-72 convertible "for trackdays" project

[mrvette]

Do they shaft you in Sweden for crazy shipping fees, and heavy import taxes, for instance on the Steeroids kit??

:cussing:

Yepp, they try anything they can to make people have boring lives..

But i keep fighting back!

:surrender::smash: I know the feeling much to the chagrin of most vette forums, and like you, I refuse.....:rofl::cussing:

 

[JE Caudle]

Ricky, Your work is with out a dought top shelf!
That 454 looks great. Make sure to let us know how it
turns out at the track.

 

[Ricky]

Hi and thanks.

I promis to keep you guys updated of the handling of the car.

 

[Showme]

Beautiful vette! You have done a very nice job on it!

 

[Ricky]

Thanks.

 

[turtlevette]

What do you have for rollover protection? Post up some picts.

 

[Ricky]

What do you have for rollover protection? Post up some picts.

Hi.

I havnt got that far just yet.

But im planning of installing a rollbar that wil fit even with the top up.

Anyone got suggestions or ideas of how a nice looking rollbar could look?

Also planning on ckanging out the drivers seat and install 4-point harness.

So there is still some bits to take care of before its time to go flat out..

Any ideas and pictures of solutions are more then welkome.

//Ricky.

 

[turtlevette]

What do you have for rollover protection? Post up some picts.

Hi.

I havnt got that far just yet.

But im planning of installing a rollbar that wil fit even with the top up.

.

From what i've heard that is very hard to do. The top of the bar is supposed to be 2" above your helmet. That's why i was curious when i saw your track pic with the top up. Verts without roll bars are barred from tracks in the U.S.

You may have to do something bolt in.

 

[mrvette]

What do you have for rollover protection? Post up some picts.

Hi.

I havnt got that far just yet.

But im planning of installing a rollbar that wil fit even with the top up.

.

From what i've heard that is very hard to do. The top of the bar is supposed to be 2" above your helmet. That's why i was curious when i saw your track pic with the top up. Verts without roll bars are barred from tracks in the U.S.

You may have to do something bolt in.

At 6'5" with long spine, that is one good reason I don't race, even in my large old Pontiacs years ago, no room for a helmet....tried many times....

:twitch::surrender:

 

[Ricky]

From what i've heard that is very hard to do. The top of the bar is supposed to be 2" above your helmet. That's why i was curious when i saw your track pic with the top up. Verts without roll bars are barred from tracks in the U.S.

You may have to do something bolt in.

That is actually a very good idea!

The rules here in Sweden for trackdays are such that if you have a convertible without a rollbar the top has to be up when driving on the track.

But if you have a rollbar the top may be down.

So if one make a bolt in rollbar one can install it for use on the track and top down and then it may stick up the additional 2".

That sounds like a plan for me.

Thanks for the inputs and any ideas, opinions and pictures of examples are more then welcom.

//Ricky

 

[Ricky]

I have searched the internet for pictures of rollbarinstallations in C3 convertibles but there doesnt appear to be many pictures around..

Has anyone got a picture or two on the harddisc and are willing to sheare those with me?

//Ricky.

 

[turtlevette]

I'm wondering if you go ahead and weld in (or bolt in) a standard type bar with back braces and diagonal brace. But use 2 different tube sizes on the main hoop so that you can telescope the top of the main hoop. Locate the diagonal and back braces just before it slips. Drill a few different holes through on both sides so you can lower the bar with the top up and still have protection for everyday driving. When you go to race, put the top down remove the through bolts on both sides then merely telescope out the main hoop 4-6" then replace the through bolts.

This design would not fly with SCCA here but it sounds like they're not that restrictive over there if they let you run with your soft top up. That won't do a darn thing to protect you and the windshield frame will probably only support about 500# before it collapses flat. Not good news if you end up upside down and in it.

Since this is not an unbroken main hoop you could overdesign it a bit and use larger dia and thicker tube.

Unconventional design but would be very convenient. You could probably extend the hoop in 10 minutes.



Here's a pict of my welded in bar in my coupe. http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/2031/3061/5076530043_large.jpg

If you do a telescping main hoop the back braces obviously can't be attached to the top as i did.

 

[Ricky]

That sounds like a good and functional idea if its posible to make it strong enough.

I belive that the "top up" idea here in Sweden is to prevent dthe driver from accidently leving the car during a crash.

But as you say, with only the soft-top and the windshield frame i will propably not live for very long if the car rolls over.. :gurney:

A rollbar that fits under or are posible to adjust so the softtop can go up and down is a must for the way im using my car. :rain:

I have to do some measurements of how the softtop will work with a rollbar.

Too bad im stuck working offshore another couple of weeks..

But planning is a big part of a job aswell.

 

[Ricky]

If you do a telescping main hoop the back braces obviously can't be attached to the top as i did.

Jepp, that needs som consulting from a rollbar builder i belive..

Another thing is that when the top is folded down it fills up most oft the space under the hatch so any backward facing bracings is a problem..

These guys below prapably dont have a soft-top under there hatches..

But the look nice.