My "budget" racer '70 Duster needs a roll bar. The car will run 10's, but I figure almost certainly never 9's. So to be legal, I need to install a bar (5 or 6 point). A 'moly bar would be nice, but I'm not sure I want to spend the extra $$ for the relatively small weight savings over mild steel.

I want something economical, but I don't want to get something that's too much of a PITA to install. The car will see some street time as well. Thoughts?

I used an 8 point kit from S&W race cars, great people to deal with.

Roll bar must be 1.750" diameter tube.

Roll cage 1.625".

You can get 1.625" in chrome moly all day long.

I have yet to find 1.750 chrome moly in .083".

If you have to run .118" then there is no weight saving going to moly.

Weight is saved on cages by going to moly. I would recommend going the full cage as most people end up going faster. But, that is up to you. If you just do a roll bar mild steel is fine.

Leon

I used the Chris Alston one from chassis works

Let's just assume you are running 10.8's at best. You have other obligations that keep you from going buck wild like the rest of us. You race about half a dozen races a year.

In this rare case.... Buy a basic 5 point just to clear the rules. S&W, Chris Alston, Competition Engineering all have these kits. They will come with a main hoop that will go in your car. It will come with rear down bars that you will make you scratch your head for days trying to figure where you want to run them. The door bar is pretty obvious. Bolt in the 6"X6" plates because you don't want to do anything you can't undo. Then read the rule book and realize you now either have to run two bars to your frame connector or rear sub frame OR weld a brace from rocker up to the plate under the main hoop. If that main hoop can't handle the weight of another car on it you do not have it properly braced.

Cost $400 and some laber and a life experience. For about $2,000 you can have a really nice chrome moly cage that fits your car like a glove installed with a 9.99 and faster window net. There are tons of guys now who do awesome jobs for this price. I have done a few and can't see how people make money doing it. Oh I know why I can't leave well enough alone. I have to remake their frame connectors fit the interior. Replace the roof skin because they now realize there is no other way to get rid of the sunroof. Cut the junk cage someone else put in out. Then if it is to ever get raced, finish it then drive it for them.

Oh what were we talking about???

Leon

I consider myself on a strict budget building my current car a 67 Coronet Sedan, Unless drastic things change, It is not likely that I will have a budget to run in the 8's.

My car is built with the idea to go 9.90 index but only bracket race/ test and tune to 10 teens to avoid further scrutiny and costs

I put a 1-5/8" mild steel cage, I put twelve points in but could have stopped at eight. The front bars pass thru the firewall and the rear X bars are not nessessary.

build a simple but tight 8 point cage with the thoughts of being able to add to it, try not to add a bar that will have to be removed and keep future bars in mind.

just my