I'm going to do my first HPDE at VIR soon.

I'll probably just take the BMW, but it will have new street tires (all seasons eck) and I'm not ready to run my R-comps yet. The 944 will finally have a new radiator and thermostat, so I'm ready to run the crap out of it, but as I still don't really trust it to hold together, I want a roll bar in the event that a wheel falls off.

Someone have one around for sale or that they would let me rent to bolt in for a weekend?

 

I wouldn't worry about it. A bolt in roll-bar is not going to make a huge difference in most incidents. I'd get (and some day will get) the bar primarily as a way to run harnesses.

Take the 944 and don't worry about the bar.

 

Honestly.... roll overs at a DE are very rare. I dont think Ive ever seen one outside of the advanced/instructor run group. Autopower bars fit like crap, and the other bolt in roll bars cost so much that it isnt much more expensive to get a custom bar done. I did my first 3 years of DE in a car without a roll bar, so personally I wouldnt worry about it. Have fun at VIR, that place is awesome!!! I just got back from a 2 day event there on Monday and tuesday. If you want to get a glimpse of the track before you go, here are some videos. The video from the 924 isnt the best, but it works...

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/P...-VIR_84526.htm

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/2...-VIR_15605.htm

I have a few more if you want to see them. A couple of miles outside the track there is the town of Milton NC. Make sure you go to Aunt Millies for some pizza. Its a VIR tradition!

 

I have a mint Redline bar for sale. 450 + shipping, save $95 over new and get it now. I ran this last year for DE purposes. Now that I'm racing, a full cage is being installed as we speak. People can say whatever they want... I'd rather have the rollbar than not. I know Techno Duck runs one as well, plus I'm sure many others here.

There's no reason for a rollbar except for DE. Real racing requires a roll cage.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=396451

 

The bars that go into the rear pillars- is that hole the bolt goes into there already or am I going to have to drill that?
Also, will this fit with the rear seat still in place? If so, in the up or down position?

I don't plan on doing any "real racing" in the next 7 or so years at least. If the redline bar fits in there without too much trouble, I'd probably leave it in all the time.

 

I agree with Eric. Several of us locally run the Redline roll bar for DE purposes, but it is part of a system. Roll bar (primarily for shoulder harness mounting), racing shell seats and 5 or 6 point harnesses. This has been discussed extensively on the racing board; running a roll bar alone will probably REDUCE your safety at a DE due to the increased risk of your head contacting the tubular steel bar, if you are not properly restrained in a racing seat and minimum 5 point harness. This is not my opinion, this is the opinion of the roll bar maker, John Hajny (RedlineMan): see post #68: https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...=413671&page=5

Bottom line: enjoy the DE without adding a roll bar. In the future, decide which system you will go to, and upgrade your car's safety as a system.

 

the redline bar will bolt in with your rear seat in -both pieces- and uses the outer lower seatbelt holes and the c-pillar bolt points that are already there- yours prob just has caps in them. Bolt in and enjoy. I bought mine new from John in 2002 for $489 so schwank has a pretty good price.

 

The Redline bar bolts into the rear lap belt and shoulder belt mounting points, so those holes are already there. You must remove the rear seatback. (EDIT: or maybe not! But there is little point in leaving it in, since it adds weight and the rear seat can't be used with the bar in place.) It is a nice bar and works very well. I normally leave it in all the time, since my kids won't ride in the back seat anyway. Last year I pulled it out for a 2 week holiday with my wife; it took about two hours to unbolt the bar (the easy part), remove the harnesses, swap both seats and reinstall the rear seat back. I didn't bother reinstalling the rear seat belts.

Eric's bar is a good deal, although shipping to the east coast will be expensive.

- Don

 

never pulled the seat back until after the rollbar was installed just for asthetics.

 

Well although I am allowed to add a harness and a roll bar for stock class, I can't change the seats and especially I can't remove the rear.

The real drawback for me would be that I wouldn't be able to fit 4 wheels/tires in the back anymore.

I would like to have race seats/harness/bar, but it's just not in the cards right now. I'll just have to trust my helmet and my driving.

 

You can still fit four wheels and tires in the back with the roll bar. You can either stuff two in between the roll bar and front seats, or fit three in the back and one in the passenger seat.

 

Jon,

Something die in your car?

 

I have a harness bar it mad a major diff imho

 

My dad's got a redline rollbar like Dan's -- as far as I know he's perfectly content with it, and I've driven his car before and after it was installed -- seems a great deal. You can even fit people in it! Not that it'd be safe or anything

 

the main thing to remember is if you are running harnesses, you need different seats and a harness bar. If you remove the upper rear seatback you can still fit four tires back there depending on size.