Interest in Roll Bar/Cage Kits?

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ardentindustries

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Hey all,
Just wanted to get a feel of how much interest a custom bent roll bar or cage for the A-bodies would get? I could do them in both chromoly, or DOM steel tubing. Both materials are close in price(chromoly slightly more).
The thing I worry about is a bunch of people complaining that they can buy a generic bent roll bar/cage from Jegs for $200. I will be the first to say, I will NOT be able to compete with that. That being said, would people pay extra for something that was actually built to fit your car, instead of a generic bent piece?
For price comparison, a simple 6 point roll bar out of DOM tubing, would be somewhere around, $275. This would be a main hoop that fits tight to the body line, two straight door tubes, and two tubes going into the trunk area. Would this be appealing to people or no? I could make these anywhere from just a main hoop, all the way to a 10-12-14 point cage setup. I could also do just the bent pieces, and allow people to buy the straight tubing at their local supplier, to save on shipping costs.
Ive had this idea for awhile, and wanted to get some feedback. Thanks in advance for any input, it is much appreciated!

Kyle
 
Sounds cool but it's just so hard to get that perfect fitment with the car there right?
 
curleysracecars said:
The thing I worry about is a bunch of people complaining that they can buy a generic bent roll bar/cage from Jegs for $200.
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You just shot yourself in the foot right there. Very few people will be willing to pay you what it is truly worth. They are going to want to pay you for materials plus a buck or 2 for your time. Not trying to cut any one down here but that is just the truth.....
 
They will be mocked up in a car, and then those programs will be saved in my tube bending software so I always have them. I have a Valiant now, that will be the first guinea pig. I am honestly not sure about shipping...FedEx busts my *** most times when things arnt "in a cube shape"...and I dont want to try to box a main hoop. LOL.
Inkjunkie...that's my biggest fear. The reason I thought I would ask up front.
 
curleysracecars said:
They will be mocked up in a car, and then those programs will be saved in my tube bending software so I always have them. I have a Valiant now, that will be the first guinea pig. I am honestly not sure about shipping...FedEx busts my *** most times when things arnt "in a cube shape"...and I dont want to try to box a main hoop. LOL.
Inkjunkie...that's my biggest fear. The reason I thought I would ask up front.
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A while back another member mentioned making shorty headers and it went south real quick.....that is all that I am going to say...
 
A cage is a *****. Anything you buy doesn't fit. You end up trying to use some of it, then making templates (electrical pvc schedule 80 conduit is perfect, bend it with a heat gun), and getting customs bent. ever tried to notch tubing without a $200 notcher? you won't.

Splicing tubing? You better be good, as the inspectors at the track are good. And think about welding in the halo without burning up your head liner.If you lower the cage enough to weld it, you will have a permanent headache, getting in and out of the car. And then; swing out hardware is about a $100, when completed, and you will want that.

A hoop, 2 sides, and 2 rears is not even a complete roll bar, according to NHRA.

I took a Morrison kit, a Competition Engineering kit, used parts from both, illegally spliced the halo, cut the rest up for small bracing, ordered more tube, and had to pay local for 8 more bends. And try to shrink my big *** into munckin/contorsionist size to try to weld it in, with out destroying the interior.

It can be done, especially if you cut holes in the floor, to drop down the a pillar tubes, to weld top. I didn't, just taped 4 layers of tin foil to the headliner.


























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I didn't mean to offend; but you won't have any happy customers, the big guys don't either.
 
I appreciate the honest feedback. Thats what I am looking for. Obviously the fitment and welding would be up to the person...I always thought the appealing aspect of a cage kit was that not alot of people have money invested in a tubing bender, and die sets to do the bending. So...getting that portion done was the "hard part". Notchers dont always cost $200...I used a Harbor Freight notcher for almost 2 years that cost like $40. I then got smart and made my own notcher...which anyone can do who has any mechanical ability...and I dont have $200 into it. This may deter people, but the facts need to be out there.
Thanks again for the feedback...it did not offend anyone. Its much appreciated.
 
You may be right, maybe it was the holesaw, nothing local worked. Had to buy the $40 ones, they worked.

Trying to help; my biggest problem was finding pre-bent bars to fit. Nada. Not out of 2 expensive kits. How rare is a 70 Duster?

The kits aren't correct. Unless you had a car for each model, to fit.......
The big boys can't do it. You need too many cars too mock one up. It's basically custom, to pass tech, unless a kid just wants a wow factor, and going to the track, tech, will tarnish your name.

You know, bench seat, buckets, etc, changes the ball game.

Just trying to help.
 
There are MANY cars running with "kits" that are certified. Most of them fit like ****...I'll say that, but they do pass tech/certification. I can do them for the Dart's no problem. The Duster's are probably fairly close, and if not, it only takes someone about 5 minutes worth of measuring to give me the dimensions I need. I plug them into my program, and start bending. The bending part will not be a problem...problem will be whether people are willing to pay extra for something that fits and looks much better.
 
I bought the chris alston kit and did the custom work sheet on their site. The main hoop fit well and that's about it. Anyway for a 10 point to be shipped from california to michigan it was about $150 through ups. That should give most an idea on shipping. My biggest gripe was the rear bars didn't follow the roof/window line and the forward bars were unusable, that stuff all depends on how you do your cage though. Mine is through the dash and tucked super tight however....

Edit: my cage was .135 wall dom
 
Good to know...thanks for the input. I am still more than willing to do these. I mentioned it in a thread regarding building a Duster, but havnt heard back. Not sure how much it would effect shipping, but alot of the tubes are straight, and could be purchased locally...would keep the weight down some on the shipping. Anyone in need of a cage kit now? Maybe someone has been looking to do one themselves but doesnt have a bender??
Thanks!
 
I`m down in Tulare. Would be more than willing to bring car up north to have a 8 point bar put in. Can youu give me an estimate for a 71 Dart?
 
My 70 Duster, so many names in it, getting old. comp eng, morrison, alston. Main hoop worked. (al these pieces from 3 companies), halo, custom, a pillars, custom, side bars, custom(for street, just to close the doors with an armrest on it) custom. Back seat x-bracing- the thould send the x ;That is a killer, for normal person. No braces for bottom of hoop, just straight stuff left over.I don't have the NHRA book in front of me, but the hoop crossbar was wrong size.

To fit, and keep your vision, 3 bends in a pillar, keep from hitting elbol, 3 bends in side bars. I couldn't get anything street/passenger friendly out of the kits.

Then the problem of the 1/8" plates on the floor. And a new guy, just bought a Harbor Freight mig; wrong wire, flux core, no notcher, That's all I was saying.

I'm with you going for it, but I'm looking at the end user being out of knowing how to install it. and bad-mouthing.

I've been around it for a while, but still had to call, like Chassis Eng, and ask, can you explain this better? These coil over brackets have me lost.

Just trying to show you the consumer end of it. Like this, we have been on the phone with MSD, Charger Specialties, Summit. And they can't tell us what is wrong, or how to fix the problem. That's a full time job, just having a tech answer the phone. I wish you luck, just throwing out all the negatives. If I can help, pm me. Don't take this wrong.
 
HemiTM...PM me and we can discuss details.

green1...i definitely understand where youre coming from. im not upset about your honest opinion or anything. however, there are quite a few people capable of welding, and other general metal fabrication. The problem with a cage lies with the lack of people with a tubing bender. This is where the kits would be appealing to some people. The bends would be the main hoop, a-pillar tubes, the tubes going through rear package tray if people wanted them. Oh, and the door bars to get them near the inner door panel(which can be done with one or two bends. (Talk to Clayton @ Chassis Engineering...he will set you straight with the shock brackets you are in question of).
Here is the last door swing out tube I did...you can see how tight it fits to the door panel.
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Oh if it in just people that have been around it, cool. Lol, I have talked to Clayton a lot, about my rear suspension. He just doesn't answer the phone, and read off a computer, he has knowledge, love chassis eng.

Good, put for a street car, did that sidebar clear the armrest?. That's my point, if this is just for people that aren't busting their cherry on it, great.
 
Yeah, cleared the armrest, door exit handle, and window crank. I wont mention what kind of car it was though....lol. Not a Mopar.
 
I think you are doing a great idea especially for the Mopar world, Do a basic kit to fit a full interior or stripped car, i woulda ordered from you but i did a cage in 2010 for my Dart and it was close but it luckily had to be trimmed and notched and not undersized and stretched lol.
 
I should have an image of a cage for the 70-72 body style darts. Measurements from my 71 valiant. I'll post when I can.
 
I woukld be interested despite all the negative aspects,as those wouls till be there whether I bought from a big company or you.

Now I would prefer to buy from a little guy,especially a Fabo member.The fact you would make the cage kit specifically for the A body should help it fit much better. I can cut,weld,grind etc well enough to pass tech,no biggie. I only want a minimal cage,6 pt with swingout's on both doors. Think if it was available from you for a reasonable price (close to the big boy's) I'd buy it from you. At least that way my money is for sure staying here,not going to some fat bastard executive who farmed your job out.
 
Thanks a bunch needsareto. I appreciate that. PM me when you get time to want one, and I will work up a price for you. Im sure we can work something out. Thanks again!
 
Here's what I came up with after a few quick dimensions off of the Valiant. Obviously, it could be made as simple, or as intricate as one may want. This model shows the a-pillar tubes running through the dash...I understand some people do not want to cut their dashboard up, so another version could easily be available that stays in front of the dash, yet gives as much leg room as possible.
Door bars, tubes through the firewall, roof diagonals, bars behind seat/harness bar etc....all can be added easily.
Thoughts? Opinions? Just an FYI...in order for a 6 point roll "bar" to be NHRA legal, the material needs to be 1.75" tubing. If upgraded to an 8-point(usually certified to 8.50), the material can be 1.625" tubing. Looking forward to input and opinions. Let me know.
Thanks!

DartCageModel2.jpg


DartCageModel1.jpg


DartCageModel.jpg
 
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