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1994 Camaro Roll Bar

Roll bar in interior

Why put a roll bar into my car?
Why do it myself?
Bad things about having a roll bar
Good things about having a roll bar
My requirements:
I also wanted what I built to comform to drag racing and SCCA track racing rules, in case I decided to upgrade to those forms of racing in the future. This doesn't mean my "cage" is legal, but that I tried to make what I put in compliant so I wouldn't have to take it out, but just add to it.

I removed the front and rear seats, pulled back some carpet, and removed some of the plastic side panels.

The matrix below summarizes some of the roll bar rules. Check for yourself, in case rules have changed or I made a mistake. The SCCA rules tend to be the most strict, for instance you have to use expensive DOM (drawn over mandel, or sometimes called "seamless" tubes). Though not a strict rule, Utah Salt Flats Racing Association encourages using mild steel over chromo.

2006 Southern California Timing Association http://www.saltflats.com

http://www.nhra.com/contacts/tech_faq.html, hard tops 11.99 seconds to 10.00 seconds

SCCA Showroom Stock

1994 Red Camaro Roll bar

Material

Mild steel or E4130 chomoly

Mild steel or chrome moly

DOM alloy steel only, seamless, no ERW (seamless)

Mild steel main hoop, chomo backstays

Tube Diameter

1.75

1.75

1.75 <= 4000 lbs

1.75

Wall thickness

0.120 mild steel 0.095 E4130 Chromoly

0.118 mild steel 0.083 chrome moly

0.120

0.125 main hoop

Pad thickness

0.25 Required above and below floor pan on unitized and monocoque

0.125 above and below if bolted, top if welded

0.080 if welded, 3/16 if bolted with appropriate backing plates

0.25, bolted, above and below

Pad perimeter

>= 22

6x6

No side < 2 or > 12, projected to flat plane if multiangled

>= 22, most pads are about 3x8

Pad area

6x6

<= 100 square inches, projected to flat plane if multiangled

3x8 = 24 square inches, OK

Pad general

Where possible, extend to vertical

Gussets

0.125, required on shoulder rail

Recommended. <= 0.125. Max 2 gussets per joint.

n/a

Front hoop to helmet

>= 3

n/a

Helmet retaining strap

0.125, 1.0

n/a

Helmet to main hoop

n/a

<= 6

<= 6

Top of main hoop to brace

<= 5

<= 6

<= 5

Hoop to brace angle

>= 30 degrees

>= 30 degrees

Bolts

>= 3/8, >= grade 5

3/8

>= 3/8. >= grade 5

>= 3/8 >= grade 5

Bolting

At least 2 bolts, 180 degrees apart

4 bolts

>= 3 bolts per plate

3 bolts per plate

Padding

SFI 45.1 near helmet

Where helmet can contact, nonresilient such as Ethafoam, >= 1.0, SFI 45.2 or FIA strongly encouraged.

SFI 45.1

Bends

Main hoop 4 max total 180 degrees. No crimps

Yes

Inspection hole

3/16 to ¼

Will drill one when and if needed

Main hoop

Continuous

Continuous

Bend radius

>= 3x tube diameter

Welds

Not ground

Continuous around tubes. No cracks.Thorough fusion. Craters filled to cross section. Undercut not more than 0.01.

Not ground, and continuous around tubes. Test welds show no cracks and thorough fusion. No undercut.


Keywords: Camaro, Firebird, LT1, LS1, autocross, road racing, SCCA, NHRA, drag racing, safety, roll bar, welding, racing rules

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