Had to build 2 350Z roll bars in 24 hours

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A production crew is filming a reality series for a certain motorsports related network at the track around the corner from me the next couple of weeks.  They called me Monday morning asking if I could build a 2 bolt in roll bars for a pair of Nissan 350Z's that will be in the show.  "Oh, and could you have those done by Monday evening?"  Well, since a new shop can't really turn down work I said "yeah, I think I can have at least one done tonight and one tomorrow".  The 350Z's floor pan is not very conducive to bolt in bars.  As the following pictures show they make it very difficult to mount the main hoop to the floor.  On top of that it is a very small cockpit, and and I had to sleeve the rear braces so I could actually get the roll bar in and out of the car.The producers of the show were very understanding of how short of a time they had given me to finish the job.  They were just happy to get it done so quickly.  They got the first car back at noon on Tuesday (today) and the second one at 3:00.  Since I got the first car at about 10:00 on Monday and the second one after lunch I figure about a 1 day turn around for 2 custom roll bars isn't too bad...Click here for the pictures
Reply:what fun with complete interiors..good job!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Really nice job Jason!!They fit nice and the welds look great.- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Awesome work. What size tube did you used? Also...where do you attach the ends of the roll bar? are they just drilled and bolted on the floor pan? is that strong enough?Seems pretty fast to me....1 day for 2 its awesome....We´re finishing the Mini Baja chassis and we´re learning lots of tube bending, using a manual 20 ton bender. But I´m liking it soo much!My Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:Nice work, Isnt it so much fun to bend and work with tubing??But i myself would be a little scared to weld inside a exspensive car like that, full interior and allLast edited by stomper4x4; 10-04-2006 at 01:38 AM.Millermatic 175 MIGMiller Spectrum 375 PlasmaLincoln AC/DC 225 BuzzboxM-Tech NE5 Tube bender withcustom CNC machined 3/4" think main arms
Reply:very nice work Creative metal Creative metal Facebook
Reply:Thanks for all the compliments.  The best part was when they said both cars were on loan to them - please be careful with the interior!  I left the side interior panels out at the back where the rear diagonals landed on the wheel wells rather than cut them.  Plus the main hoop tubes were so close to the inside corners of the cockpit that I just pulled the carpet back for the install and let it sit against the tubes.  That way it didn't have to be cut.  Neither car owner was sure if the bar would stay so this way they don't have to replace anything if they take them out.The bar bolts in with contoured plates that sandwich the floorpan and the wheel wells according to SCCA bolt in specs.  The plates were not as big as I'd like, but do meet the standards.  Anything larger at the base of the main hoop would have required a lot of cutting of the car's unibody structure - basically complete removal of that chassis gusset immediately behind the bar.  The only welding that was done inside the car was tacking it all together.  But that was stressful enough - trust me.  I had wet towels covering everything hoping the splatter would immediately quench out upon hitting it.  If you just use a welding blanket the splatter can bounch and roll around till it finds something to burn up.  I had a bunch of manilla file folders slid in between the roll bar and the headliner for protection up there.Jason
Reply:I always use the wet rags trick when eveer im welding next to somthing that needs to be protected...Millermatic 175 MIGMiller Spectrum 375 PlasmaLincoln AC/DC 225 BuzzboxM-Tech NE5 Tube bender withcustom CNC machined 3/4" think main arms
Reply:Thanks for the info!Where can I find the SCCA standards?My Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:http://www.scca.com/_FileLibrary/Fil...solo_rules.pdfAppendix C-Heath
Reply:siiiiiiick!!!! Id be stoked to take on that project. Im actually thinking about it so I can run harness's in my car...
Reply:Hey guys, tell me something. Those offroad nuts ( I use that term lovingly)that build exo-cages on their rides, how do they weld the backside of the tube joints when it is flush against the body of the vehicle? There is a local guy here in my town that built one. I peeked at the assembly and he simply welded the tube as far as he could go around it. The backside of the tube joint is not welded up. Open joint. Although I didn't have an answer as to how I would have done it, it looked wrong to me. Any insights?Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Exo-cages...yuck!!http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabExo-cages...yuck!!
Reply:we built the "krazy hoss" with a stick welder and to get to the tops near the roof we just bent the rod like a "L" and just used the 1" or so that was left at the end that had flux left on it..go thru a pile of rods but it got the job done...tig is easy..thats what gas lenzes are for.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:There are a few different ways to get 360* welds on a cage.On most vehicles that I do, I drop the roll cage through the floor to weld the top then raise it back up to weld the bases to the floor/frame. Sometimes it only gets you an extra inch or so but that is a lot compared to the 1/8"-1/4" without dropping it.In areas that I'm not able to drop it or still have tight clearances...that's why they make small backcaps and flex-head TIG torches. Can't get a gas lens anywhere near the top of a tight fitting cage.- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Dropping the main hoop through the floor! That's an idea I had not considered for in-car assembly. But ZAP....I don't think you could get a tig torch back there. Even with a flex head and short back cap. Hmmmm......I am going to find out one way or another....I am on a mission now. ZTFab, what's wrong with exocages? Seems like they suit the prupose perfectly to me. But I am not into offroading. I do it all day at work and I try to stay on asphalt with my Road Squeegee 1-ton.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Nothing is "wrong" with exo-cages. I just think that they look hideous. It's nothing more than a personal preference. If they suit your needs and you like the look, go for it. - Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:ZTFab, OH Ok. I thought there was some kind of problem with them. Yeah, I guess they do look reminiscent of MadMaxx! But from what I understand they work pretty well to protect the vehicle in a rock crawling environ. Guess rolling in it would be pretty cool too.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:just a thought but wouldnt sleaving be an idea for getting a good solid hold on the spots that cant be reached, just weld a smaller pipe in befor putting it in then sleave the other over it and weld it up as best as you can. seems like it would add strangth. just guessing here as i have never atempted a cage and could be way off, it may also not be alowed, so go easy on me.after all i just build welder covers.8^)) summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.
Reply:You're right on the money Fun4Now.Sleeving is used a lot on cages.Some builders use sections of tubing sleeved together to get difficult compound bends aligned.I use them when putting a cage through the back of the cab on trucks. I can completely weld a stub to the interior cage before final placement, install the interior cage with the stubs sticking out of the cab. Then its just a matter of sleeving, rosette welding, and then fully welding the tubes I add to the bed cage outside of the cab.- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:cool i could start a new profesion, even if i cant spell it LOLi should start a mail in solution center LOL. summer is here, plant a tree for mother earth. if you dont have time or space, sponcer some one else to plant one for you.feel free to shoot me a PM or e-mail me at [email][email protected] i got lots of time.