Rollcage Installation - Behind Bars

The front down struts were next and these gave us the most trouble. According to Competition Engineering “their position has a direct relationship on the driver’s visibility so space them as far apart as possible and as close to the windshield posts as possible.” Right, but that is much easier said than done. After what seemed like 100 test fits and several trips to the bandsaw, we had them close to the right location.

Just like the main hoop 6x6 plates, it’s important to grind away any paint, seam sealer, or rust that is present in the area and then tack weld the plate in place. In order to spread the bars as far as possible from each other, Pete positioned the front down strut against the doorsill and threw down a couple of tacks.

Again, you can see how nicely the pre-notched tubes are in the kit. You may notice a little gap between the front down strut and the top hoop, but that is actually a crucial part of getting a clean and strong weld. If the connection is too tight, it may be hard to penetrate the metal, resulting in a much weaker weld.

With both front down struts in place, Pete slid an extra piece of tube in place and measured it for proper fitment. This bar will serve as a front strut crossbrace and, like the main hoop crossbrace, serves to strengthen the ’cage and add rigidity to the entire structure.

Wondering how we have been notching all of these custom tubes? Check out the Williams Lowbuck Tubing Notcher. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering where the rest of the tool is and how in the world that little thing could actually notch a piece of 0.095-wall tubing. Well, it’s actually quite ingenious and simple.

To use the Lowbuck notcher, you simply slide the tubing in place and pull down on the handle. The case-hardened cutting die, which is rated at 62 Rockwell or “2 points harder than the back of Superman’s head,” slices through tubing in less than 6 seconds and, believe it or not, makes for one fine cut...

...but, don’t take my word for it—check out these fish mouth cuts! Not only do they look great, but they require no after-cut grinding and we didn’t have to watch our toes for flying sparks or hot metal.

With most of the ’cage complete and the crossbar notched and in place, I jumped up on the engine and admired my—I mean Pete’s—handiwork. The ’cage isn’t finished, or even perfect, but it came together well and, once fully welded, will be safe and reliable for years to come.

Gussets, like these from Competition Engineering, must be welded anywhere two tubes connect. This greatly increases the ’cage’s rigidity and, most importantly, keeps us within the rules for competition. Once we get everything welded and the rest of the bars in place, we’ll show you exactly how these fit.

After four days of late nights, frustration, and sweat, the main portion of our 10-point rollcage is complete. To meet Mini Stock rules, we still have to weld in horizontal door bars, the main hoop crossbrace, and the gussets, but we can’t really do any of that until we have a seat made for the City Boy, which we will make sure to document in the next chapter of the City Boy story.