sorry - i didn't initally realize you had a convertible. i wasn't suggesting that the bar would be for looks, sorry if it came across like that. what i meant was whether a 'removable' component could be made strong enough to bother with doing. i assume you'd have bolt the legs to 'stubs' welded to the floor and the b-pillar / roll hoop. so, some load would transfer to those bolts... not optimal IMO. maybe there is a better way, but i don't know it. 'course, that's why i don't build bars / cages for a living

with as much power as you've got, i would be seriously hesitant to do track days without some form of roll protection beyond the factory stuff. my understanding is that the FMVSS requires that OEM rollover protection must 'support the weight of the vehicle'. Ie, if you were to lift the car up, turn it over, and gently set it on its roof, the windshield frame / rollover protection must support it. obviously, that's a pretty different circumstance than cartwheeling down the track and bouncing off the roof/roll hoop 3 or 4 times, and sliding down the track from 80-100-120mph on the roof.

don't take this the wrong way, but as an instructor, i wouldn't get in your car with as much power as you have and no real rollover protection. in fact, 'approval' or no, i won't get in any convertible / open top car without a real roll structure...

ahm

 

LOL... yea I understand what you are saying.
That is why I have used the Lotus for Summit Point track days, and the Z for MIR But, once I have some more practice with the Lotus @ Summit, I will be taking the Z out there. I would definitely be running on my low boost setting and even then, because of the amount of money invested in this car, I would be taking it VERY easy on the track.

We shall see what the future holds. If I did a cage, it would definitely be going to Piper.
--B

 

mmmm, elise. i drove one at a dealer in atlanta - what a fantastic car. everything the rags say seem true to me. it really is the only car i've ever driven that really does have a mild-to-wild transition at 'x' RPM. all the VTEC's i've ever driven, yeah, there is a noticable increase in power, but nothing like the explosion in the elise at, what is it, 6K? whatever the transition point is, the thing downright explodes. IMO, the very definition of a true sports car.

ahm

 

Yea, once that other cam kicks in at 6,200 RPM it really can throw you back. What I like is that is variable, if you are lightly on the throttle you won't notice it much, but the harder you are on it, the harder it kicks I just love the way it sticks to the road too. Great handling car.

 

Looks good Adam... hope to see it out sometime next season!

 

If your cage doesnt meet the cage rules in the General Competition Regulations as published by SCCA 2007 version then you wont pass technical inspection to race with SCCA. Go to SCCA.com and look under club racing and check rules and regulations. Its all spelled out there in great detail. For T-2 special rules look under Touring and read those carefully. If the rules dont say you can do something, then you cant. Also note all the goodies in the back of the Touring rules under specifications for the Z car, there are some suspension and a rear cooling cover that you can put on your car.
Good luck with your racer. Bob