Retro fitting a CSX rollbar on a superformance
 

Ok anyone ever thought about getting the rollbar on a superformance MKIII to look like the original CSX car’s. I realize that there are considerations to make before changing the dimensions, like fitting to the existing holes in the deck, getting the bends and cuts correct, and perhaps finding that the convertible top won’t fit afterward.
I just bought my 3rd superformance, and I love everything about the car except that rollbar, it’s just nothing like the original. On the CSX cars, the rollbar is slightly taller, more perpendicular hoop position with the longer extension, and the extension angle where it meets the center of the hoop, just gives it such a different look, a much lower and more squat looking stance.

I purchased a rollbar kit from Cobra Restorers in Georgia, and it’s a mirror image of the original CSX. SO – has any SPF owner done this conversion? Curious to see photos if anyone has one. I know it will likely require many modifications to the rollbar itself, the mounting points, and perhaps the 3rd hole in the deck would need to be turned into an oval or a new hole drilled and the old hole filled. My thought was to maintain the current height of the SPF rollbar (so that the top fits), stand it up more erect, and then mount the extension leg about 2 inches further back, and then custom make a receiver base in the trunk for the extension leg. The extension leg won’t fit within the snap line of the convertible top, but I’m not terribly worried, as I would likely dismount the extension leg for the 2x per year that I would use the top.

I have consider modifying the roll bar to look more like the CSX cars myself. Personally, I am not worried about the top fitting as I never have nor ever will install my top. I believe many others if not the majority that have a soft top have never been used and are tucked away in a closet. I hope you get some responses to this thread as I'm very interested.

Top? Top? What top? I doan gotta show you no stinking top. We drive Cobras... we doan need no stinking top.

I am also interested in this thread and hope that folks respond with what they have done as well. While it is another manufacturer, 1985 CCX has modified his earlier car to make it more correct in the same way. Check out his work on the Contemporary forum. You have to go back to the beginning of the postings.

Good luck with your project.

Bob

Would a friendly csx owner kindly help with some measurements? Distance from from body deck to tippy top of rollbar? And measurement of the triangle ie the 3 hole centers. Thanks!

Hoop measures around 12-1/2" to 13-1/2" tall off the cowl at the hoop center depending on car and cowl shape. Holes edges are about 1" back from the cowl edge. A big part of the look is originals are 1-3/8" diameter tube with the hoop laid back on a pretty good angle.

mickmate, good to hear from you. you came to my house about 18 months ago in norwalk to inspect my contemporary car as the buyer was completing his purchase. Any idea how far back the extension tube make contact with the body? distance from the straightline between the first 2 holes.

Why Bother?
I would think hacking your superformance up would lower the value of the car.
If you want a car to look like a csx car why not just buy a csx or some other replica that is true to the original?
I have heard that a lot of superformance owners sold there cars to get into a csx or Kirkham type car?

That question reninds me of a time when the billionaire owner of my company saw a photo of my spf car and asked if it was a real shelby. I told him it was not and he looked puzzled and said, why not a real one. The modification should be fairly limited so i dont intend to hack up the car. If it goes together as i envision, it will be well worth my sweat.

I would think any measurements from acton would be suspect as he seems to not understand what all the numbers on a tape measure actually stand for.

HaHa! that's funny!
This hack can find the time to come on this forum to offer his junk, and I am guessing stolen advise but cannot answer to legit accusations regarding his rubbish he has constructed.
That right there should be enough to be banned from this forum I would think?
The fact he has not replied to any of these concerns IMO shows he knows dam well he is a crook, any legit business would make this right.
To all you fine folks that have his rubbish on your cars, I would be keeping a close eye on it! Failure comes to mind!
Is it Mickmate or D**kmate, any how calling you out mate!,
make it right for these people you have ripped off or do the world a favor and go away!
Scott.

Scott,

Best you stay neutral as a newbie as perhaps you do not know the whole story. Then again, perhaps none of us really do. Still, you seem quite opinionated for such a fresh face asking for simple advice on building his car.


Bill S.

What Bill said. If this thread gets locked because others want to go all Jihad on someone else, then some of us are going to be p****** off.

Yup, Mr Bill is on point.
You guys just keep showing up trying to vent opinions that don't belong here and should be taken elsewhere. Might want to read the sticky post at the top of the Consumer Watch forum.%/

Let's dial this back and revert to the original question that was asked. Can anyone provide the angle of the down tube on a CSX car.
Thanks,
Bob

I would say call McCluskey or Mickmate.

Higher Single Bar - Olthoff Racing
Dennis sells a higher roll bar!

Frank,
The originals and Superformance have different mounting points and I'm quite sure the trunk is slightly different so the measurements between the two may not make much difference other than the overall height.

A suggestion you may try is to cut some pieces of 1 1/4" EMT in the approximate lengths for the back brace and try to trial fit the pieces together to see where all the pieces will end up to make it all fit. Then you can take all the information and put together the pieces to form the roll bar. You may need to custom fab a rear trunk mount, cut and reweld the rear brace mount on the roll bar, and cut the roll bars to length to make it all fit.
This would be easier to explain and show in person, but this is the process I had to go through to make the roll bars for my Cobra built on one of Roger Bollick's original style chassis.

Good luck with the project. I'd like to see how it comes out when it's done.

Bob

Hey Frank good to hear from you and really good to hear you got another Cobra, you said you would. The center line measurement fore and aft is 13-3/4". The rear hole is very much a half round end rectangle because of the angle. As you know with cars like the Contemporary they did the short rollbars on quite a few to fit under hard and soft tops and that made the rear brace hole way far forward for original style. That makes it hard to get a correct looking rollbar without doing bodywork on holes but I have seen some careful bends put in rear braces to accommodate different height bars.

And I have been there. Wanted to just do the old school fuel line grommets, but by the time I was done I ended up here, right or wrong. The rear brace hole is the evil one!;)

New Roll Bar Grommets - Club Cobra Photo Gallery

You can get the measurements from HRE, Kirkham, and where you bought your hoop ..Cobra Restorers.