Cottons Roll Bar

bob86gn · Nov 6, 2002

turbojimmy · Nov 6, 2002

Very nice.

By "rear swing out" you mean the bar that runs across behind the seats?

It would be nice if you could get away with that. Makes the car a lot more driveable.

You have Cottons install it? Or is it DIY? With any kind of luck, I'll need one next season.

Jim

U1ARUNIT · Nov 6, 2002

Who welded it?

bob86gn · Nov 6, 2002

I pulled the interior, painted the bar, resealed the rear glass and reinstalled the interior. Jack did the welding and the installation. You are right the rear swing out is the cross bar in the back. Actually, getting in and out with the bars in is not that bad. My wife wanted the swingouts.

CPAKCP · Nov 6, 2002

bob86gn,

Great fit on the roll bar!!! Looks good and is a good investment. I'm in the market for a five/six point - what was the price range? I assume its chrome molley??

Are you sure the rear swing out is not legal?? An installer was reviewing the NHRA rule book and thought it didn't required the rear bar to be fixed? Could be wrong - does someone have the rule book for a "quote"??

Great job - worth every dollar

Whitettype86 · Nov 7, 2002

How much did it cost u?

Doug Jacobson · Nov 7, 2002

Not banging on Jack or anything whatsoever, I know he has more experience than me, but I consulted the NHRA rulebook heavily when I installed my bar. Correct me if I'm wrong but the front mounting points for the door bars need to be much closer to the firewall. The rules state something like it has to be within a few inches of where the floorboard meets the firewall. Also I think one of the other benifits of having the bar is stifening up the chassis. Having the rear bars mounted so far back will hurt this. I welded mine to the top of the spring perches of the rear suspension to stiffen them up considerably. I like the swingouts hinges he used though much better than the S&W pieces I used. Here is a few pics of everything on mine with the interior installed
http://www.gmmodernmuscle.com/~blackws6ls1/doug/

gnfanatic · Nov 7, 2002

Doug, your cage loks excellent. I like how the bar follows the interior lines in the back. No offence to anyone but I dont like those pics of Cottons cage. Just my opinion. reason being is that it goes at an angle in the back, so it goes right across the side windows. then the way it is installed in the trunk. The front is way to short. should be much closer to the dash. As long as you like it. I want one thats effective,legal and bent,welded as nice as possible. Ihave seen some very nice cages and some ugly ones.
good luck with the car
Ralph

Danster · Nov 7, 2002

Originally posted by Doug Jacobson
Not banging on Jack or anything whatsoever, I know he has more experience than me, but I consulted the NHRA rulebook heavily when I installed my bar. Correct me if I'm wrong but the front mounting points for the door bars need to be much closer to the firewall. The rules state something like it has to be within a few inches of where the floorboard meets the firewall. Also I think one of the other benifits of having the bar is stifening up the chassis. Having the rear bars mounted so far back will hurt this. I welded mine to the top of the spring perches of the rear suspension to stiffen them up considerably. I like the swingouts hinges he used though much better than the S&W pieces I used. Here is a few pics of everything on mine with the interior installed
http://www.gmmodernmuscle.com/~blackws6ls1/doug/

Nice car Doug, what are your wheels and tires sizes?

Dannyo

G-Racer · Nov 7, 2002

Does NHRA rulebook indicate something like the side bar needs to cross the drivers body between the shoulder & the elbow? I will check the rulebook tonight if no one gets it today.

azgn · Nov 7, 2002

that's what the book says....between elbow & shoulder

coudn't find anything specific with regard to the cross bar, but it does not say it can be removable (on the other hand, it doesn't say it can't

)

CPAKCP · Nov 7, 2002

Doug Jacobson,

Great job Doug, did you miss the speaker locations in the package tray?? Looking for any night work

bob86gn · Nov 7, 2002

Doug, your cage is immaculate. Nice install. I went with the Cottons because it was the best, most non-intrusive installation I have seen without doing it yourself. I did not want my first real welding job to be that cage. It completely clears the door handles, speakers and rear speakers.

I am not sure of the front location per NHRA but the side is between my elbow and my shoulder.

The price really depends on what options you want (swingouts add $$), how much you want to do yourself. Figure anywhere from $1300 on up depending on the options and work involved.

Apparently there is a fair amount of custom bending required to make the bars clear.

Doug Jacobson · Nov 7, 2002

Thanks for the compliments fellas.

Danster, the wheels are 15x8's rear with 4.5" backspacing the fronts are 15x5's with whatever backspacing they come with. The slicks are 28x10.5's or 275/60/15's radials and the front tires are 205/70/15's.

CPACCP, Nope there filled with some 5" round Radioshack speakers now.

And yes I am, bring it on up. Seriously.

boostedLC2 · Nov 7, 2002

Doug,

Was your bar a kit or did you have it custom made? Chrome-moly or mild steel? Any idea of how much weight it added to the car?

Thanks,

Jim

Doug Jacobson · Nov 8, 2002

S&W kit with a few modifications by me.

Mild steel

Not sure, I took out the carpet underlayment and added 'glass bumpers at the same time. It weighs the same now as before.

PCS74 · Nov 8, 2002

I'd estimate it's weight at <100lbs for 1.75 .134 dom.

Did they box reinforce or otherwise support the frame where the bar was welded? Did they weld to both the upper and lower frame rail?

Running supplemental supports to the spring perches would help. I do like the design of his rear bars(for a street car).

Sounds like you got exactly what you wanted. Improved protection, non-intrusive and I doubt you would have a problem passing tech.

We build ours a little different:

http://home.swbell.net/pcs74/z24-1.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/pcs74/z24-2.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/pcs74/z24-3.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/pcs74/z24-4.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/pcs74/z24-5.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/pcs74/z24-6.jpg

Chris S

bob86gn · Nov 8, 2002

The frame was reinforced at the weld. The bars pass through the package tray so far to the outside that I could retain 6x9 speakers in the stock location. With the trunk kit installed you can not tell the bars even go into the trunk. It may not land on the spring points but it has made the car a heck of a lot stiffer.

JCotton · Nov 8, 2002

Guess I ought to point out a few things.

!. the rear cross bar definitely is not legal for NHRA standards, we consulted our regional techs at NHRA headquarters. Is it safe, I beleive, absolutely so.

2. the rest of the cage is absolutely legal, including side bar is located where it is supposed to be, between the elbow and shoulder.

3. when we design these cages we do it with what the customer requests for his needs
a. swing outs allow for easy entry and exit, whether installed or not
b. rear cross bar swing out, if requested after explaining the legality of it.
c. rear bars allow for any speaker install, not to hinder any passengers in the back seat. Unfortunately, we have run the bar above the side windows, but I feel the 2 extra bends will, in fact, weaken that bar, not to mention how almost imposible it is to make it fit.

d. lastly, is it functional and safe for the driver? you bet it is, my car has 60ft. 1.31 and averages about 1.35 60ft times. One last example as to the location of the frt bars on the forward frame, my son hit a tree head on at about 60mph+, other than eating the steering wheel, (he's ok) the frame actually buckled and touched the ground in frnt of the frt mounting point for the forward side bar. The cage remained completely intack.

BoostedBug · Nov 8, 2002

JCotton,

Now that is what I call a responce. Facts! I will look forward to doing business with you in the near future.

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