How to install bars from cage to frame.

[SS_Sean]

Thanks, gman...

 

[SS_Sean]

Okay....the gloss was not working for me since the rest of the car is a semi-gloss black. the front end just wasn't congruent. There were some problems with prep, also. I had some sanding scratches in there and some runs. I wet sanded it all out and my friend dulled the paint down a bit. We re-shot the firewall and then hit the trunk next. I think it came out 100% better than before. 99.9% of people would never know there was a giant hole where the a/c unit used to be.

 

[SS_Sean]

Update 2/2/10:

 

[gman7.0]

Where does the othe bolts for the altinator go. I can just see one. And I may "copy" it

 

[SS_Sean]

It's the far left side of block (right side if facing block) bolt hole which is just below the bottom of the head. That alternator bracket is a custom piece I had made by a friend who is a machinist. It's worked very well for me...

 

[SS_Sean]

2/6/10
Getting ever so close. Starting to feel the Hp...

 

[prostreetdrag]

That looks F--KING BAD A$$!!!! Very nice attention to detail and very impressive work thanks for sharing with everyone..Looking forward to seeing final results and definatly time slip numbers...I do have a question as far as the windsheild....I'm going to be putting my full cage in once Im done with my wheel tubs and frame work in the rear..But is taking the windsheild out somthing that has to be done to install the front cage bars or is it just somthing that makes it eaiser to do? I'm really not looking forward to removeing the windsheild if I dont have too because I just know that it will crack on me..Probably wouldnt be a bad thing though because I have alot of scratches and scuffs in my windsheild being that it is well over 20yrs old.

 

[SS_Sean]

I had to take the windshield out to get the dash out of the car. If you look at the bars on the cage they drop down in front of of the dash, so the only way I could get it out was up and out through the windshield hole.

I cut some 'U' notches in the bottom of the dash for the strut bars and then slid the dash back over the strut bars and the knee-knocker bar...

 

[BTLFEDSS]

Can you take pics of the dash in the car???Did you have to cut the dash at all????I want a sportsman but don't want to have to cut my dash

 

[SS_Sean]

Index of /seanthomas

They're in that directory.

Here's one:

The dash was horseshoe shaped cut from the bottom and then slid down over the front strut bars. I think I may have been able to cut a hole in the dash, run the bars through and then weld to the cage, but I didn't do that. I wanted to get that knee knocker bar buried inside the dash.

If I could have done it all over again I would have run the front a-pillar bars right up against the firewall, and then pinned the dash to that, instead of putting the bars in front of the dash.

Oh, well.

 

[prostreetdrag]

I have a quick question. I dont have a problem in pulling the dash out as I need to rewire my whole race car like you as well. I still really don't want to pull windsheild out and worry about cracking it or breaking the tight seal on it. Your cage was already installed as far as interior bars but since I'm starting from scratch with my cage install do you think I will be able to get by without taking it windsheild out since i'm doing it all at same time..You said you had to get the dash out through windsheild frame because of the front down bars blocking you from pulling it straight out( which makes since after looking at the pics.... But I was thinking maybe i could do the front down bars last or at least until I get the dash back in...What order of steps do you recomend I will need to take to get my 12 point cage in.

 

[SS_Sean]

You don't need to necessarily take the windshield out to do a cage. You can protect the windshield while welding. If you don't protect the glass the welding slag being thrown off will pit the window. I learned that the hard way.

Speaking of which, I've got the glass man coming out tomorrow. $205 for a replacement windshield.

I would also suggest thinking seriously about running the front down bars down the A pillars, and up against the inside of the firewall. You could then notch the furthest foward part of your dash and pin the dash against the bars and firewall. Make sense? I really wish I had done it that way.

Thats just how I wish I had done it, and how I will do it on the next build.

Hope that helps.

 

[SS_Sean]

Anyone wanna race? :lol:

 

[moving-violatio]

I am going to be putting in a new floor, should I put the body back on the frame, do the cage and then put floor in...or put floor in first and then put on frame and make the knotches for the cage??