Driving on the road with a roll cage?

[ttonks993]

About to start turning my old daily into a track car. Has a decent amount of mods just need some bucket seats and harnesses. I will need something to mount the harnesses to , so going to fit either a half cage or full cage.

Not sure if the vehicle will be used purely for the track/driving there and back. Or a weekend car too.

How dangerous is it to drive a fully caged car without a helmet? Even if I got padding on the bars?

[brillomaster]

A half cage is probably sufficient if you arent racing, and you can still drive to and from the track.

If you were to get a full cage and were all harnessed in correctly, would your head be able to hit the cage? If not, then i think its safe.

But really id go for a half cage if its being driven to tracks and not trailered everywhere.

[dxg]

I used to have a car with a half cage and never worried about it.

The insurance was fun, though.

[ttonks993]

Thanks for the input. I wouldn’t mind it for fast road too so a half cage is probably better.

[DonkeyApple]

Modern cars have pretty impressive A pillars and if driving without a helmet and full on strapped down then I would think it sensible for a half cage and ensuring no metal work is near your head. Dpeneding in its fit you can probably keep the factory belts so as not to need the harnesses when just driving normally on the road when they can transpire to be a bit annoying.

[Mark-BMW-E30-318is]

Have driven E21 and E30 with cages for past 20+ years and never had an issue. As long as you have bucket seats and harnesses fitted you should be fine. I insured through Competition Car Insurance.

[Jader1973]

Mark-BMW-E30-318is said:

That is very, very nice.

[Mark-BMW-E30-318is]

Jader1973 said:

Mark-BMW-E30-318is said:

That is very, very nice.

It sold on eBay recently for around £13K I believe, which is what I foolishly sold it for about 10 years ago. The base car was a 316 that had been stored in a concrete bunker and was as close to a pristine shell as could be found. After stripping it needed just one 50p sized hole repaired, after the scab had been cut out. It was then painted inside and out in Laguna Seca blue. The paint is stunning and the arches were subtly flared to accommodate those 8 x 15 Rota. An E12 535i LSD and subframe, M20 5 speed and M52/2.8 making 240'ish BHP. Recaro's, Stack gauges etc etc. Quick rack, coilovers, WMS 4 pot brakes, stainless system. Basically it was built to be my daily driver but I had to chose between the E21 or my E30 M3. The M3 won. I remain very proud of the E21 though, and it shows how great a job Pristine Bodyworks did, as a decade on it still looks great!

Edited by Mark-BMW-E30-318is on Sunday 3rd May 10:17