Roll bar prototype

 

The picture says it all really!! This was a fun task, making a prototype roll bar out of waste pipe. The CDS used for roll bars is either 44mm or 50mm for motorsport compliance. Not that I need compliance but it's nice to have a standard to work to. This waste pipe is 40mm, so basically 2mm out either side.

This is the main hoop with the correct bend radius. The distance between blue marks is the 140mm centre line radius that 'the tube bender' (AKA Race Spec Cages in Rugby) quotes on his ebay listing. 

This prototype has given me so much information. First is the expected height, I could see that from the top of the roll bar to the front of the car drew a line that was above my head height. Well, only slightly above my head height, I'll need to wear a helmet as well. The side angle is a decent look, it's not really clear on this picture but both sides are angled in a bit. 

The main thing it gives me is some guidance on how the side impact bars can come down and triangulate the roll bar. From the previous post I was aiming for this;

And I'm happy that it will work like that. I do need to get the body on though, I'm going to need to cut it for the roll bar but I may also need additional cuts for the side bars. I'm pretty much certain that I'll be removing the side pods inside the body though, I can't get them to match my chassis and I'd waste a lot of time trying to do so. I do need to figure out a shelf or something though, again from previous posts it's this look I'm after;

That reminds me, I do need to get some more photos from the kit car show for this particular layout. It also needs to be fixed to the body, so that'll be some angle brackets and more glue!

I'm digressing, this was a roll bar post. Next job, a bit more pipe and figure out how it can mount to the chassis without interfering with the body.