Amen. The vintage org concern about stiffening the chassis seems a little
odd to begin with. To really stiffen the chassis you add weight, which is
it's own penalty. And any stiffening should make the car safer in many ways.
I have Peyote stripped to the bare frame right now to do a little basic
restoration--it was getting tawdry. I mentioned this in an email recently,
but never saw it come through. If anyone wants to see a picture of a REALLY
stiffened frame, let me know and I'll send you one off list.
Bill Babcock
Babcock & Jenkins
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-fot@Autox.Team.Net [mailto:owner-fot@Autox.Team.Net] On Behalf
Of Editorgary@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 12:14 PM
To: fot@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re roll bars and cages
Interesting contrast note on roll protection. When I designed the "cage" for
my MGA (front hoop under scuttle, rear hoop over my head, diagonal brace and
harness bar across rear hoop, braces from rear hoop to rear frame, x-bars
across doors) I checked into various organizations' regulations. Discovered
that my design would be illegal in VSCCA racing, since they specify that the
roll protection can attach to the chassis at only five points and that front
hoops are not permitted. Their concern, apparently, is that roll cages not
be used to strengthen vintage chassis.
In practice, that means no side-intrusion protection.
That would worry me, since at our speeds and with our suspensions in
small-bore production classes, it seems much more likely that we will get
t-boned after going sideways on the far side of a blind corner or crest,
than that we will roll over.
Cheers
Gary Anderson
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