i've searched quite a bit for this, but with no solid results. i'm thinking about getting a convertible, but the motor i'd put in it would require a roll bar to be nhra legal. does anyone have any pictures of an nhra legal roll bar in a vert? does anyone sell a roll bar designed for a 3rd gen vert? i really like the s&w 8 point roll bar that spohn sells, but it is designed for a hardtop/t-top car, and would require custom fabrication of the rear bars. is there a better solution out there, or would this be the best way to go? how hard would it be to make the custom rear bars to make it fit? also, does the rear seat definately have to come out to install a roll bar in a vert?

 

im going to have to install one soon too

as far as the rear seats, yea, they're gonna have to go... the big problem is the rear bars.... you either have to have them meet where the back of the seats are, or they're going to hit the tonneu cover and the folded top...

as far as getting a kit, i havent found one, but rollbar work is basicly one off everytime anyway... so i would just find a qualifed shop to do a custom one for ya.

 

Just do what I will probably do. Get one good run out of her before they kick you off the track I think if you need a roll bar get a hardtop. Don't butcher the convertibles with roll bar's. JMO considering they are more touring cars than track cars. I mean it is a convertible after all.

 

everyone demands them though.

my car is a enjoyable street car first. AC, stereo, ect.. it looks nice, but i like using it to go fast too... nothign like 180 with nothin next to ya but rushin air


anyhoo.... i need one for autoX because of the chassis mods.. for open road racing (silver state, ect), for NHRA strip use and just cause i'll probly save my *** someday..

i need it for function, not "because it looks pretty"... really i hate having it because it renders the rear seat useless... and with no rear seat, i could have chopped a good 2 ft off the length of the car and saved some weight... and had a shorter wheel base.

 

I understand. I just don't like the idea of choping up a convertible, as a vert owner I am sure you understand . Ill be putting out over 450hp, but I dont care about track numbers (for me personally) I just like getting to vegas fast lol

 

the reason i want a roll bar isn't just so i can race at the track more than once. these cars aren't the most rigid cars out there, especially when you chop the roof off. with over 400 horses under the hood, my motor will be hell on the car. my trans am has the 305 with a slightly larger cam and t-tops, and it's got some stress cracks. close to double the horsepower and no roof is a whole lot more stress than the trans am.

 

I have the swracecar 8 point cage
its easy to install
I run mid 10s and its legal
you need MAC subframes as the convertibles already have framerails and the roll cage hooks best to the MAC ones

 

did you buy the roll bar from spohn? what exactly did you have to do to install it with it impeding the top? do you have any more pics?

 

Quick question since we're on the topic. Are you guys saying that even if i make a completely custom roll cage for my vert, i'm going to lose my rear seats? is there anyway around this, say just modifying the rear seats slightly??

 

you could probably make a custom cage that would allow you to keep the rear seats in with sligh modifications to the seats. however, the cross bar and the main hoop pretty much make the rear seat inaccessible to passenger, unless your passenger like crawling through a jungle gym or hopping over the rear quarter panel with the top down.

 

ill try to get some more pics
I dont use my rear seats because I really dont care to.
however im sure you could move the bars around so that you could use them

 

yeah, i'm not concerned with using the rear seats at all. i just want the installation to look clean, not interfere with the top opening and closing, and be nhra legal for a 12 second car