Owner built on a budget;

[Hray]

DV: last nite I studied the roll bar install in the CRltd manual. My first thought was not near enough strength to the mounting points, and thought the bracket with small bolts into the frame would shear off.

What I am possibly trying to do is make the loop strong enough to eliminate the down leg to the back.


For analogy, imagine making the loop out of the same steel as a reese trailer hitch setup. For discussion purposes let just say I wanted to actually cut and reuse a reese hitch setup. Using square tubing in this case.

I could weld a receiver to the frame at about the sampe place the original loop would be attached, make it say 6 inches tall. Then add some half inch gussets to both the sides and rear. these gussets would be 6by6 inch triangles. then cut a 12 inch piece of solid steel which would be inserted into the receiver and slide up into the top loop. then use half inch bolts to secure the insert into both the receiver and the top loop. with this type of design the insert could be placed totally inside the top loop. then when the loop and frame receiver are butted together the insert would drop down into receiver and then just bolt the two together. If this was built out of at least quarter inch thick side wall it should be strong enough to not collapse. and not require the back down tube.

If this concept would work then all I have to do is find the quarter inch thick tubing about 2 inches in diameter and then get it bent into the loop.

After thinking about this I think I like the double roll bars look better than the single one going all the way across.

If I can get convinced that this engineering will be functional enough then I basicaly have created a quick connect disconnect roll bar so I can remove the roll bar. or maybe make a single one also that would curve forward enough to alllow me to install the hard top when I want to drive in 100 degree weather.

Again the question to answer is can we create a roll bar loop that is strong enough without the down leg. If not then we gotta create a quick disconnect for the down leg as well. but then I would not like the hole in the body when hard top is installed.

Maybe we could bring the frame receiver up almost all the way to the body and then get about 12 inch gussets to the side and rear frame rail all inside the car.

I guess my hang up is that I have driven 29 A;'s and t bucket roadesters in the middle of the day in the summer for long trips here in Calif and honestly it is not that much fun.

If I am not convinced I can get a functional roll bar, then I (yes God forbid) will not install one rather than have a false sense of security by having a cosmetic one.

I think I am taging along with Rip to emerson's next wednesday, I will see what they think.

I do value your insights. Ray