360CS Roll Cage - get a CH or custom?

Yes, that is the size I got.. I should have mentioned that I do not race or compete my car competitively, just for fun a couple of times a year I attend driving events/schools at different tracks, and wanted a better level of protection over the standard door bars and seat belts.

The guy I mentioned, Jon, is more known here in New england for doing work on drag cars, IHRA and NHRA spec roll cages and roll bars. He suggested the diameter and wall thickness, probably what he usually installs / works with. I did tell him what I was looking for, and that I had NO plans of ever entering any series, and he said this would suit my needs..

He can and will build whatever the customer is looking for, just a matter of getting the specs for whatever series you are looking to enter..

 

Care to enlighten me?

This is closer to what my cage will be like, couple different things being done though.

 

I am not an expert but here is what I know as current dogma. You did not post these last two pics. This cage is much better than the first posts. Here goes please don't be mad. Also, pictures posted are two dimensions so things you welded may appear different than I see here. Sorry for the crappy lines I'm too dumb to use a good paint program.
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pics
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final pics
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Well, you got one thing right, you're definitely not an expert

You assumed WAY too much.

I'm a ME, and 95% of the stuff you mentioned does not apply because you are not aware of how these chassis work and where the suspension/loads are loacted. Most of the tubes you said were "extra" are thin support tubes and maybe add upto 10lbs in total.

The door sill tubes are missing, correct. Thats one thing that was not initially in the design. In the big picture, they actually do not add substantial rigidity, however I do agree they should be there.

Many of the tubes you mentioned were useless in the rear are semi tube framing the suspension mounting points. All the tubes in the back go to control arm, differential and trailing arm mounts.

I do agree there were one or two spots where the welder could not get up in the area required, most of those have been fixed though, those pics are old.

This is a racecar, hence no passenger, so anything safety passenger side related is irrelevant. Tha standard Xbrace with Gussets is more than enough.

The raised "feet," if you will, are actually tied into the side frame rails, you just can't see them. Everything is of required thickness (plate wise) and is fully seam welded (in regards to chassis).

I think its just the fact that you don't have the car in person to see what everything does. No harm done though, its understandable, as you said, its 2d...real life is 10x better

I'll post pics and link you when I get my E46 done. It will be significantly more "tube framed" as I am removing the subframe structure entirely and mounting each component directly to the tubeframe/cage.

I will be doing an Apillar like many fia cars are now doing, which is a straight bar from the base of the apillar to the top where it meets the front roof cross bar (c6r, aston, etc). Its then gussets to the top/bottom and to the Xbrace.

And as for the belt stretch comment, not really a factor.

I do appreciate your inputs though, thanks for your comments.

Of course nothing is perfect, and those two cages were not done by myself, I only came in on the e36 at the end of it while we designed ohlins for it. But its an incredible chassis in person, however I think my e46 project should be a level above it.

Target is 2550 wet with me in it, and turbo 2.8L should give me 350-370whp and 310wtrq+ flat from 3-7k. With 280's on all 4 corners.

 

Popcorn anyone?

 

I hope I can quote this 11 year old post rather than make a new topic.

My humble question is that does anyone here have any clue or "IMO" or actual data how many 360 had a roll cage & sport seats from factory? I'm in a market of buying 360 and in my country there's really limited number of these, around 7-8 in the whole country at sale now.

Then a 360 popped up with these inside (carbon seats and OEM roll bar):

Is this worth of "premium"? The car is for sale around ... $10k over the price compared to 2 almost similar ones with similar mileage but no roll cage nor carbon seats.


EDIT:

Can anyone verify if this steering wheel is OEM or not? The dealer apparently doesn't know anything about the "specialty" of the car.
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Well, since you asked for an "IMO" if people had no hard data...

I believe no 360's came from the factory with a roll cage, except the Challenge cars. And since technically they were Michelotto built....

The roll bar pictured is a nice cosmetic option, that may add some level of assistance if the car gently tips over into its roof, but should in no way be confused with a crash protection device.

As for the steering wheel and sport seats, the build sheet should confirm whether they are factory or aftermarket. A friendly dealer might just pull that for you, or after purchase you can get it directly from Maranello.


And that's about the extent of my "IMO" input, I'm afraid.

Edit: if you like the seats, and they fit you, yes they could be worth paying a premium for. Not out of rarity, but out of function, comfort, road feel etc. in other words, if they are worth it to you, they're worth it.