Hi everyone!

Does anyone know what brand/performance shop sells roll bars or cages for our Zr? Or will any for the Z coupe fit with the top going up & down?

I want to do some really basic clinics at some local tracks, and convertibles are required to have 4-point or more roll bars/cages.

I would prefer a bolt-on roll bar, but I can't seem to find ANY for the Zr, so I'll buy what I can find.

And before anyone tells me we already have roll hoops ..."The Nissan 350Z and Mazda MX-5 Miata appear to offer roll bar hoops, but they are not engineered to provide protection in a rollover." http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?did=1183&scid=31

So I want to be safe, but do tracks allow Zr's with just the (crappy and apparently unprotective) roll hoops?

Zr Track Experience? Roll Bar referrals?

 

I have not seen one done, and It would be very interesting to see if it can be done to fit within the rag top.

 

Brent (BamBam) had it done for his 183 mph run down the Salt Flats in Utah.


here's a vid ... you can see the roll bar in it.

http://www.forgedperformance.com/med...ltflatsrun.wmv

 

Nice.

 

Thanks for the video! geez I love his car.

Looks like a full cage, when they show the interior of the car...

I want to know what brand it is. You think that is bolt in? I don't want a permanant cage just for a few fun track days. Its is easy/safe to take a roll bar on and off?

 

I am guessing it may be all custom work. How crazy it is that I have come across this thread as I was thinking about trading in my coupe for a roadster and was wondering about a cage for the ZR.

 

I think it's partially bolted, you'd have to ask brent. It's definitely a custom cage.

 

^I'd rock it all the time

 

Hello everyone. Looks like a few people like the cage

Ok, the cage is custom. No one makes an 'Out-of-the-Box' cage for the ZR. Not enough of a market apparently. Anyone that makes cages for SCCA or NASA could make one for you if you want one. The decision is whether to run with it in all the time on the street (which is VERY VERY dangerous) or have one that can be bolted in, or some type of hybrid.

I opted for a Hybrid, as I plan on running race seats and DOT approved harnesses all the time, but not the full cage. So, the main roll hoop is permanent, while everything forward of the hoop is bolted in. You could go for a fully welded cage, but PLEASE only do this if the car is a dedicated track car or show car. Oh, and yes the top is fully functional.

But that brings up another point, because the top occupies the space normally used for a real 8 – 10 point cage. We secured the cage to the built in roll hoops. I am not sure where the article got it’s information, but coming from the guy that builds tube-framed race cars, he feels those hoops are pretty damn sturdy. They are 1 ½ steel and welded to the frame…?

I guess my last point is that anyone that wants a roll bar/cage for track purposes needs to check their local track for their rules. I know the ¼ mile near me said they follow NHRA rules. This states you need a roll bar for cars faster then something like 13 seconds. I was running mid 12’s and no one ever asked me, but I kept my top up the whole time there and Tech never checked on the ‘Test & Tune’ nights.
My local raceway (Summit Point) approved the stock configuration 350Zr for SCCA and NASA HPD sessions. I never checked on any of their actual race classes.

Good luck everyone and if you have any questions, go ahead and ask. I will do my best to answer them or point to a direction to research.
--B

 

Thanks BamBam! I am so glad the guy who builds tube-frames looked at this and said it was sturdy, because I thought the same thing: Why put in roll hoops that aren't really that safe? That would be kinda misleading.

I have never opened up and looked inside the plastic roll hoop covers to see if anything was actually in there, but I'm glad there is haha.

hmm I hope I am not too tall so my head doesn't stick out above the windshield/hoops - j/k. Although I saw this guy in a ferrarri the other day, and his head stuck probably 6 inches above his windshield/hoops. It looked pretty funny, and I really hope he doesn't flip that fast car.

 

Sorry if many of you think this is a dumb question but I feel like no question is dumb if you truly do not know the answer.

That being said, to bam bam I was wondering What was dangerous about having a fully welded roll cage for an everyday driver. And if I get the hybrid will I have to keep taking part of it off when I'm am not at the track? I'm kinda a rookie at this. I'm a pretty good driver I just don't know a lot about a couple things on my vehicle. Thank you for your time.

 

It would be very interesting to see if it can be done to fit within the rag top.

 

What do you mean within the rag top?
The cage allowed full operation of the top. both with just the roll bar and when the whole cage was bolted in.

 

The issue is that if you are not wearing a helmet and proper harness you will crack your skull on a the roll bars on the side and along the windshield. This also applies when considering the airbag. If you have a cage on the street you should remove the airbag as this would more then likely force your head into the rear or side bar, again cracking your skull.
I personally chose to run a 4 point harness made for the street with an anti-submarine strap and had an aftermarket steering wheel without an airbag.
--Bam

 

I wonder if a ZR can get away with basically a 3 point. Main hoop with diagonal and harness bar in it. Then a removable petty bar for when on the track. Basically what the Lotus guys run.

 

Does anyone have any more info on BamBam’s custom roll cage? I’ve got a ZR that I’m thinking about tracking. The linked video is long dead so no dice there.