S&W Cage Install - Pics Added

[mean78malibu]

I've seen a few topics requesting pictures of S&W cages in the G-Body so I thought I'd make a post in the interior section to summarize my setup.

Note 1: I probably could have placed the main loop further forward and trimmed the front down bars at the top along with the diagonal door bars. If I redid it, I would just buy their roll bar kit, and have the front down bars custom bent along with adding the newer style swingout bars that are stronger with a 'tongue and groove' type latch. Edit: I'm not sure if the 1" dash bar we put in came with the kit or not?

Note 2: my rear down bars connect to the top of the spring pockets where I welded a plate to the frame, then the bar to the plate. I also cut through the frame for the main hoop and front down bars so the tube could drop through and be welded on both sides.

Note 3: I hope your welds are nicer, I was young and learning. Not pretty, but it gets the job done.

 

[jmerc]

Looks pretty good to me. do you have any pics of the rear downtubes . Also how did you tie in the tubes that go from under the crosstube to the center of the car as there is no frame to tie into. If you have Ide like to see a pic of how you did that connection. Im in the process of cutting my tubes and will be ready to weld them up soonso any help would be appreciated. thanks, john

 

[jmerc]

i guess its a secret, LOL

 

[SS305]

I LOVE those DOOR PANELS!!! Make 'em yourself or aftermarket???

 

[mean78malibu]

Looks pretty good to me. do you have any pics of the rear downtubes . Also how did you tie in the tubes that go from under the crosstube to the center of the car as there is no frame to tie into. If you have Ide like to see a pic of how you did that connection. Im in the process of cutting my tubes and will be ready to weld them up soonso any help would be appreciated. thanks, john

Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the rear down tubes. It's all sealed in now and I don't think I can get a pic of where they meet the tops of the spring perches. They basically just go through where the rear seat used to be and get welded to the top of the frame.

 

[mean78malibu]

I LOVE those DOOR PANELS!!! Make 'em yourself or aftermarket???

Thanks SS. I made them myself and had a friend put the single bead roll in them. They are simple: mock it out of cardstock material and cardboard to get a pattern, cut the aluminum to match your pattern after you flatten it out, then put two bends in the aluminum with a brake or edge of your workbench. The door handles are Lokar, but I don't like the price I paid or how well they work....I would go with John's new handle setup from site sponsor TNT Motorsports...I think they even re-use the factory door handle cable

 

[Sickness]

I never ever post here anymore, and I know this thread is a little old, but...I hope your not serious... I wouldn't want to wreck that car, I'd be afraid I'd get impaled by one of those cage tubes...Please...Support your local chassis shop.

 

[mean78malibu]

I never ever post here anymore, and I know this thread is a little old, but...I hope your not serious... I wouldn't want to wreck that car, I'd be afraid I'd get impaled by one of those cage tubes...Please...Support your local chassis shop.

What????? Hope I'm not serious about ....?

The welds are plenty strong, just built up too much and ground them down in spots. I don't need a $5k cage to go 11.50. Just added the front bars because these frames are so flimsy.

 

[Ryan_310]

Have you made it out to the track yet? I know that it is a nhra reg that you can not grind down your welds and just because you have a ton of build up doesnt mean that the weld is strong. I understand that it is hard to find someone to weld a cage in and costs a few hundred dollers but well worth it in the end if you ever do hit the wall or roll it for some crazy reason.

 

[mean78malibu]

I understand, thanks for the constructive criticism but we built this when i was 17 and it will get a moly cage someday. It doesn't go fast enough to need certified. Now that I have a Miller mig/tig helmet and more experience over the years, it would be much nicer next time around.