49 replies to this topic

[R32Egor]

HI all,

 

 

I am thinking of putting a bolt in roll cage into my MPI that will be restored (complete bare metal restoration).

What are peoples opinions about this?

I need to use the rear seats for my young daughter - but rarely.

 

[grizzler73]

What do you intend to use it for? If you are doing any competition the yes, but if it is just for show then I would not bother, they just get in the way. I banged my head all the time as a kid in my Dad's racing Lancia that had one!

[grizzler73]

What do you intend to use it for? If you are doing any competition the yes, but if it is just for show then I would not bother, they just get in the way. I banged my head all the time as a kid in my Dad's racing Lancia that had one!

[mab01uk]

Have you checked what effect it will have on your insurance....?

[Northernpower]

Why do you want to fit it? It will inflict a lot of damage on your head in the event of a light impact. As above you'll need to see what your insurers say.

[R32Egor]

So for road use it seems that the recommendation is no - I am creating a fast road (90 HP) mini and maybe  a supercharged later - Was just wondering about safety and a roll cage.

Have not thought about insurance - I live in Austria so I am sure this would get expensive.

[minifreek1]

Iv got a full road cage in mine and I find it doesn't get in the way and Iv never banged my head on it yet... BUT it does get in the way, but then again I also have door bars and harnesses fitted. I have removed the rear seats as no-one sits in them because my boys are too big to fit now, with or without the rollcage fitted. I told my insurers and it didnt effect the price that much, might be different in Austria though...

[pete l]

I'm thinking about fitting one too. I don't like the idea of being squashed to death in a 40 mph accident.

[Northernpower]

I'm thinking about fitting one too. I don't like the idea of being squashed to death in a 40 mph accident.

Its not the 40mph accident you need to be worried about, it's where you're not wearing a full harness thats so tightly strapped to stop you moving in the event of a minor shut you need to be worried about. Hitting your head against the roll cage when the car has stopped dead while only travelling 15mph is the major trauma you don't want. Imaging hitting your head with an iron bar thats travelling at 15mph.

[nicklouse]

 

I'm thinking about fitting one too. I don't like the idea of being squashed to death in a 40 mph accident.

Its not the 40mph accident you need to be worried about, it's where you're not wearing a full harness thats so tightly strapped to stop you moving in the event of a minor shut you need to be worried about. Hitting your head against the roll cage when the car has stopped dead while only travelling 15mph is the major trauma you don't want. Imaging hitting your head with an iron bar thats travelling at 15mph.

 

and for completion you have to pad your rollcages in all areas where you may come into contact.

 

think about that.

[pete l]

But the roll cage is only a couple of cms closer than the car body. Hitting your head on a bar or door surround or B pillar, or having the seatbelt bolt in the B pillar hitting you etc.  it's all the same, they all do dammage.

[Cooperman]

If one is worried about the strength of a classic car, then don't drive one. Buy a modern car and you'll feel safe.

Roll cages are for competition where the likelihood of crashing is high and where FIA approved full-harness belts are being worn together with a crash helmet.

With classic cars a bigger crash risk has got to be fire. The fire resistance of an old car is very poor. Take the classic Mini where there is no proper fire-proofing between the inside of the car and the boot. In the boot sits a 12 volt battery and a fuel tank with no protection between them. A heavy rear-end shunt can rupture the tank and short out the battery.

We accept this risk so why worry about the structural integrity of the body which, in fact, is not too bad in terms of old cars. Nothing like a modern car, but one accepts that when driving a 60-year-old design.

Edited by Cooperman, 12 September 2017 - 01:57 PM.

[grizzler73]

But the roll cage is only a couple of cms closer than the car body. Hitting your head on a bar or door surround or B pillar, or having the seatbelt bolt in the B pillar hitting you etc.  it's all the same, they all do dammage

That is not logical, it is a lot closer to you than the existing body of the car so by definition is more likely to harm you in a crash. You are adding an extra bit of danger for no reason.

In a competition car you have a full harness, rollbar padding, HANS device and side protection seat as things that can protect you, not so in a road car. It is of course your choice to fit one in your car, but I see no advantages in doing so.

[Dusky]

But the roll cage is only a couple of cms closer than the car body. Hitting your head on a bar or door surround or B pillar, or having the seatbelt bolt in the B pillar hitting you etc.  it's all the same, they all do dammage.

But the impact on a flat piece of metal is spread over a bigger area than when you hit a bar (where the impact is spread over a fine Line) creating the "your head breaks like An egg effect".

In once Hurt myself quite a bit from hitting a rollcage at 10mph when I was sitting in the back of my dads racing mini and he was Just rolling to the start and had to brake suddenly.

[Northernpower]

But the roll cage is only a couple of cms closer than the car body. Hitting your head on a bar or door surround or B pillar, or having the seatbelt bolt in the B pillar hitting you etc.  it's all the same, they all do dammage.

You're not comparing the same set of circumstances. If you sitting stationary in traffic and you're rear ended in a mini without the cage and without a head rest you may get wiplash. With a roll cage the likelihood is you're going to break your skull with the impact of the cross tube hitting it.  If you're worried about the safety in a classic mini you don't want to be driving one on the road. Build an track day one and fit a cage and have lots of fun.