Roll Bars

[68conv4sp]

I am wanting to further stiffen the chassis on my 68 Conv. The welded sub frame connectors and export brace have made good progress, but autocross is still flexing it some. Who has a Conv with a true roll bar (not the Shelby "Style Bar"), but a welded bar like the one from Mustangs Unlimited. TIA.

 

[DukeGnarley]

me, but it's only a 4 point and doesn't really connect the back of the car to the front. I've been thinking about maybe adding onto it with some bars that would run forward by the lower part of the door.

 

[68conv4sp]

Do you have any pictures of it with the top down? Nice stance on the car BTW. Did you cut your front springs? Lowering blocks in the back?

 

[DukeGnarley]

hrm, these are the best pics i have at the moment. i think on the one with the hubcaps the rollbar wasn't actually welded in yet.

in my sig picture, the car just has the 1" drop coils and the shelby drop. the rear has the original sagging leafs (currently being replaced).

 

[AdamInChains]

Hey duke are those wheels in your sig 15" or 16"? Thanks.

 

[DukeGnarley]

16X8 vintage 45s

 

[DarkoStoj]

16X8 vintage 45s

what size tires?

 

[DukeGnarley]

225X.50X16

 

[68conv4sp]

Duke, the angle of the bar perfectly matches the rake of the windshield, etc. Looks great! So you cut a hole in the back side panel and then welded the rear brace to what?

 

[DukeGnarley]

the back of the rollbar attaches to the pieces of sheetmetal that go around the hydraulics (or in my case the spring loaded helper things). It's not the strongest of attachment points, but it ended up being a lot sturdier than i thought it would. I'd prefer it to attach to the frame rails, but there's too much going on in the back of a convertible to really make that work.

 

[chepsk8]

Roll Bar

I did this back in 1983. It was a standard 4-point roll bar, but I lost use of the back seat. I was contemplating adding two forwards bars, coming up from the outer frame rails just in front of the door opening, and joining the roll bar at the intersection of the horizontal mid-bar. I would have had a bend, or "dog-leg", in the two side bars to make getting in & out a little easier.

 

[SQUEEZE&STROKE]

I just did a roll bar in my car...6 point, it helped probably 300%. It probably helped more too since there were no other chassis stiffening devices on the car. I think if you are going to go through the trouble of getting a bar in at least go with a 6 point...and definately get it welded in. You could always get swingouts on the door bars if that suits your fancy.