BigDaddy Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I've got an old Honda Accord 4dr that I'm considering fixing up to do some HPDE stuff. Although I know it's not required I would really like to put a roll bar in (something simple like a 4 point), but this would have to be done while keeping the back seat usable on the street. I've tried a few ideas on paper but I always end up with the down tubes where the back seat passenger should be or close enough to where the people in the back seat are likely to knock into a bar in a wreck. Can a roll bar be put in a sedan while keeping the back seat usable? If so I'd like some pointers to pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverGT5 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 It would be a compromised design, but you can run the rear bars along the roof and down the C-pillar, similar to front A pillar designs. As for the cross bar (goes from top drivers side to bottom passenger side), just make it removable and install it when you get to the track. BTW, the bar should be padded all around so that any rear passenger won't hit bare metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944-Spec#94 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 removable bolt in bar maybe? Take it out when you need the back seats and then install when going to the track? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_2kgt Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 BTW, the bar should be padded all around so that any rear passenger won't hit bare metal. Even with padding, if someons bare head comes into contact with the rollbar, it ain't going to be pretty. Personally, I would never use/get into a rear seat w/ a roll bar in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverGT5 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 BTW, the bar should be padded all around so that any rear passenger won't hit bare metal. Even with padding, if someons bare head comes into contact with the rollbar, it ain't going to be pretty. Personally, I would never use/get into a rear seat w/ a roll bar in place. It's amazing how things have changed in the last 15 years. Not picking on you or anything, just recalling how I use to sleep in the back of our car on family trips with no seat belt, or how I spent 4 hours in the trunk of our Prelude one trip becaue the rear seat folded down and I made a fort. It's just funny to see how anal we've gotten about saftey now. Heck, I use to stand on the bolsters of the Prelude seats so I could look out the sunroof while my parents were driving. Now if someone saw you let your kids do that, you'd probably be in jail.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMan Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 All true, but the mere fact that so many of us survived youthful risky maneuvers is not an argument for doing more, when we know better. I had just this discussion with a guy who wants to run an unpadded crosstube/harness bar in his vintage Mustang, and then put his children in the back seat with only lap belts. Can you say, "pivot point in a crash?" His 'counter' was, "I rode a bike as a kid without a helmet and lived, so this idea is ok too." Thanks, Dad! Motorsports is supposed to be all about risk management. There are plenty of factors we cannot control (esp the dork in the other car), so why deliberately add unnecessary ones? Sitting in a backseat with an unpadded steel bar ~ 3 feet from your bare jaw just doesnt make sense, even in theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_2kgt Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 (edited) It's amazing how things have changed in the last 15 years. Not picking on you or anything, just recalling how I use to sleep in the back of our car on family trips with no seat belt, or how I spent 4 hours in the trunk of our Prelude one trip becaue the rear seat folded down and I made a fort. It's just funny to see how anal we've gotten about saftey now. Heck, I use to stand on the bolsters of the Prelude seats so I could look out the sunroof while my parents were driving. Now if someone saw you let your kids do that, you'd probably be in jail.... Hey, I'm w/ you on that. I use to sit in the footwell of my parents crown vic and play w/ GIJoe's on the seat @4yrs old, hell @ 6 I was sitting on the fold down arm rest between mom and dad so I could see the road. Never even wore a seatbelt until I started driving and my Mom all freaked out b/c dad got me a 89 Mustang GT, we are smarter now, so we should act smarter. Edited February 7, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DriverGT5 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Here's a cage in the 1 Lap SRT-4 car. Is this kind of what you had in mind? Obviously there's no way to make a cage that isn't an issue for rear passengers, but will you you really be pushing the limits of safe driving with rear passengers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddy Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Thanks for the responses guys. I didn't realize it was legal to bend the downtubes, I've always seen them straight. I can certainly do something like the one lap car but even in that car the downtubes go right where the passenger's head should be. The middle bar that the front harnesses attach too is also too close to the passenger for my comfort if they come forward in a crash. I guess this is something that I'll just have to try, and if it's not right I'll either take it out or take out the back seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nape Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Bending the down tubes is not legal for racing. I'd talk with your tech inspector before getting a deciding how to do your cage. Even if you're only doing HPDE now, the race car bug can/does/will bite and it'd suck to have to re-do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 why do you need a cage in an HPDE car anyway? At some point you need to decide " is this a track car or a street car? " If it is going to be dual purpose then, scrap the rear seat all together and put your cage in. As an instructor I rarely ride in caged cars in HPDE. ( convertables obviously not included in that statement). Do you wish to RACE your 4 door honda? If that is your goal then by all means put a cage in it. If you think I may wish to race something else, then dont waste your money. Get your seat time with the car as it is. Maybe install better tires, brake pads, brake lines and leave it at that. I'm with 2KGT, outside of going 3 blocks, I wouldnt want to ride in the back seat with bars by my head and not have a helmet on. I also drag my knee on the race track and used to race superbikes, so I am obviously not over-cautious. I just happen to have some common sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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