In preparation for competing in NASA Performance Touring or possibly Super Touring 2 class the roll cage fabrication has begun. The cage is being built at SPL Parts here in Austin. Pieces of the interior have been in and out of it a few times but this is certainly a new level of gutting! Hatch off, windshield out, hood off, airbags gone, dash out, carpet out, you name it. The more weight I can remove the better to offset the weight of the cage. Even though the car has been handling great so far, the stiffer chassis will help even more. Although the balance of the car will likely change some I should easily be able to dial it back in with all the adjustability I have in the suspension

Hard to believe what I'm doing to this car and the risk I'm taking but I can't ignore my desire to go door to door racing any longer. I'm not getting any younger and I'm getting bored with DE's. Time Trials have been a blast so far this year(I highly recommend them and need to post about my results soon), but I still want to take the next step. I just hope I get a decent amount of racing in before any major wrecks happen.

Funding this build has slowed the completion of my z32 project but door to door racing has become my priority. I should have that twin turbo beast running soon regardless.

here are some pics:

main hoop

This stuff will go back on the car.

This stuff won't

the tubing

and the tubing bender


I so wanted to take these home with me and throw them on my z32. Kuah's 3 way adjustable external reservoir Topline Aragosta coilovers.

will try to post more pics as the fabrication progresses.

 

Nice!

Looks good, congrats on going custom. Keep posting pics!

 

lookin' good! i'm plannin' on runnin' in the PT class myself (after i get the license anyway). my car is currently getting a full cage put in as well. ever see a g35 stripped down? wanna? check it out. we should make this the "roll cage/roll bar" thread!

 

are you going to touch the sound deadening? it looks to be about 20lbs worth in the G, but it looks like such a pain in the ****!

 

very nice...


someday i hope to do the same

 

I hope they are building your cage to SCCA specs in case you decide to run T-2. The crossover bar under the dash looks like it might be exhaust tubing. Not acceptable for strength.

 

That crossover bar under the dash is stock, we've not gotten to that part of the cage yet.

 

What's that 3M sticky paper stuff? I've been looking for something like that as a replacement for cloth covers that keep flaling on the ground when I'm working on customer cars.

 

Sound deadening will be removed, just need to get some dry ice and break out the hammer. Hopefully it won't be too painful a job.

 

That's awesome.

I don't think I'll go that extreme, but roll bar and seats are coming in.

 

it's the residue that it'll leave behind that i'm worried about

 

Its basically like masking tape, except in sheet/rolls. Try checking your local paint supply stores...

 

Heat gun + gasket scraper to get most of it off, then WD40 + rags and some elbow grease will get the residue off without damaging the paint underneath. Time consuming though...

 

THIs is a friend of mines car... a buddy of his...mine too welded this up.

you can barely see the drivers door side but the doors interior have been cut to close around the cage piping....the ac gets the bars cold there...lol..

you can see the passenger door is swallowing the roll cage bar in the pic...
OP doesnt look he is re-installing his door panels so that probably doesnt bother him....


head line was removed to make the roll cage less intrusive....


the cage came out perfect!!

** oh, and the blue handle is a hydraulic ebrake - this is a drift car!


thought i would share....
- J

 

that's what i'm worried about...it's most likely that i'm lazy

 

 

nice-

are you going to do A pillar and B pillar framing?

 

A friend of mine said you were planning to attend the June PCA event at Harris Hill Road...will you Z be ready for that event? I would love to see it in person.

 

would you by chance be selling parts you no longer need? pm me if you are

 

Fitment looks nice.