covered i think would be a great alternative, you could even make some custom down bars that follow the upper body line before going into the trunk. if you can't find the correct thickness of oval tubing for the bar you could use smaller tubing with the correct wall thickness and use 2 bars sandwiched together and covered with sheetmetal and then covered in vinyl, leather etc.

PM me if i've got you thoroughly confused

 

[joesgt281]

I've often thought that somebody ought to take an NHRA approved rollbar and simply cover it like the light-bar is done, getting the best of both worlds.
What do you think Reen....maybe you could be the first to do this?
Joe

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