Roll bars in Fox hatches (Pics please)

[halfpint91gt]

Hey y'all... I'm going to be adding a rather extensive list of mods this summer, and wanted to get it all planned out--suspension, motor, brakes, etc--so I wouldn't be wasting any money.

First and foremost, my car is going to be a daily driver, and I'll be carrying 3 passengers a lot of the time, so roll-cages with the center bar in front of the back seat are out of the question...

I only know of 3 roll-bars that don't come with one--I know I could just leave it out, but why spend the money on something I won't be using?--so I was wondering if anyone used:

-Steeda's 4-point street roll-bar,
-Kenny Brown's SuperStreet cage (6-pt, no cross-piece), or
-AutoPower roll-bars.

Pics would be really appreciated, as I'm trying to decide which not only looks the best but also provides a good deal of protection...

My seatbelts are pretty much gone, so 4-point street harnesses are coming VERY soon, and I've been begged/pleaded with by my parents and girlfriend to put at least a 4-point roll-bar in the car, "in case anything happens."

Two final questions I have:
1. Do any of those roll-bars block/obscure your view of the 1/4 windows, or out the rear windshield?
2. Are any of the above roll-bars NHRA legal?

So... pics? Thanks again, y'all...

 

[halfpint91gt]

Bump... if no pics, can somebody please at least answer a couple of my questions? Thanks...

 

[halfpint91gt]

Bump for a little help...

 

[BStevens]

it would seem no one wants to help...

 

[larrendeuce]

I don't think you'd have anywhere to mount the 4 pt harnesses without the cross bar. If you mount them to the floor it can crush your spine, too high and you can come out of the seat.

 

[halfpint91gt]

OK, to toss out my idea, I was thinking about mounting the harness points on the two lower seat belt mounts, where the latch and lower half of the belt anchor to the car, and mount the main point to the vertical area under the back seat.

EDIT--to clarify, I don't mean under the cushion of the back seat, I mean the maybe 4-6" area that rises from the floorboard and gives the rise to the rear seat, to keep the back-seat passengers from sitting on the rear axle.

If not, is there ANY way I can mount the 4-points without having a cross bar, AND without making the car a 2-seater? I know they say you can't have your cake and eat it too, but I figured with all the other solutions to more difficult problems, that someone had at least thought of a way to get around that...

 

[halfpint91gt]

Bump for figuring out a way to mount my harnesses... don't wanna make a pest of myself, but I would like my question answered...

 

[larrendeuce]

As the 2 belts that hold the shoulders compress the lower then parallel mounts will push down, in a crash crush the spine. If they are parallel with the shoulders then most of the force is pulling back. The factory belt is made differently and acts on different forces then a race harness.

 

[TT91]

I think Kenny brown is your best bet, and why are you set on having a harness if your not going to fit the proper kind. Those buckle in 4 pt harnesses are for show, not go. Harnesses arent required by NHRA until you past a certain et.

 

[Rick 91GT]

I would like to add that there is only 1 DOT approved harness if you plan to have it on the street, Scroth make it.

The Kenny Brown or the bolt in Maximum Motorsports with swingouts would be your best bet. The rear back bar is intrucive but you can get around it if needed.

Or you could always do this

 

[TT91]

Another option would be...

Having a Pin in cross bar(removable) THAT you could attach a REAL harness to, and just un-pin the bar when the family hops in the car. Ultimetly I think thats your best bet.

 

[dls322]

I have a 4 point roll cage in my convertible. I also have racing harnesses, i used the stock seat belt mounting bolts to attach them. But i also tied into the rear seats as well. This might not work if your driving 3 people. Unless you rig a middle belt and attach the harnesses to the outter belt supposrts. Just an idea. Check out my site for pictures. Good luck.

 

[tunedin302]

Or you could always do this

Looks like you'd have to be a gymnast to get in or out.

 

[joelliott]

**** someone just got real bored and had a tube bender. I have a hard time thinkin all that is necessary. And the weight..... arrrgggghhhhh. I have seen trophy trucks with less tube than that... lol
Joe E.

oh you could always just runa lap belt. Then have the stocker for the upper body. If they are in good enuf shape. That way the lap will keep ya from moving frontwards. And the stock shoulder wil keep your back where it should be.
Justa a thought.
Joe E.

 

[halfpint91gt]

Did some thinking/searching, and came up with another idea... it's on the Schroth website, so I know it's been done before.

My thought was this: I'd like to use the Kenny Brown SuperStreet cage, since it has no cross-bar, and mount the Schroth AutoControl harnesses (street-legal 3-point) in two factory locations--each side of the seat--and use the adapters to mount the main point UNDER the rear seat cushion, directly behind the driver's seat, where the back and bottom pieces come together. There's a small area there that looks like it will work, and it's just like in the mounting diagram on the Schroth website.

I'd be mounting to Point D, instead of C, and just use the factory belts when I absolutely had to.

I'll reinforce the mounting point by welding in some heavier steel plate, and mount the harness to that instead of straight to the floor. Eventually, when I decide to take the back seat out, I'll just move the mounting point back a couple of inches, to the flat part at the beginning of the cargo area, the part where the seatback hooks to the back panel with the carpet.

With the way I've got it planned out, I can still carry passengers easily, and just use the harnesses when there's no passengers in the back seat...

Opinions, suggestions, anything I'm leaving out?

 

[Rick 91GT]

**** someone just got real bored and had a tube bender. I have a hard time thinkin all that is necessary. And the weight..... arrrgggghhhhh. I have seen trophy trucks with less tube than that... lol
Joe E.

oh you could always just runa lap belt. Then have the stocker for the upper body. If they are in good enuf shape. That way the lap will keep ya from moving frontwards. And the stock shoulder wil keep your back where it should be.
Justa a thought.
Joe E.

My car is NHRA 25.5 SFI legal, 7.50 @ 180mph up to 3600lbs

As of 1/1/2006 if you want to go faster then 8.50 in the 1/4 mile you need a 25.X cert.

 

[halfpint91gt]

Bump for opinions on harness/rollbar idea...

 

[hamonkeiser]

I just bought an 8 point bar for my convertible & plan on still using the back seats. The shop that is installing it suggested just mounting the crossbar lower (about 8 to 10 inches from the floor). They've done it for other customers & haven't had any problems. You'll still have the cross & the rear seat passengers just have to step over it. Also, I'd recommend getting the swing out kit for the door bars.

...Hope this helps

 

[halfpint91gt]

Thanks for the input, the lower cross-bar idea makes pretty good sense... but I don't think the SuperStreet cage HAS door bars...

 

[hamonkeiser]

Thanks for the input, the lower cross-bar idea makes pretty good sense... but I don't think the SuperStreet cage HAS door bars...

It does but it uses the same idea as I'm using for the crossbar, they run just a few inches off the floor.

Kenny Brown SuperStreet Cage:

Seems kinda pricey for a roll bar that isn't competition legal (starts at over $400). I got mine from www.swracecars.com for $169 + $64 for shipping.