Half cage versus full cage versus none
Turbo Mini Forums

Sorry for resurecting the dead here peeps.

TD posted this topic on manchester minis.

Now ive just got a brand new shell (bloody expensive things), and ive been thinking about a full cage, i know they can be very dangerous and want some advice on them.

With a full cage can you still get 4 people in a mini (Yes i do cart people around in it ha ha).

Do you need harnesses with a cage or will a normal belt do the trick.

What cage could you recomend or will a custom built one be better?

And finaly, i wont drive the car hard enough to flip it over, speed limits are there for a reason, wanting one to give the shell extra strength if i hit somone or they hit me.

Can you give me any advice as this will be a daily driver and needs to be a practical car.

Ta

Jackman

Manchester Minis

I think you have answered your own question with the "daily driver" and "practical" comments TBH.....

IMO - if you build a cage that has A-pillars, B-pillars, and rear (arch) bars, then that is 100% better than no cage.

Add stuff like a bar level with / under the lower dash rail, low door bars and a rear diaganol, and you've gone better again. Weld it to to A-pillars and B-pillars and it's about as good as it can be without being obtrusive. You need to be able to get a head-liner in there aswell don't forget (as it's a road car)

Surely if you've got rear passengers then only a stock seatbelt will do the job?
Wil - or Ben H posted something for normal intertia reel seatblets some time ago that looked interesting - a special clip kinda affair...

Edited by turbodave16v on 1st Sep, 2006.

Yeah i do go three up quite alot so i can only have a stock seatbelt really.

I was just thinking elvis will be a good example for me to look at wont it? Seems like a good base for a roll cage design.

Also in the connection with the headliner, its going to be a custom job so i can fit it around the cage easily.

Thanks alot giving me some thoughts on the subject.

Can you recommend anywhere to get it done?

Manchester Minis

Well if you have the headliner sorted - then that's good.

Elvis could be a good starting point - certainly bits like the floor plates - and mounting the interia reels to the cage etc....

If you have a bare shell - then I'd definately reccomend speaking with Owens Motorsport and getting them to do it all for you (they did Jimsters).

Edited by turbodave16v on 1st Sep, 2006.

Jimster

That cage is simply amazing needless to say yourself and Endaf mush have put a lot of effort, time and money to create what looks to be pritty much the ultimate with regards to a cage in a classic mini. Would you mind if i borrow the pictures at all ?

Just so nice to see what i have been thinking for a long time in that two tubes have been run down the sides of the sills to further triangulate the section suround the doors.

Top job

On 22/02/2006 16:46:59 Jimster said:

IMO this has got to be better than nothing

is there any pics with everting in? steering wheel, harnesses, seats etc etc?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Manchester Minis

how ever i fear that a cage with regular seat belts could be a disater waiting to happen

what happens if someone twats you in the side and you hit you cage on one of the bars?

ok so there are door pillars on a car anyway, but the cage comes in a lot closer proximity to your head. i think youd be wanting full seats and harnesses if your considering fitting one

Look at Jim's cage - the rer uprights are 8" behind the pillars...

If someone hits you hard enough in the side, to have you crack your head on a pikece of cage (where was your padding anyway) then I think a bruise or mild head concussion is better than a mangled spine or pelvis AND the above injurys caused by your un-strengthened B-pillar doing the same thing...

think we'll have to let you have that one dave

I like the comment one guy makes " will add to chassis stiffness is welded or bolted in" How the hell else would you fix it in, a few pop rivets, blue tack ??? lol.

Boy racer forums, allways good for a laugh.

I was in cue at the post office the other week and had to endure 15 minutes of some chav idiot telling his son how good his car was. apparently front wheel drive cars are much better at cornering than rear wheel drive. apperantly you see if you apply to much power in your RWD car it will spin, but you dont get this in a FWD !!!!! D*ck had no idea that he is backing of the power to stop him under stearing of the road. RWD allways faster with someone who can drive, unlike the chap in my cue !!! lol

In my opinion if your gonna have a cage you may as well have a good one and in my book that a fully welded and gusseted number. Cages that bolt to the floor may help in roll but aint gonna do much for chassis stiffness.

Got to admit Jimster there is a few things i dont like about your cage. I don't like where he has put a few tubes and the bends in those roof tubes look like they were done in a vice, the wall has buckled and is not a smoth radius, that would be where they would fold. It looks like its all Mig welded as well.

No Problem Stig,

Here you go josh

Team Racing

the cage is mig welded, yes tig would be better, but it would have taken ages.
The roof bars where bent in a pipe bender. everyone has an opinion. Just bare in mind, this is not an F1 car!

Team Racing

How do you get in a cue? you must be very thin?

Sorry, couldn't help my self.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

My friend john rolled his standard mini city the first night he got it on the road on a country lane neer my house, he skidded into a ditch, the front wheel got stuck in a ridge next to the road, it flipped onto its wing and ended up on its roof.

They were ok, they struggled to climb out as they were upside down. All the damage was done to a tiny bit of the top of the front wing, and the roof got pushed in. I was really supprised at how strong the mini shell was as standard.

After it was rolled back onto wheels, which only damaged a wing mirror, it drove fine again. Apart from the roof and the wing mirror the only other damage was to the battery which leaked everywhere in the boot, he was very lucky not to hit a wall

Previous Engine: 1040cc Morespeed engine, 1275 turbo head T2 Turbo Mirage Manifolds Megajolt
Previous engine: STD metro turbo, megajolt
Drives: 399bananahp (flywheel) Honda Civic Vtec b18c4 T28 Turbo 1968 Mini

Megajolt maps to download: http://www.jamesfawcett.co.uk/cms/index.ph...&gid=3&Itemid=3

this was my first big off (no cage)



understeered into a high kerb on the outside of a right hand hairpin, barrel rolled it, landing on its roof then slid down the train tracks.

the copper said i was lucky the roof popped 'out' rather than 'in'.

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

"first"

how many have you had?!? :-o

Woo hoo, someone else who can join Ben H and myself in the "rolled a car" club.....!!!!!!!

i reckon minis are actolly stronger than some people think.
my mates girlfriend crashed her mini into a van (clipped the drivers side on both cars) she was going 30ish and he was going about 40is aparently.
the mini is written off but she got out with whiplash and a seatbelt marks.
the recovery people couldnt belive that it hit what it hit as theyv seen modern cars come out alot worse in acodents!!

was your roll cage jimster the £350 (supplyed only) type they have listed on there site?

cheers
josh

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

I have never rolled a Mini, but I have rolled a 205 in a tunnel. The car drove 3-4 meters up the side in the tunnel and landed on the roof.

www.shag.no

can't really put a price on mine josh, as Endaf is one of my close mates, not sure what I paid him

Team Racing

1 sheep or 2?

admittadly i was doing a fair lick, but it wasnt all my fault, some BAC had poured/spilt diesel on the hairpin.
The cops were certain it was aimed at the biking fraternity who do illegal races on that part of the coast road around tt week (when i crashed).

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

I rolled a fiat 126 biz in a field, doe that count??