[1bad6]

Who offers a weld-on/bolt-on cage for a 97' Grand Prix GT. I already get fits at the local track with my other 04' Grand Prix, which also needs one! Any suggestions? Not really interested in re-working my 04', just want to keep that one for the street, that way, no one will suspect. My 97' is going to be my official track car. It would be nice to have one for the street and one for the track.

 

[imp0ster]

I also need a half cage for basic protection and better handling. Just need the rear strut towers connected to a hoop behind the front seats, some triangles in-between and a mid bar for race belts. No one makes a kit for the W-Body. We will have to find a speed shop. Make sure you go chrome alloy for strength and light weight!

 

[1993 SLE]

there is a Permade kit for the 01+ Monte Carlos. Dunno how close it would be....i do know people have used them in the 97-03 GP's

 

[r0b0t c0rpse]

I also need a half cage for basic protection and better handling. Just need the rear strut towers connected to a hoop behind the front seats, some triangles in-between and a mid bar for race belts. No one makes a kit for the W-Body. We will have to find a speed shop. Make sure you go chrome alloy for strength and light weight!

they are using DOM instead of chrome moly in rally now because its better in a wreck.. guess its all about what you're doing. Chrome moly is more brittle than normal steel.

 

[BBlueLandYacht]

no matter what material you decide to use. i recommend making it your self

the fit will be tighter to the cars body (sleeper) and you will get it designed the way you need with nothing addes. plus you save tons of money.

an air cutoff wheel and a MIG welder is all you need.

to be slightly more high tech try string, a tape measure, and hand files

make sure you look up what the rules state you need for your class or what ever you wannt do. no need to make the cage more than it has to be and add weight to your car.

 

[1bad6]

I know a guy here in Orlando who can fab it up for me. Hopefully it wont be too pricey. If his work turns out nice, I might have him do my 04' GTP.

 

[1bad6]

OK......scratch that idea!! whew!! I'll just build one myself and it will still be way cheaper!!!

 

[Soup Man]

here are some tips for building a cage.

1. Make sure the material you are using is sufficient in strength for the weight of the car.
1.75" .120 wall DOM tubing is a standard for something in the 3500-4300 lb mark.
1 5/8" is not quite enough but with alot of triangulation it can be made to work (heavier in the end)

2. The ends of your joints need to be tight to each other, DO NOT just get a mig and weld some tube together. You NEED proper tools for the cage,

Fishmouthing the ends of the tube is pretty straight forward, you can use a chop saw to make 45* cuts to create a fishmouth.

If you plan on having a car for a while, make the cage part of the chassis. it will strengthen it up. Plates to the floor are maditory where the cage bolts to the floor.

When you have the height of the cage and you need to weld to the top of the cage but cannot take it out..... Drill holes in the floor that will allow the cage rails to drop through the floor, allowing access to the top of the cage, then after finished welding, place some dynamat underthe plate and use that to seal the floor hole back up under the base plate.


Making a cage is not just a " I have a welder and can tack tack tack"

There is a reason the prices for internal cages for cars is high... there is ALOT of work to go into makeing and desiging the right cage for the car as well as keeping it looking good.

If what I wrote here is confusing. Buy some offroad magazines, read and ask questions before you just go out and build a cage.

As I say to some people; do it your way, screw it up and then get it done the right way so others can learn from your mistakes.


Good luck.

 

[1bad6]

I was kidding around about building one myself. I just get tired of being harrassed about my GTP. I really hate paying $15 bucks for one lousy run. OSW is getting really picky. I am all in favor for safety, but geez, I trial run my 04' with a 11.69/spraying and they get bent out of shape!! If I line up with the cagged cars, helmet and all, that will flag me quickly. So I line up with the street cars and bet that they will have someone running to give me the boot! Basically, both my cars will need a cage, especially my 97'!!

 

[1bad6]

Is there a certain time limit,(NHRA) to where you actually have to install a cage into your car? Is it ET that they look at, or trap speed?..Or both?

 

[1bad6]

Soupman to Cageman!!

here are some tips for building a cage.

1. Make sure the material you are using is sufficient in strength for the weight of the car.
1.75" .120 wall DOM tubing is a standard for something in the 3500-4300 lb mark.
1 5/8" is not quite enough but with alot of triangulation it can be made to work (heavier in the end)

2. The ends of your joints need to be tight to each other, DO NOT just get a mig and weld some tube together. You NEED proper tools for the cage,

Fishmouthing the ends of the tube is pretty straight forward, you can use a chop saw to make 45* cuts to create a fishmouth.

If you plan on having a car for a while, make the cage part of the chassis. it will strengthen it up. Plates to the floor are maditory where the cage bolts to the floor.

When you have the height of the cage and you need to weld to the top of the cage but cannot take it out..... Drill holes in the floor that will allow the cage rails to drop through the floor, allowing access to the top of the cage, then after finished welding, place some dynamat underthe plate and use that to seal the floor hole back up under the base plate.


Making a cage is not just a " I have a welder and can tack tack tack"

There is a reason the prices for internal cages for cars is high... there is ALOT of work to go into makeing and desiging the right cage for the car as well as keeping it looking good.

If what I wrote here is confusing. Buy some offroad magazines, read and ask questions before you just go out and build a cage.

As I say to some people; do it your way, screw it up and then get it done the right way so others can learn from your mistakes.


Good luck.

Your hired! Come down and build/weld up some tubing for me on both cars!! :icon_lol: Kiddin, unless your serious?

 

[erichwaslike]

too bad i wasnt on here a few moths ago, i just moved back to cali from orlando and worked at a fab shop in leesburg. anyone in socal that needs one built i can do it. i build sand rails for a living at mosebilt offroad design. and nhra says this:

A roll bar is required in any convertible running 13.49 seconds or quicker in the quarter mile, and in other cars beginning at 11.49. The roll bar is accepted in vehicles running as quick as 10.00 second e.t., provided the stock firewall and floorboard is intact, other than for installation of wheel tubs. The rollbar must be constructed of minimum 1 ¾ inch o.d. x .118 inch wall mild steel tubing, or 1 ¾ x .083 chrome moly tubing, and must conform to the following diagram:

this can be found at Frequently Asked NHRA Tech Questions

also here is a fun fact. there is no weight difference between a mild steel dom cage and a chromolly cage that are both built out of 1-3/4 .120 wall tubing, its a common misconception. the weight savings is that nhra lets u use a thinner wall on chromolly cages due to its higher strength. a properly built chromolly cage will be tig welded and will cost much more due to the fitment required to tig and the higher cost of the tubing. may not be worth the 50lbs max u will shed.

i have been doing rollcages, tube chassis and sand rails for more than 5 years now so if anyone has any fabrication related questions fire away.

 

[1bad6]

Thanks Erick. I'll be pm'ing you from time to time and I DO appreciate your help.

 

[erichwaslike]

no problem, any questions u have send em on over. i can help u with rollcage design to make it nhra legal and comfortable for u also when u get to doing it.

 

[camarodragcar2002]

Im looking at getting a 12 point chrome moly rollcage for my camaro.

 

[91parkave]

no problem, any questions u have send em on over. i can help u with rollcage design to make it nhra legal and comfortable for u also when u get to doing it.

Would you ever consider doing control arms? im sure you could seel quite a few sets if you were to give ZZP some competition

 

[erichwaslike]

Im looking at getting a 12 point chrome moly rollcage for my camaro.

wat does ur maro have that it needs 12pts. a well built 6-8 point is about all u should really need. are u going thru the firewall or was that 12 pts in the cab alone?

 

[erichwaslike]

Would you ever consider doing control arms? im sure you could seel quite a few sets if you were to give ZZP some competition

actually ive been brainstorming with a buddy of mine,(ninnygtp on here) about doing them and just trying to see the least expensive way we can make a comparable part to wat they are doing.the only real way to keep cost down is to mass produce them. quanity keeps the price of materials and parts down.im planning on getting a prototype set together for him since he wants em anyways and feeling out the market to see how many ppl are interested and see if its something that can be profitalbe. id love to just do it but i cant make parts for ppl on love, i have to atleast pay for my time with it even if im just breaking even on parts and labor(no real profit) ill keep u guys updated when we get to making some. and ill post up a new thread for it when they are available

 

[91parkave]

actually ive been brainstorming with a buddy of mine,(ninnygtp on here) about doing them and just trying to see the least expensive way we can make a comparable part to wat they are doing.the only real way to keep cost down is to mass produce them. quanity keeps the price of materials and parts down.im planning on getting a prototype set together for him since he wants em anyways and feeling out the market to see how many ppl are interested and see if its something that can be profitalbe. id love to just do it but i cant make parts for ppl on love, i have to atleast pay for my time with it even if im just breaking even on parts and labor(no real profit) ill keep u guys updated when we get to making some. and ill post up a new thread for it when they are available

that would be awesome id be willing to buy a set off you then if it comes under ZZP's price i just cant justify spending 500 plus on a set of control arms. Im sure you would be able to sell more than a couple of sets though.

 

[erichwaslike]

yeah just gotta get the first set done and then post it to gauge interest... go from there