Convertible Roll Cage

[MGMTF]

Hello, I am yet to purchase a Camaro but I was wondering if anyone has built a roll cage for their convertible yet. I know the COPO convertible had a roll cage but I was trying to figure out a way to be able to unbolt the cage and remove it for street driving. Just gathering ideas now.

[hypercarfanatic]

****Unsolicited Advice****

Don't use a roll cage without a helmet. If you crash, your head could make contact with one of the bars, and bad sh*t happens. You mentioned a removable one....I wouldn't trust my luck to it. Also, if you are using it to track your car, I would email the track and get proof of written permission that you can use just a cage. That being said, good luck in your search!!

[MGMTF]

Ya I am aware that you would need a helmet. Along with racing seats and at least 5-point harnesses anchored to the roll cage. I said removable because a lot of cages I have seen bolt through where they tie into the cars structure anyway.

[sho928]

There is a picture of a late model Mustang upside down after a track crash, the roof is completely flattened down to the door window sills, it had a bolt in cage.

What happened (it shows in the pic on line) is the cage uprights punched through the floor even with 8x8 steel plates.

The camaro has very thin floor pan sheet metal as well, the roll cage has to be tied to substantial structural members at the sub-frame pick up points.

I believe only some lower classes of drag racing allow bolt in cages, any road race sanction bodies only allow fully welded.

To put in a welded roll cage is expensive (less so in vert), the interior has to be striped, paint ground at weld location large steel plates welded to the floor tying the uprights over to the thicker metal at sub-frame connection points.

Per poster above it would be a single purpose track car since you have to wear a helmet at all times.

A convertible is a great choice for a track car (more meat in floor).

Also important since the Camaro coupe window opening is to small to allow a helmet to fit through let alone a 200-lb body.

You do not want to stick around when you are upside down on fire and the doors are jammed shut.

Perhaps a lightly attached plexi back window that can be kicked out if you are not on fire yet, since the battery is in the trunk you want a quick disconnect on the dash, fuel pump shut off as well, safety fuel cell; depends on how much money and if you need to survive any 150-mph crashes, hans, 6-pt harness and other gear will add up fast.

Autocross is a lot cheaper

[MGMTF]

Okay I see now. I don't want a dedicated track car, so I guess autocross would be my only option. I would basically want to be able to run the car at VIR on hot lap days and take it down the 1/4 mile on friday nights.

[MGMTF]

So I found those pictures of that mustang, looked bad. However it got me thinking, why couldn't the same thing happen with welded cage? Say if the point were not placed correctly just like in that mustang. When I said removeable I meant as a whole unit. So built like a welded cage but just the bottom points could come undone. With that said, why couldn't there just be a larger piece of tubing that the verticals for the cage would slid into? If those bottom mounts were installed the same way a welded cage would be, how would any strength be lost? Forgive me if I am being ignorant but I had a lot of thoughts about it and am a curious person.

As a side note, I saw a 68 Camaro this weekend that rolled on the street. Full cage and five point harnesses, the driver walked away but wasn't wearing a helmet. If a cage is tucked close to the factory roof, and you are strapped in, how are you going to hit your head on one of the bars anymore than the factory interior?

Again just trying to straighten the thoughts in my head.

[sho928]

You are not being ignorant good thinking on your part.

In a convertible if designed correctly one could have a one piece welded roll-cage unbolt from floor in one piece.

You may want to talk to SCCA inspectors if they want to see any bolts at all like in a slip joint you are talking about.

It will be stronger to have a 3/16" bottom plate welded to the uprights (say 4x4) that bolts (via 4-grade 8 and grade 8-lock washers) to 1/8" plate that extends and ties into structure (via welding).

slits in carpeting would allow removal.

I would still wrap high density foam around tubing going across drivers door.

I think you are on your way to figuring out a workable strong solution, if I was doing the welding I would use 1/8" wall tubing rather than the 0.080" minimum allowable by some sanctioning bodies.

Have fun with your project.

I am already starting to think about doing this on my wife's GT Mustang convertible she is due for a more modern safer sports car.

[MGMTF]

Are there any special SCCA restrictions on convertibles in terms of equipment and the like? I figure it would be the same as any other car but still curious.