Roll Bar/Cage for 07 M Coupe

[wrose]

I am considering installing a Bolt-in Roll Cage or Roll Bar in my Coupe for next spring .
I also want to install a 5 or 6 point harness. I also want to have it as a daily driver when not at track.
I have checked with Autopower Industries in San Diego and they make a Bolt-in Roll Bar with a harness bar but no Bolt-in Roll Cage .
Look forward to your input.
Happy New Year
Wayne

[pal]

One consideration is leg room after the roll bar is installed especially if you want the entire interior in usable state. I would love to have a roll bar but have not figured out how it would be possible without destroying some of the interior panels and without taking away leg room - I am about 6' tall and drive with the seatback almost touching the back plastic panel.

[Endless619]

I had a 6 point with harness bar in my old S2000 with my old Mugen hardtop and I must say it is very uncomfortable with normal daily driving. In this car I have a little less room so I wouldn't do it. I am 6'1" and 190 pounds.

Now if you go bucket seats then you will have more leg room but your back will start giving you some minor pains. I had Mugen bucket seats and it helped with the leg room issue but it was hard on my back.

Here is my car back in 2003-2004...

You can use it as a daily and most people will disagree but to a point. I had mine far enough away from my head as to make it so it wouldn't cause an issue. People have been saying it for years and I agree to a point.

I ran mine for 6 years with no issues. Honestly I wouldn't do it again.

[AWM3]

Originally Posted by wrose

I am considering installing a Bolt-in Roll Cage or Roll Bar in my Coupe for next spring .
I also want to install a 5 or 6 point harness. I also want to have it as a daily driver when not at track.
I have checked with Autopower Industries in San Diego and they make a Bolt-in Roll Bar with a harness bar but no Bolt-in Roll Cage .
Look forward to your input.
Happy New Year
Wayne

You can't put a roll cage safely in a daily driver unless you are going to wear your helmet every time you drive. The front part of the roll cage can cause serious head injury or death in an accident.

[Rick F.]

Wayne,

If you are planning to do a fair number of track days, then a roll bar or cage is definitely recommended. Before my SCCA racing days, I did a lot of Solo I events and general track days. I saw several cars destroyed, including a Porsche 944 that went end-over-end at least twice after hitting someone else's spilled antifreeze toward the end of the main straight and sliding into a dirt bank. The 944 had a roll bar--and it needed it.

Rick F.

[F360C]

I would like to know more about this Autopower roll bar

[wrose]

Thanks for the input. I'll pursue the Autopower Roll Bar in the New Year. (have to check out shipping to Canada-duty & brokerage fees add up) because 2 friends have purchased their roll cages and are quite pleased with the quality and fit.
I'll keep you updated
Wayne

[pal]

This is the best setup I have seen so far - a custom rollbar in Jc04Bimmer's Z4MC. It retains all functionality for a DD but does take away the leg room for taller people.

[onelove]

I've been looking at doing one in my coupe, but to do so really makes it less "daily driveable" for the reasons mentioned above about wearing a helmet. That being said I am at the point I could use fixed back seats and harnesses at the track so I can use a hans device, so a cage is a must. Personally I would ditch the center console area behind the seat, built a half cage for the rear while still leaving additional room for carrying items to and from the track (keeping the uprights as far right and left as possible).

[JCz04Bimmer]

Originally Posted by pal

This is the best setup I have seen so far - a custom rollbar in Jc04Bimmer's Z4MC. It retains all functionality for a DD but does take away the leg room for taller people.

Hey that looks familiar! Happy new year man.

And FWIW, I would stay away from pre-packaged roll bar solutions. If they're bolted in, they aren't really worth much in the way of safety and going custom really guarantees you'll get what you want out of the build. Plus, at least with the guy who did mine, it really wasn't all that expensive. With paint and with my interior still intact, the whole thing cost me $1200. If I had removed the interior and didn't want it painted, it would've been $700.

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by JCz04Bimmer

Hey that looks familiar! Happy new year man.

And FWIW, I would stay away from pre-packaged roll bar solutions. If they're bolted in, they aren't really worth much in the way of safety and going custom really guarantees you'll get what you want out of the build. Plus, at least with the guy who did mine, it really wasn't all that expensive. With paint and with my interior still intact, the whole thing cost me $1200. If I had removed the interior and didn't want it painted, it would've been $700.

You're correct. Pre-packaged roll bars are usually bolted in.

Honestly if you're tall then I wouldn't go with a safety bar at all. I mean I am 6'1" and I hardly have enough room for anything. In my S2000 and NSX you have much more room to enable you to utilize a good roll bar. This car is just too small IMO. Bucket seats help but not enough and then your back will have issues. LOL I ran this for 6 years.

[wrose]

Thanks for the info. Where did you have the install done -Boston is not too far from NS
Wayne