What type of racing are you planning on doing? If it's drag racing, I believe the NHRA handbook has some specifications about where each of the bars must be placed in relation to the driver's position. "Sidebar must be included on driver’s side and must pass the driver at a point midway between the shoulder and elbow. Swing-out sidebar permitted." I'd go off the rule book so there's no surprises at Tech. (I assume for any SCCA type events they have similar requirements on placement)

 

Here are "only some" of the basics for NHRA roll bar installations:

Do it right or you might possibly lose your life, at any speed . . . .

 

I appreciate the input and spent a lot of time trying to decide on which bar I would install. Meaning, the pro street bars(bent bars) or straight bars for all out racing.

I decided on the pro street setup because it will be a street car 99.9% of the time. I may see the track once or twice a year. I know I have the power to rate ratio to run fast enough to require the proper bar setup. Faster than 11:49. If the car runs too fast on a street tires and the track says no more racing. Then it will never see the track again.

If I follow the rules I would even have to move the main hoop a little closer to the back of the seat. I like where it is now. There will be a cross bar installed behind the seat between the main hoop legs.

 

I positioned my door bars where NHRA said to with clamps. After climbing in and out a couple of times I thought "Oh hell no." I bent them a bit to clear my deluxe door panels and then cut them to hinge them. Pins in them secure them top and bottom. With the top pin out (like in the pictures) they can swing out with the door. In the shop I pull both pins and the door bars stay in the trunk. I didn't like the scrawny looking tabs sold as hinge kits and so made my own out of billet steel. Took a good while to get them right. Though my bares are positioned correctly the bars aren't technically "legal" as I have dressed the welds and they are no longer inspectable.

The last picture shows the slight angle of the "latch" that allows the door bar to rest in proper position without being pinned and also not swing out wildly when the pin is pulled. Tricky business. I'm happy with how they came out but not sure if I would ever do such again.

 

I positioned my door bars where NHRA said to with clamps. After climbing in and out a couple of times I thought "Oh hell no." I bent them a bit to clear my deluxe door panels and then cut them to hinge them. Pins in them secure them top and bottom. With the top pin out (like in the pictures) they can swing out with the door. In the shop I pull both pins and the door bars stay in the trunk. I didn't like the scrawny looking tabs sold as hinge kits and so made my own out of billet steel. Took a good while to get them right. Though my bares are positioned correctly the bars aren't technically "legal" as I have dressed the welds and they are no longer inspectable.

The last picture shows the slight angle of the "latch" that allows the door bar to rest in proper position without being pinned and also not swing out wildly when the pin is pulled. Tricky business. I'm happy with how they came out but not sure if I would ever do such again.

I too used a hinge. Being over 6'2 (and well into my 60's) there was no way I could climb over the bars in my 65' any other way. The roll bar is 100% NHRA legal to 10.00 and yet the door bars are easily removeable when desired:

 

I don’t think my door bars are legal no matter how I mount them. The rules just state where the door bar must pass based on the drivers shoulder. I can still move the bar forward and have that part of the bar pass below my shoulder. Moving it forward would make it very difficult to swing out, if I wanted or needed to do that.

My buddy suggested I add a small bar the lands at the bend in the door bar and lands at the base of the main hoop. I think this would greatly increase the strength of the weak point at the bend. It wouldn’t be in the way of anything so I may add it.

A scatter shield isn’t even required unless I run quicker than 11:49 or I run slicks. Most likely I’ll purchase one anyways. Now that I know I can get one for the longer input shaft on the 94 T5 trans. I found out they sell a spacer to use the normal T5 scatter shield. Changing input shafts isn’t an option because it is a G Force built T5.

 

GypsyR, that’s a really clean looking swing out connection.

 

One thing to note is that some tracks can be picky (depends upon the tech folks). If you have equipment, even if it is not required for your speed or class, if you have, it must be correct or current.. For example, if you are going 12 sec, if your belts are out of date, they may not let you race.

Granted I doubt the tech inspector will ding you on the bar, but I have seen it happen on helmets, belts, etc. for slow cars

Have fun!.

 

Good point app01. I never thought about that.

 

Nice work on the bars Dennis.. Definitely need to work them into these small cockpits. The swingouts definitely make things so much easier. In my car with such a tight cockpit in a Mustang I would never be able to get in without twisting my back, so I went with the swingouts as well both with the roll bar originally and now with the cage. It is still a PITA to get in and out. I am too damn old.. LOL

 

Dennis111's door bars are more like what your average sane person would do. Part of having your own lathe and mill in the garage is looking for excuses to use them.

 

I agree nice work Dennis and my rear bars are going to look like yours. I started to test fit mine tonight, and now seeing yours will help me come up with a game plan.

I did get the final cutting and notching done on the door bars tonight.

 

Here’s a couple pictures showing the main hoop being higher the the rods for the headliner.

 

Shorten the ends of the hoop so that the upper cross bar is around an inch below the bars. I was still able to install a fresh headliner after my installation.

 

I had to trim a couple of inches from my Competition Engineering main hoop. Not big deal. On my kit I used the pre-bent "door bars" for the rear struts and the straight rear struts for the door bars too.

 

Here is how we went about it on mine. I’m pretty sure I remember consulting Dennis on what he did years back. Door bar removed on drivers side for cruising around.

 

Here is how we went about it on mine. I’m pretty sure I remember consulting Dennis on what he did years back. Door bar removed on drivers side for cruising around.

Yep. I later borrowed your "spring pin" door bar stop mod.

 

Go with a one piece headliner and you'll free up an inch or two at the top.

 

I've given that some thought. I think lowering the main hoop will allow me to keep the top part of the rear more flat and not have a downward looking angle to it. Plus I'm only 5-8, lol.