Autoform roll bar results

[treynor]

OK, so Autoform ran a bit behind schedule building my rollbar. They made up for it by sending me a piece which is a work of art -- beautifully constructed and powdercoated to a T. However, the acid test came yesterday evening, when I went to tech in at Sacramento raceway (a strict NHRA track) for the first time with the rollbar. The tech peered in, did a double-take, inspected the design for a few moments, and said "wow, it's a legal NHRA bar -- I've never seen one of these in a Viper! You pass!"

With any luck, that's as close as I'll ever come to testing it. Regardless, it's beautiful and it lets me run in the 10s

Good job, guys!

 

[treynor]

I do indeed have photos, which I have attached to this message. The rollbar does not limit headroom or seat travel at all, although the sidebar mounts do intrude slightly on the seat frame if you scoot the seat forward. I still have the full range of motion of the seat, but I have to push the top part inward slightly as it moves past the sidebar mounts. Without sidebar mounts there would zero intrusion. I got sidebar mounts only because I needed an NHRA-legal rollbar for the local dragstrips.

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[dblankenbaker]

It's the sidebar we want to see pics of... PLEASE!

One from the driver's side with the driver's door open, and another from the opposite side looking across at the sidebar with the driver's door closed.

 

[Maverick The Electrician]

How snug is it when you have the hard top on?

 

[treynor]

Awww, thanks

The Rollbar+sidebars was, if memory serves, a hair over $2K from Autoform including powdercoating and trim pieces. They shipped it directly to my installer, where it arrived in perfect condition. I had it installed locally by APEX Mmotorsports, and it was time-consuming (~20 hours) but not apparently rocket science. The hardtop fits over the bars with room to spare, and they're far enough back that even with a helmet my head never makes contact with the bars.

Sidebar pictures forthcoming after I get the car back with its U-joint fixed and, possibly, a new performance goodie spooned on...

 

[Bill/APEX Motorsports]

A word of advice regarding the RT/10 roll bar--if you're over 6' tall or are--ahem--wide of girth, do yourself a favor and sit in a car that already has the roll bar in it. I'm 6'3" 190lb., and I found it a bit confining. However, that's with the NHRA-legal door bars. Without the bars, it'd be a much easier fit. The main hoop portion fit pretty well, but we had to fiddle with the door bars quite a bit to get everything to fit. It's a _very_ tight squeeze to get in and out of the car with the door bars, even if they're swung out. Of course, if you want to race NHRA, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do! ; )

 

[jp]

So, what about the Flywheel and clutch shield? and Drive shaft loops?
I had to build a Bellhouse shield in steel to meet the NHRA spec, also had to build loops for the drive shafts.... all according to NHRA specs....
Will install all of it next monday...the garage is filled with Stock and SuperStock cars at the moment...
/JP the swede

 

[treynor]

(a) tranny blanket, (b) SFI spec flywheel, (c) sealed underbody = no requirement for a driveline loop (though it's still a good idea).

 

[jp]

Strange, the Europeans follows the NHRA spec, and I do need Bellhoushing shield (tranny blanket is not accepted), driveline loops etc, etc... Anyway it will soon be in place

/JP the Swede