Who has an 8 point rollcage?

[dartsportsteve]

Hey guys, I just ordered my 8 point cage yesterday for my dart sport. Can I install it myself or will I be better off having Butch (my welder) do it for me? Any tips for installation?

Steve

[thegrump]

Not to sound smart but can you weld and do you have a welder?Also if you plan on running NHRA big events I know they are critical on the weld quality and location.

Hope this helps and good luck.

The Grump!!!

[DartMan360]

If you have any prior welding expirence you can probally do it. Your welder might have some get tips though for you. Just make sure your welds are continous if you do it. Check it with a black light when you get done. WHo did you it from and let us know how it fits

[dartsportsteve]

I got it from a local race shop. I'm not positive where they are getting it from but they checked around for a good quality setup for me. I do want it to be NHRA legal. I have quite a bit of experience welding (actually took a class) but I don't have a good quality MIG welder. Just a little portable one. I have a decent arc welder but i have heard it won't work as well as a MIG for a rollbar. I may borrow a buddy's welder. Is it going to come all notched and ready to weld or ? I assume it is much like a chassis engineering kit.

[DartMan360]

They may or may not come notched. Does your mig have the tank? If you have good expirence then I would do it your self. Im not one of those guys who sends everything out to be done. Ove of our good friends got an CE 8point for his duster. He got the kit where it goes behind the seat so you do not have to take the seat out. He had to add about a foot onto those for them to come down to the frame and the side ones by the doors didnt even come half way down. He called CE and they said it wasnt a mistake that they sent him the right one. I think we are going to go through S&W to get ours. Scott and his family has alwise been good people to us and the people he have recmonded to him. Let me know how it fits though.

[pro-street dart]

Yes you can weld it in yourself!! If as you say you took a coarse and you already know how to arc weld then this should be a breeze. I made and installed mine myself in my Dart. The hardest part was cutting the saddles onto the ends. A good quality hole saw took care of that. Be prepared to contort your body welding up all the joints as well as painting it later. Check out Chris Alston's Chassisworks web site - http://www.cachassisworks.com/ - on how to install a roll cage. They also have a "How To" book which you can buy through their web site which is quite helpfull.

[george a nilsen]

steve a reminder is to read NHRA rule book, all welds must not be ground for inspection george 68rr

[cuda66273]

I just finished installing a SW Chassis 8 point in my 66 Cuda and it fit like a rubber glove!

I removed all the interior and had lots of room to work but it was a job welding it in, we were able to weld the cross brace and rear bars to the hoop before we installed so we didn't burn up the headliner.

The front support bars need to fall between the drivers shoulder and elbow, cut, bend and form the 6x6" plates to fit tight to the floor boards, a blue metal former works good here.

The cross bar needs to be minimum of 4" below the drivers sholders and the hoop needs to be no more than 6" behind the drivers helmut.

Two of us spent about 10 hours getting it installed from start to finish.

Mild steel can be mig welded (Wire feed) the Chrome moly MUST be tig welded, you cannot use a stick arc welder.

You also may have to add a couple of braces 90 degrees off your frame connectors to anchor the short X-brace tubes, I used 1.5 x 1.5 x .125 wall square tubing.

You can paint but NO Grinding.

We painted everything before we assembled, used a little brake clean on a rag to clean the weld points, then just a little touch up.

Hope this helps

Don

[cuda66273]

SW Chassis has their 8 points on sale ...I think it's $96.00

Don

[george a nilsen]

question? did you weld in supports like 1x2 or 2x2 tube under floor plates to sub frame connecters for added support? thanks george 68rr

[cuda66273]

Yes, if you go Chris Alston's site they use a Camaro for a demonstration, you'll get the general Idea from there.

I also cut holes in my floor above those braces and along the top of the subframes....then welded them in and to the connectors, really tightened up the floor board fit.

[DartMan360]

You cannot weld it to the Sub frame. They do call that a frame. So you must use the plates. If you weld them to the sub frame then you must also use the plates. Seen alot of people to fail tech this year because they did this. We just oredered the cage for the pro mod from S&W today. Its all custom and pre bent Crome Moly. Randy has a small Mig and Tig welder that he uses. All he has to do is change the tank and tip. I think you could and should do it. Then you can take all the credit for it.

[DartMan360]

Also forgot to add to remove all interior before you start. Seen one car where the guy did not. Belive me you could tell he didnt also.

[FuryusVIP]

Unless you are a really good welder, have a pro do it. And by really good I mean you've been doing it for 10-15 years. After all it is your life you are trying to protect. My custom cage [have you seen a rollbar listed for 66-72 c-Bodies?] was designed and installed by Alston Racecar Enginnering Antioch, IL 1-847-395-3500. They also installed the ladder bars, wheel tubs, coil overs, subframe connecters and panhard bar. The added quality, longivety, and piece of mind, far outweight the money you may save by doing it yourself. Oh, did they mention how strict NHRA tech is?



The pic shows a close-up of my headrest mounts for the RCI aluminum seats, and it shows how they bent the rear bars so that a rear seat can still be used. Just my thoughts.

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