hello im looking into a turbo set up for my z. now if i dont turbo it it will have about 350 to 400 hp im guessing turboed id imagine between 500 and 600 hp. im going to add sub frame connectors to stiffin the frame but ive heard i need a roll cage to. i love my car and its my first car i ever had and dont want to destroy it. the problem is safty and drag strip rules. if someone could clerify the drag strip certifications on when i needa cage and harness. also i like the idea of the safty of a 5 point harness and it looks good to but the only way to legally mount it that ive found is by going to a roll cage. is this true? also if i have to rool cage it would a simple roof loop woth a bar across the center for belts and bars that go to the rear saficient enough? i want to retain the use of my rear seat if at all possible. thanks

 

Depends on the track you run at and what sanction they have, IHRA, NHRA, or none at all.... The current NHRA rule is anyone runnin 11.49 to 10.49. 10.49 and quicker or mph over 135 must have a cage. Do a google search for NHRA rule book, there's a link to the general rules in a PDF format.

As for a roll bar, a single hoop with no back bars isn't going to do much good. Might want to check with the track you plan on running at and see what rules they run under...

 

no i plan to run back bars. im looking at a 6 point just without the bars that cros the door and a cross bar on the hoop for strength and 5 point harness mounts

 

Go for the most you can get, basically the most you can afford, roll cages are definitely NOT a place to skimp. You mentioned 600 horsepower if you turbocharge the car, even with 500 horsepower if you're launching hard, your car will just get ripped apart in a matter of time.

My humble advice is to just get a full 8 or 10, or even 12 point roll cage, protect your car the most you can, it will be worth it. It seems your issue is with practicality, well, get on JEGS, you can get multiple swing out kits, so you have easy access to every part of your car.

You can even pick up some nice foam cover and color matched zip-ties incase you have a special someone and don't want her knocking her head on a piece of metal!

 

should be 11.49 and quicker requires a roll cage

 

ha ha well yes practicality is an issue and yes that special some one also is but it also is an issue of i dont want a huge ugly cage in my car. the 4 point looks nice will let me have my 5 points and easy access to all areas and well ive seen it done and it looks nice and if later on i want to go a diff direction i wont have to replace everything to pull it out

 

There's not much else I can say, if you want a 600 horsepower hotrod cruising around with only the minimum requirements, you're going to pay even more in the long run.

Camaros are long cars as you obviously know, if you hook up even once and send them front wheels down hard, it's only a matter of how long your frame will survive. Hawks Third Gen Parts sells a nice 10 point chrome moly roll cage specifically for these cars, there's an option for a swing out kit, and for the bars to clear OEM handlebars.

All that along with what I mentioned, some nice color/interior matched foam is about the only way to keep you & your car safe, yet still deal with the practicality issues. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth, with big power, you sometimes have to make small sacrifices.

 

idk i dont plan on wheelin it cause i know the damage that can happen. i really just dont like the look of a full cage especially in a car im trying to keep as close to stock as possible. maybe ill have to back down the power.

 

ok shadow i took ur advice and did a bit of lookin around. air ride technologies is making a new roll cage that is completly bolt in and easy to install. while they dont yet have one produced for our cars im in the process of finding out how much one will be and when.

 

my car is faster than the 11.49 barrier... on motor. granted it makes alot of power. once your running that fast alot of practicality goes out the window anyway.

i diddnt want to do a cage either. But, even on test and tune nights its pointless to not be able to run all out, for fear of getting kicked out. plus if you ever do any sanctioned events (super chevy or something) you wont even pass tech.

i drive my car primarily on the street. If done right a cage is a very nice addition to a very flexible chassis. I have a s&w racecars 8pt cage and you can get swing outs if you want to get in and out easier. I dont believe in the swing outs because it just would seem that the cage would be more rigid fully tied. Foam will be your friend.

Ultimately thats why i own two z28's. one that i can mod and mod till i desire. My girl doesnt care about it being loud or having a cage... BUT i also have a pristine stockish car that has all the stock creature comforts (Leather, working ac, etc....)

anybody that plans on using the rear seats for anything other than storage with a roll bar is plain crazy... asking for injury there

 

It goes past just injury, you will kill any passengers back there if you get in a wreck. There's no getting around that.

 

here's mine doesnt look bad at all

 

That looks damn nice.

 

wow man ill give ya props that thing looks great. im looking into an auto power bolt in. have any of u guys used these or heard any pros or cons?

 

thanks i weldedthe main hoop to my frame connectors and my 5 point attaches to the middle bar its only 6 points i didnt add the bars that go tothe inside on the floor but if they give me a hassle ill just add them in and the paint is from a can duplicolor metalcast

 

I agree they wont bitch too much about the trans tunnel bars, but i installed mine anyways, because the only thing going back there is a nitrous bottle.


i wouldnt do a bolt in cage at all....

 

Bolt-in bars//cages allowed..?..IIRC,not long ago someone brought up the bolt-in topic,& someone posted a link about a Mustang accident.
My iPhone won't load it.Also,I remember someone said t-tops are cosidered under the same rules as convertables.
EVERYONE wants you to have fun,but most importantly,BE SAFE!!

 

yes i saw that mustasng but that obviously was installed incorectly because the cage cleared all racing specs and the tech guys never would have sent them out if they didnt think that cage wasnt right