I've got this Mk1 fiesta racecar shell I bought just over a year ago. It has a bespoke rollcage professionally fitted by AAS in Newcastle.

I'll be using the car primarily as a weekend/fun car but would like to keep the cage within reason, but the door cross bars make it impractical/awkward to use. I was going to remove the cross bars and fit a single horizontal bar just above the sill line. Then I thought I could just remove the bar hightlighted below but something's making me think it could cause problems in a crash.



Anyone have any constructive thoughts on this?

More of the cage








Cheers, Liam

 

That bar is adding dome strength. If you remove the highlighted one.... add one starting from the same point (middle of the cross) but have it going parallel to the sill and join the a frame down tube.

Matt.

 

That is a nice cage but I am not a fan of front cages and not wearing a helmet, it used to worry me driving my 911 racer on the raid without a lid and I have heard a few horror stories of heads n bars. I removed the front part of my cage as the car will be used on the road mostly. At the very least add lots of padding

 

That's how I've done my XR3i. It'll be fine.

 

Thanks chaps. 3i Jim do you mean you removed the highlighted bar?

 

Was thinking about that also mate. Its quite tight to the shell so I was thinking of using the half 'd' type padding.

 

This stuff http://www.advantage-motorsport.co.u...FYHJtAod0UkAUg

 

Yeah, I have used that before, def worth it.

 

Yes mate, I removed it from mine.

 

This is how mine are done easy to get in and out

 

which is exactly why FIA rules require roll cage padding anywhere it might be possible to contact. eg rally cars between stages etc.

Also why you should only wear harnesses in a caged car. You move much less.

Also why a lot of car seats have the wrap around head protection where its felt you might be vulnerable to side impact.

 

I dont have a choice as far as harnesses go, the main hoop is so close to the B pillar I wont be able to mount a stock seatbelt anyway.

Thanks everyone

 

The door cross is too high anyway not there is anything wrong with it but the door bars could be lower to gain better access and like Toby has mentioned if your crust is close to the cage then the cage will kill you before the crash does lol