Daily Driver Roll Cage, comfort?

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snapetwo

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I am goint to be stuffing an up to 700hp hemi into a daily driver, i use that term loosely as I won't be driving it every single day, but a good portion.

With that much HP, I don't think having just subframe connectors will cut it.
I don't want a nasco/drag style roll cage, looks ugly and isn't comfortable..

What are my options?
 
High and crazy tight... That's what I'm planning anyway. Here are some pics I downloaded from a build on Lat-g I think. This is along the lines of what I'm thinking. I want it there but I don't want to know it's there, and I don't want others to either.

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If the car is not going to be raced why 700 hp? Aint like you can legally use it on the street? And if the car is going to be raced build a cage that conforms to the rule books.....On a side note, I always laugh when I see a "700 HP" car with no cage....
 
roll cages are great safety devises at the track but they are lethal on the street. unless you plan to wear a helmet every time you drive your car i would second guess your goals for this car. ever see the movie death proof?

[ame="http://youtu.be/J0GFrxp5yGY"]302 Found[/ame]
 
Swisswill has got it - high and tight. Consider a removable door bar section to make entry and exit easier. Obviously you miss out on the protection when they're out, but you might be willing to make that sacrifice for trips to the shops.

That said, I have mates who have daily driven their full-cage forest rally cars - you get used to backing in through the cage and slotting yourself in to the seat.
 
Younggun - you are right that there are risks, but saying they are lethal is overstatement. The cage needs to be properly padded in impact areas (is is a requirement for CAMS rollcage certification in Australia), but if the cage is set high in the cabin and the seat and harness are properly adjusted, the risk is minimised. In a 700hp Hemi Dart, I would certainly trade the chance of a head-knock for the enormous protection afforded by a good six point cage.
 
The issue with Swisswills cage, as I see it and I am NOT an engineer is the fact that once the tubing is bent it's strength is reduced. Not saying that type of cage is not going to add some strength, but is it going to add the same amount of strength as if it were of a more "conventional' design?
 
ValiantHardtop said:
Younggun - you are right that there are risks, but saying they are lethal is overstatement. The cage needs to be properly padded in impact areas (is is a requirement for CAMS rollcage certification in Australia), but if the cage is set high in the cabin and the seat and harness are properly adjusted, the risk is minimised. In a 700hp Hemi Dart, I would certainly trade the chance of a head-knock for the enormous protection afforded by a good six point cage.
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Yep
 
Good points and info. Thanks much.
Ink, Why do you think a 700hp car is not street legal? practical and gas efficient no, but street illegal?
There are production street legal cars that have more then that. Crap the viper has 500hp last time I checked....granted that car is build w the structure already in the body.
 
i highly doubt he will be belted in with a 5 point harness on the way to get milk and eggs. you hit your head on a steel bar at any speed and your in deep ****. i understand the idea that it is going to help in a wreck but without a helmet it wouldn't take much of an impact to cause serious injury. at the very least i would make sure you have a head rest on your seats with a 6-point bar.
 
there are lots of ways to do it, I have not built one for a car yet but have had my hands in a few jeep and bronco cages. first is make sure that your welds are good and that you weld all the way around the tube at attching points and keep the triangle in mind. bumping your head yes it does happen just get some roll bar padding and you should be fine
 
Never said it is not legal, just what are you going to do with it? Hell, I spent several years riding a 145 hp bike on the road. What I said was you can not use 700 hp on the road. There is going to be 0 traction comes readily to mind. And if you were to take this same 700 hp vehicle to the track you would and make a full pass with it that is what you would get, ! full pass before being shown the gate UNLESS you have a legal cage in the car....
 
Good point. I honestly (and my reasoning from a safety point is flawed)...I was thinking I need a cage just to make the damn car strong enough to handle the HP. If i can get away with out a cage, so be it...
As far as track, ya that would get me kicked out for sure..ha.
As far as 700hp on the road....gotta be compensation, showing off, wanna pull up to some ricers and youngins and teach them a little old school lesson w a woopin (if only w a rev and burnout).....

Maybe 700hp is excessive...but no way im going below 500hp.
 
They're right - you can't use 700 properly on the street, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I had a 400hp Fairlane street car about 8 years ago. With skinny BFG T/As it was like driving on ice and it scared me more than a few times. It definitely needed another 300hp.

Regarding inkjunkie's comments on bends and strength, it's common to use that kind of design over here, even in our top-level roadrace cars ( NASCAR equivalent). There is probably a whole bunch of engineer mumbo jumbo about how it is done though.

The best advice is to find a good cage builder, take the car to them, talk through your plans and then put your life in their hands.
 
snapetwo said:
Good point. I honestly (and my reasoning from a safety point is flawed)...I was thinking I need a cage just to make the damn car strong enough to handle the HP. If i can get away with out a cage, so be it...
As far as track, ya that would get me kicked out for sure..ha.
As far as 700hp on the road....gotta be compensation, showing off, wanna pull up to some ricers and youngins and teach them a little old school lesson w a woopin (if only w a rev and burnout).....

Maybe 700hp is excessive...but no way im going below 500hp.
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The guy that caged my car lost track of how many a-bodies he has caged. He told me that even with a cage the car will crack where the a pillar meets the roof sooner or later, he has also seen some of the cars he built with cracks in the c-pillar area. Keep in mind that these were race cars that hooked up. Building power costs $$$$$....if you are not going to race the car wouldn't the $$$ be better spent than a high hp mill???
 
inkjunkie said:
The issue with Swisswills cage, as I see it and I am NOT an engineer is the fact that once the tubing is bent it's strength is reduced. Not saying that type of cage is not going to add some strength, but is it going to add the same amount of strength as if it were of a more "conventional' design?
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You are correct in your assessment Ink. The owner of the car is not looking to race his muscle car or looking to conform to a sanctioning body. The owner/builder is merely looking to add more strength (stiffness) than the 45 year old uni-body offers. A bit additional impact/rollover protection if you will. Despite the bends, it offers alot more protection for that than no cage at all.
 
......HP is never money badly spent.
I dunno if i'll never race it. But I want to be able to take it out on the roads when weather is good. Rest of car is actually pretty decent, once I finish the few things I need to.
I don't think 500hp is unreasonable, 700 might be, but 500 should be doable.
 
ValiantHardtop said:
They're right - you can't use 700 properly on the street, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I had a 400hp Fairlane street car about 8 years ago. With skinny BFG T/As it was like driving on ice and it scared me more than a few times. It definitely needed another 300hp.

Regarding inkjunkie's comments on bends and strength, it's common to use that kind of design over here, even in our top-level roadrace cars ( NASCAR equivalent). There is probably a whole bunch of engineer mumbo jumbo about how it is done though.

The best advice is to find a good cage builder, take the car to them, talk through your plans and then put your life in their hands.
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A while back I had a friend that was involved in the SCORE desert racing stuff. If I remember right there was some stuff in there rule book that specified that the cockpit cage needed to have as few bends in it as possible. Pretty sure there was also something in it regarding the use of chrome moly tubing in certain classes, as in they would not allow it. Next trip to AZ I will be stopping in and talking to a friend that used to build off road trucks about the bends, if for nothing else but to satisfy my questions. Your last statement is the best advice so far.....go talk to a chassis shop about it. But don't go to just one.....
 
Honestly, I kinda wanna know to, that "ive got that beast caged....all i gotta do is open the door and let it out", dont mean I have to.
 
Get a cage installed with removable swing-outs and removable back brace. My side bars swing out and lift straight up without pins at the bottom (will pass tech at track). Super easy to remove for around town driving and if you want guests in the back seat, unbolt the cross bar by 2 bolts. Easy breezy. Pictures of the cage are in my build in my sig.
 
clinteg said:
Get a cage installed with removable swing-outs and removable back brace. My side bars swing out and lift straight up without pins at the bottom (will pass tech at track). Super easy to remove for around town driving and if you want guests in the back seat, unbolt the cross bar by 2 bolts. Easy breezy. Pictures of the cage are in my build in my sig.
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Mine has swing out rails as well. Were made a bit different than most. Fab guy had a customer leave the bar open and shut the door into it, shattering the window. Mine were made to not contact the window if that were to happen. Car is years away from being done but I can say that barring an roll over with out a belt on there will never be any contact between me and the tubes. And be honest here....if your car were ever to go upside down smashing your noggin on the cage will be the least of the problems. I do not have a back seat in my car so the cross bar is welded in. I believe Louis, the guy with the crazy *** turbo build, has a removable cross brace as well. Or at least he was talking about it. Have a ? for the op......you ever driven a high hp car on the street?? I have. Sure, keep your foot out of it and it will be a pussy cat. Whole different game when you mash the go pedal and the damn thing is trying to swap ends as it is fighting for traction. Had a 70 Duster for a brief while that had Hamburger built and tuned tunnel ram equipped 440. Ran high 9's. Car was an absolute frigging nightmare to drive on the street.
 
It's either one or the other man, cage or no cage, each has it's drawbacks. They suck on the street. Also, 700hp for the street is ridiculousness, and puts you and others in danger. Seems like a pretty big risk just so you can feel like a 15yr old who has the biggest wand.

Please don't be that guy...
 
Never thought i'd hear this forum speak like this. Keep hp low, that's crazy talk...
Im doing at least 500hp, period. Say what you will. My car, my choice.
Appreciate the info and feedback. im leaving the thread now.
 
You are right, it's yours do as you desire. I plan on building to that point myself, 450 to 500HP. When I do a cage in mine I intend to have the cross bar removable for the street, I will also put swing out bars on the sides so my wife can get in and out easily, if she dares. :D

I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that 500HP on the street can be dangerous if not respected. It could be very easy to get in trouble without strict restraint on the loud pedal.
 
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