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What would the difference be if you hit your head on the roof frame or pillar of the car verses a rollbar? Atleast you can pad a rollbar. I think you would fair better hitting a round tube verses a squared edge of a pillar or roof edge. 
The roll cages reduces the amount of space around a person's head and body. Therefore a person's body is more likely to contact a roll cage than the car's body.
Now in a severe accident, a roll cage would probably make the car safer. In this type of accident, everyone in the car will likely be injured. In a much more common low speed accident the roll cage would probably make the car more dangerous. (unless everyone in the car is wearing a helmet, etc.)
If I was going to attempt to strengthen an older's car's body, I'd be inclined to add reinforcing steel inside the doors, quarter panels, etc. This will be more hassle to install and it probably won't meet competition requirements. But this plan may be the best overall plan for a street car.
Unfortunately, it's impossible to make a car completely safe. All we can do is make them safer. There will always be ways to be injured or killed while driving.
Last edited by QuickDodge; 01/17/13 02:38 PM.
