Tips for retrofit roll bar please

[Inman Lanier]

I'm finally getting my 22 year old gal back on the road after a hiatus (Mark 1, chassis 1189). The boss has decreed some cosmetics (carpet, etc.) but I've decided to also put on a passenger side roll bar. The parts just came in and the body is off. I thought the simplest way to put it in would be to use tape on the roll bars to be able to adjust height on mounts (and keep them attached), then carefully place the roll bar/mounts as a single assembly in place using vice-grips and whatever bracing needed. Carefully position with the driver side bar in place for perspective. Tack the 3 mounts and make sure from many angles the two bars look symmetrical. After validating that the bars then come on and off easily, spot weld the mounts a little at a time while periodically checking for true each time. Once sufficient weld metal is down, then do the complete welds.

I welcome any suggestions or tips if others have tried this and either found an easier way or failed and have lessons learned.

thanks in advance.

[PG_Cobra]

I did this on my Mk1 (2503) a couple of years ago with the body on so I could ensure alignment. Measured the body carefully to match the drivers side, drill 1/8" hole in the center of each hole location and thread a string through, then attach a plumb weight to get the trunk floor location left to right, the roll bar angles back slightly so front/back is a match up with the drivers bar as you intend. The inner mount needs to be fabricated to match the drivers side, unless you already have one. The outer mount sits on top of the spring mount plate. Good luck!

[Inman Lanier]

Thanks, PG_Cobra. No, I do not have an existing mount. To the best of my knowledge I witnessed Mark Smith weld in the first retrofit is situ here in South Florida at Richard Bailey's house as a courtesy gesture. His frame was a good bit after mine. I threw a party for those of us in the area that weekend out of respect for Mark (brisk for us, warm for Mark!).

Today I was assessing the extent of disassembly of the aluminum decking in the trunk - I may try a hole saw first since it appears the forward decking section rolls around the back of the seating area (I do NOT wish to take carpet off and disassemble parts of the passenger areas yet despite my boss's please!). The body is off now - I'm going to reach out to FFR to get a read on frame location. Fortunately, as part of the roll bar purchase they send all the base mount pieces. My guess is that relative to the trunk forward deck- the roll bars should be symmetrically based, but some times car bodies have asymmetry with relation to the frame so I don't want to screw that up.

Did you note that after lining up holes WITH the body on, the footers (i.e. the base mounts for the tubing) from side to side appeared to be equidistant from the forward wall and side frames?

thanks,

Inman

[PG_Cobra]

Everything on the right side lined up to the same distances as the FFR installed mounts on the left side. I had removed the diagonal tube to lower the height for my rag-top so on the new roll bar I only have the 2 mounts for the hoop. Hope this helps.

[CraigS]

Since the bodies are no where near symmetrical, I wouldn't consider that at all. I would mirror the driver mounting for the proper strength and make the body fit that.

[Inman Lanier]

Thought I'd do an update.

After my last post I found a local fabricator who said he could weld in the bases for the passenger roll bar. He did so Spring 2020. The bar lined up nicely with the driver side, but unlike the original mounts that FFR installed (where R&R was fairly easy) - I couldn't take it off. I sent it back to him to advise him I needed to be able to R&R with little force required. I got it back much improved then did a little grinding on the insert pieces to make it even easier.

Then, I did the best I could to measure for the body, then cut out where we thought. I remounted the body. First try off a bit, but close enough that when painting we could fill the errant areas and after paint I figured I'd open up the holes to fit the bars. I advised the body shop err small on hole size. Come early 2020 I got an estimate from the body shop. He then put me off until out of season, then - you guessed it - COVID (arghh). I dropped the car off April (?) of this year (he kept putting me off but the price was right). I finally got it back 2 weeks ago (I was getting quite annoyed - but after the final bill it was worth the wait!). I then started finishing updates like seats remounted, new harnesses, etc. The body got mounted 3 days ago.

I only installed a body screw on each passenger entry way first in the event the shop didn't quite get the holes right. Turns out they did well - filled right where I wanted them to. Today I spent some time messing with the holes (opening up a little at a time) and just wrapped it up. I've not screwed down the bezels yet and I'm not happy with one of the rear kicker roll bar grommets (gasket). IMHO it's too small and a good bit different than the one I got for the passenger side. I'll find another pair of matching gaskets. Tomorrow I'll put all the body screws in to cinch the body into place, then once the replacement gasket(s) come in I'll finish those screwing the bezels in place.

193815

[Rdone585]

I found this old picture from the Reptile Roundup in 2004. I'll bet your in the mix somewhere.
193822

[Inman Lanier]

Too funny. I just dug through my email archives - Ed Kamptner - very active in the Deep South Cobra club. He later (2008?) moved up your way (Wisconsin).

I'm not in the picture you posted because I lived a bit south from where their events normally were, but I did go to Gainesville a couple of times to run with them on the old GM test track. Ed also asked me to be the chief driving instructor at a Sebring event he put on - lotsa fun. We had the track to ourselves. Unfortunately a couple of guys sustained some damage going off-track.

good guess!

EDIT - DSCC - Fall 2006 - Sebring. Mine is the 2nd row, 1st car in from the right (right in front of the guy in the white T-shirt). My track seat actually says COBRA on it in white.

193825

[Rdone585]

Yes, we both lost our positions in Tampa when the closed the entire building and moved with the company up here in 2008. I remember that event at Sebring, my 302 gave all it had that day - detonated 3 pistons. Wound up building a 408W to replace it just before moving up here.

[Inman Lanier]

I've been driving the completed car for a few days. I had forgotten how privative it was; of course that adds to the fun!

For those of you with roll bars - they were quite the job to get installed. Once the bolts are secure in the trunk, the hoops line up perfectly with the rear kicker strut bar without any gap at all. it's quite the clean look.

I'm leaning towards not drilling through and putting another bolt. There's no way it can come up, and the other bolts handle the (unfortunate) actual load if flipped over.

Has anyone else chosen not to drill the kicker bar to hoop attachment joint?

Cheers

[phileas_fogg]

520 Speedworks sells a kit that allows you to secure the kicker to the hoop without an external bolt. Two kits actually - one for each size tubing: https://520speedworks.com/shop/ols/products?page=2

You want the kicker secured to the hoop so that if you slide backwards upside down the hoop doesn't get pulled off. Not that anyone has tested a car in that scenario, but I'm sure it does something plus it makes us feel better if the kicker is attached to the hoop.


John