996 Roll cage (karl, chris, etc...)
08-10-2003, 11:33 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
996 Roll cage (karl, chris, etc...)
What cages did(do) you guys have in your car when you ran in C Stock? I am being told that the Porsche GT3 clubsport cage in not legal as the wall thickness is slightly too thin. The rules are very basic in nature and do not appear to adequately compensate for a properly enginered cage. I think safety devices is the only other manufactuer of a cage. Any thoughts or details? This problem is jepordizing my chances of running at Summit Point this fall.
08-11-2003, 01:04 AM
#2
Instructor
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Tempe, Arizona
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The roll cage rules used by PCA, SCCA and rest are truly idiotic. You can weld in a crappy mild steel cage with a stick welder and it is legal if the tubes are thick enough. But if you try to install a properly designed cage you are outside of the rules. And then they drill a hole in it to check it!
There is no easy answer. On my car, I took the roof panel off, took about 100 pictures of a Cup Car, and delivered the car to a local Rally shop with the interior totally removed. $7000 and 5 weeks later, I had a perfect cage and a PCA stock legal interior.
Bolt in cages are basically a joke. They don't attach to the car firmly enough, and they always intrude on the driver.
To me, the cage is the single biggest determining factor in resale value, so maybe that is not where you want to economize.
BTW, I ran a GT3 clubsport cage prior to doing the real cage and it was legal. Don't ask, don't tell.
There is no easy answer. On my car, I took the roof panel off, took about 100 pictures of a Cup Car, and delivered the car to a local Rally shop with the interior totally removed. $7000 and 5 weeks later, I had a perfect cage and a PCA stock legal interior.
Bolt in cages are basically a joke. They don't attach to the car firmly enough, and they always intrude on the driver.
To me, the cage is the single biggest determining factor in resale value, so maybe that is not where you want to economize.
BTW, I ran a GT3 clubsport cage prior to doing the real cage and it was legal. Don't ask, don't tell.
08-11-2003, 10:27 AM
#4
Burning Brakes
Join Date: May 2001
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Ed,
I never ran my car in C stock, so I'm not a good person to answer. I had a DAS-Sport bolt in cage and from my read of the PCA rule book, it is not legal for Club racing. As Chris says, the lower mounting point is just a bolt into the side frame. If the bolt snaps, the bar could punch through the thin floor pan underneath and collapse. Talk to the guys at Stable Energies and then double check with the PCA tech head before making the investment.
Karl
I never ran my car in C stock, so I'm not a good person to answer. I had a DAS-Sport bolt in cage and from my read of the PCA rule book, it is not legal for Club racing. As Chris says, the lower mounting point is just a bolt into the side frame. If the bolt snaps, the bar could punch through the thin floor pan underneath and collapse. Talk to the guys at Stable Energies and then double check with the PCA tech head before making the investment.
Karl
08-11-2003, 10:45 AM
#5
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I have been doing alot of research on this and have been making what I beleive is a good arguement. It seems that Porsche does specifically intend their cage for racing and it is even FIA approved. The question is what PCA thinks. My other option is to go down to Meinike and have them weld in some exhaust tubing... sad thing is it would be legal by PCA's standards!
08-11-2003, 11:41 AM
#6
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Ed,
It is not really that close to you but I have a guy in Indy that did my cage, he builds cages for a lot of sprint and drag cars. My mechanic used him to build Nascar side bars on their GT2 and other cars also.
Cost was very reasonable also as he doesn't do the prep work like removing carpets,etc. which is very time consuming. About $1500.
If you want his info send me a PM.
Chris,
I really want to get a look at your cage at Road America, sounds like it is a work of art. Cost about the same also! Can you buy a Matter cage and install (weld in) yourself? Or is that only for a factory built car?
It is not really that close to you but I have a guy in Indy that did my cage, he builds cages for a lot of sprint and drag cars. My mechanic used him to build Nascar side bars on their GT2 and other cars also.
Cost was very reasonable also as he doesn't do the prep work like removing carpets,etc. which is very time consuming. About $1500.
If you want his info send me a PM.
Chris,
I really want to get a look at your cage at Road America, sounds like it is a work of art. Cost about the same also! Can you buy a Matter cage and install (weld in) yourself? Or is that only for a factory built car?
Last edited by Greg Fishman; 08-11-2003 at 02:06 PM.
