benscott01

PC Valkyrie

Sitting in the back seat becomes a problem, but at least the car is safer in a roll-over!!!

Seriously, you must assume that this person intends to seriously track this car.

AMGfan

Usually if you track the car...it is a plus (i.e. safety). If you drag the car and you are fast enough, some track bigwigs may force you to run with a rollcage.

rockjock

Harness bar...not "roll" cage...but the build looks clean

Dads C63

There is a drivers door bar that is also removable that we leave out. It is a complete five point bolt in set up that will spec us down to 10.0 at the 1/4 mile drags. The rear seat is a pain to get in and out, but once you are in its fine. Here's a couple more pics. The cool part is we can have it out in 15 minutes(now that we've done it a few times).

benscott01

??????? What excatly would you consider a roll cage??????

rockjock

A cage that extends to the front support-if this car rolled over-based on what I can see in the pics-it'd decapitate the driver before it prevented the roof from caving in.....
http://www.rallysportdirect.com/shop...25_32_129.html
A good small sample of what is on the market for some cars.....

dmyrick

It seems like you would put 5 point seat belts in first.

vraa

Faster than 12 second car... I think that's why it's a harness not anything else

benscott01

It also has a 5 point harness, just taken out for rdaily driving.


So what is the difference between this a what Keith has???

http://www.rallysportdirect.com/shop...ar-p-1775.html

Dads C63

Why would you post about something you obviously know nothing about and make ludicrous statements like "it'd decapitate the driver before it prevented the roof from caving in....."??
This cage is built according to NHRA regulations to tech the car down to 10.0 in the quarter mile. It would definitely hold up to a roll over. Its 1-3/4 Chromoly .120 thick wall bar. All bolted or welded to the frame structure. Fortunately for the C63 there is a frame substructure that runs right behind the rear seats that they could weld to. The floor bolts through to plates under the car as required. The drivers door bar goes all the way to the front frame piece behind the left front wheel and bolts in place. Very well engineered and structured cage. The shoulder harness wraps to the cross bar and the lap belt bolts to the plates on the floor. Can be duplicated if anyone needs one also.

As mentioned before, according to NHRA rules any full bodied car is required to have a minimum of a four point cage for times quicker than 11.99 to 10.0 in the quarter mile. Many tracks have become very lax concerning these rules but when you trailer somewhere 1200 miles from home to race its not worth running the risk of failing tech inspection. Be safe!

superlubricity

It looks like a roll bar, not a roll cage. I believe this is the same thing rockjock is saying.

Dads C63

You are correct, the four point that is pictured and currently left in is considered a roll bar. However, even a four point roll bar built properly will withstand a roll over. I thought he was insinuating that its improperly built by making the "decapitating" statement. When you add more points like the door bars which we have it becomes a cage.

superlubricity

Dads, even with the side bars, it won't be considered a roll cage. It is a 5-pt or 6-pt roll bar by definition. It looks like a great bar, it just lacks the "above the driver" protection required to be a called a cage.

In the '09 NHRA rulebook it reads:

11.49 1/4-mile (7.35 1/8-mile) or quicker:

- A 5-point minimum roll bar on a fixed roof car (t-tops okay as well if in place while racing) from 11.49 to 11.00 (7.00 1/8-mile). If the hardtop / t-top car has un-altered floors, firewall and frame rails (wheel tubs are okay), then the 5-point roll bar is good til 10.00 1/4 mile (6.40 1/8-mile). Convertibles require the 5-point bar from 13.49 (8.25 1/8-mile to 11.00 (7.00 1/8-mile).
- The rollbar must be constructed of a minimum o.d. mild steel or chrome moly tubing (moly can be a smaller o.d and is lighter but more expensive).
- The roll bar can be bolted or welded to the floor.
- Roll bar must be padded anywhere the driver's helmet may contact it while in the driving position.
- The 5-points are: Main hoop; 2 "down bars" (bars that go from the main hoop rearward to the trunk floor/hatch area. These can be straight or bent like a "package tray" style, search for photos); Welded crossbar for belts (can't be removable), see rulebook for exact location. Driver side door bar (can be a swing-out. Many put a passenger's side bar in as well (6-point) because it strengthens the car on both sides, but if you have subframe connectors the difference may be minimal).

9.99 1/4-mile (6.39 1/8-mile)/ 135 mph or quicker:

- Roll cage is required on all vehicles at 9.99 and quicker or any vehicle running 135 mph or faster (regardless of e.t.).
- The roll cage must be constructed of a minimum o.d. mild steel or chrome moly tubing (moly can be a smaller o.d and is lighter but more expensive).
- Roll cage must be padded anywhere the driver's helmet may contact it while in the driving position.
- Roll cage must also be certified by NHRA every 3 years and have a serialized sticker affixed prior to participation. This style of cage is good til 8.50 1/4-mile times, then a funny car style cage is required.

Diagram for bar and cage attached and some good reference data here -> http://autoweldchassis.com/rbc.ivnu

SteveoAMG

it must be nice to have one of the fastest drag c63's but explain ur paint scheme to me? all that comes to mind if i had ur car i would nickname it barney

NickZag

This is true. I remember the track officials in Sacramento telling me I had to leave when my 1969 Camaro's very first run pulled off a 11.98 and all I had was the original lap belts! I was so proud

Dads C63

Okay, for terminology purposes you are correct. Apparently five or six point is still considered a roll bar. That being said its a five point roll bar as required by NHRA to run down to 10.0.

The color does look weird in the first couple of pics?? Must have been the setting on the camera. Its actually a dark maroon or burgundy. Not sure why the pics made it look purple?? My avatar will give you a better idea of the color.

Mort

Nice job on the roll bar......very clean looking design and install.

Best of luck at the track. Great representation of our cars (or cars to be for me).

CLK Masters

I saw your C63 at the Cars for a cure Show a little North of Altamonte. I really like the blending of the Cf hood with the Paint. Nice ride man.

rarfinancial

Very nice set up. Any pix of the trunk? if there is any thing to see. Again great job man.

jrcart

God damn, some of you people are ******s!...If it gets him through tech inspection who friggin cares what it's called. Too bad most of you will never have to worry about needing a roll bar/roll cage/harness bar in your cars. Chime in with the negative remarks when you guys can lay down a sub 11.50 with your AMG, until the STFU!!!

Dads C63

Thanks for the kind remarks. It was a challenge but its done. Took a long time to convince the wife this was a good idea. Great part is you can't tell its in there unless you can see it. Absolutely NO noise or reverb in the car from the bar. Great job by Vortex in Tampa.

There isn't anything to see in the trunk. The two rear bars are connected to solid plates that are welded to the subframe cross member that runs right behind the rear seats. The plates extend through the rear cover which is where they bolt to the rear support bars.

JRCart,
Thanks for the support. Didn't I see a bar/cage in your car?

jrcart

Yes, I have a cage/bar or whatever they are called in my car too. In addition to E/T they also look at MPH, I believe NHRA rules require a cage for 135mph or higher traps. Something else to keep in mind I believe 145mph or 150mph require a single parachute...145mph is only a larger set of nitrous solenoids away for me I'm just affraid the drive train won't handle it.

Dads C63

I'm a long way from the MPH requirements.
Even with cams I won't have to worry about that.
Have you done the mile run before?
You can continue to lead the pack for the AMG crowd.

jrcart

You should be trapping low 130's with cams and then all you need is a little and 140's are not all that unrealistic. A small 100 shot gave me about 5mph without the heads and cams, a 150 shot with the heads and cams should be good for a few more than that. 145 is not as far off or as unrealistic as you might think...even if I somehow manage to ever hit 145 you will NEVER see me strap a chute to my car though.