Birth of a rally car

[pht9]

LOL Nick, guess you also would opt for the single bar then ?

If it were a circuit racer, not road registered then it really is a different matter, but pulling up at filling stations and clambering out trying to untangle your legs is not a pleasant experience - but nor is hitting a tree !

[obrut]

I'm 6'1" and know what its like. I've recently built a historic circuit car with much more cage (and X bars in the doors) and ended up having to use a removable steering wheel to make access reasonable.

I currently have a similar cage to what you have built in my rally car - but will be revising it before its next outing. Last year we lost 2 guys in a 911 running in the Classic Adelaide rally. The car had a very very comprehensive cage, driver and nav'r both wearing HANS devices all up to date gear etc. Sideways into a tree adjacent the door opening - weakest point of the car.

It is a PITA though as you are in and out of the car constantly through the 4 or 5 days of a typical event.

[pht9]

Now the Summer holidays are over, we can crack on a bit

Chassis now back from the paintshop, let the fun begin !

[Cortina]

Does the cage now meet current regs ? (MSA regs) ... ref front legs / no of bends ... bla bla
( I have cage to put on my 911 rally car , and am asking the question for the right reasons - since mine currently looks like yours )

[Nick Moss]

Does the cage now meet current regs ? (MSA regs) ... ref front legs / no of bends ... bla bla

It looks like it to me, you are allowed one bend below the base of the windscreen. From the Custom Cages website:
Unless the roll cage is a certified design (i.e. has an MSA or FIA recognised certificate) the new rule allows only one bend in the A pillar tubes below the bottom of the windscreen. For roll cages that do not meet this new MSA regulation it will be necessary to fit a pair of additional support tubes.

[pht9]

Does the cage now meet current regs ? (MSA regs) ... ref front legs / no of bends ... bla bla
( I have cage to put on my 911 rally car , and am asking the question for the right reasons - since mine currently looks like yours )

The cage was inspected by an MSA scrutineer and approved. Once the vehicle is completed, it will be presented for the HTP/FIA paperwork.

Thanks Nick for the illustration, am sure useful for future reference.

I think that I said this in a previous post, but from the inception of the design of this car, I wanted a simple, period looking (to app K) rollcage. Weight was also an important factor, so if anyone else is considering preparing a chassis for competition, this would be a useful reference for them. I have seen (and installed on many occasions) much more complex cages than this, but for this particular build, it was decided to complete as you see it

[oliveR]

Really nice color !!!

[Cortina]

Good news - thanks ! For some reason I had not picked up on the base of the windscreen bit !

[pht9]

I guess an update is long overdue

A picture of the chassis, now has the glass installed, we opted for a 'green tint' throughout. To comply with motorsport regulations, 5mm plexiglass has been used for the side and rear windows, with a glass heated screen. The green tint, combined with the plain aluminium window trims, gives a nice period look.



Fuel tank installed, ready now to be plumbed in



Lightweight rear lamp units



This next picture took a LOT OF WORK ! - Eagle eyed readers may notice the tacho is not what it appears.........




Its a 8k Stack Tacho, that has been detailed to replicate the look of an original unit. See the red shift light just above the 8 (plus the external light between oil guage and tacho), we also refitted the indicator lights at the top. So we now have a modern tacho, that reads accurately !

[pht9]

as part of the homologation specification, we have to run the original aluminium bumpers, no fibreglass or lightweight pieces allowed, so mounting the bumpers has to be pretty secure

these things are far too heavy !





So, we fitted some of these





Installed....

[KS]

Looking good, Phil!

[Cortina]

Going back to the cage ! ........... I looked at this years blue book , and I can see nothing about "base of the windscreen" being a datum point for number of bends , and therefore am assuming that my cage is not allowed since it has two bends in it. Did custom cages get it wrong ? , or am I still missing something ?

Car is looking well !!

[Nick Moss]

Going back to the cage ! ........... I looked at this years blue book , and I can see nothing about "base of the windscreen" being a datum point for number of bends , and therefore am assuming that my cage is not allowed since it has two bends in it. Did custom cages get it wrong ? , or am I still missing something ?

http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/pdf/ ... ctures.pdf

[Cortina]

Grand - so Custom cages got it wrong ... only one bend allowed , which is how I read blue book - Ta !

[IanMcLeod]

Unless the roll cage is a certified design (i.e. has an MSA or FIA recognised certificate) the new rule allows only one bend in the A pillar tubes below the bottom of the windscreen.

The cage they fitted might be a certified design so exempt from this requirement.

Ian.