I am building a TT/Honda Challenge Civic and plan on running a reinforced Autopower roll cage. I recently picked up what I beleive is an older model made for this car, but it doesnt have a cross member, only a diagonal and a small bar behind the driver. Can anyone confirm that this is the older "race" model, is the small bar supposed to serve the harness bar, and should it have a crossbrace? Im pretty sure this bar is identical to the one I had in my Spec 7 car a few years back but can't remember. Thank you.
It's missing the harness bar/crossbrace. That thin piece is definately not a place to mount the harness, nor is it a harness guide.
Also most racing Org. won't allow you to use a bolt in roll bar. It may pass for use in a convertable used for track days but not much else.
Isn't autopower the ones with collapsible cages that was made from Chinese finger traps?
Don't take this wrong, but please don't use that bar for any car that will see W2W action. They were originally designed for cars utilizing stock interiors with all or most of the trim pieces left in place. Sell it to someone who wants to have a rollbar in their street car mainly for the looks. Have a fabrication shop build a custom cage specifically for your car and the level of preparation your class rules allow. This is the one area and the most important area where there should be no compromises.
Tom1200
SuperDork
1/18/21 7:32 p.m.
If that were a roll bar from an Autopower U-weld it kit I'd say no worries just add the extra bars.
Regardless of whether you buy a weld in kit or have a fabricator do it get a proper cage in the car.
Bark3rd
New Reader
1/19/21 12:06 a.m.
Thanks for the replies. Since posting this I have hired a welder who is going to reinforce the crap out of this (spreader plates, plates for the bolts under the car, weld the bolts and the feet) etc. We will also add all the required tubing for a 6 pt cage + door bars. The Autopower bolt in cages are beefy (1-7/8 DOM) and SCCA/NASA legal with the required spreader plates. Tons of Miatas and PT cars with these types of cages. I am curious as to what the purpose of the small horizontal bar is. I had a cage like this in a Spec 7 car years ago and I am pretty sure it had this same rear section with the same small bar, I think there were 2 eye bolts, and we clipped the end of the harnesses to them.
Tom1200
SuperDork
1/19/21 9:32 a.m.
In reply to ddavidv :
Yes that piece is a seat back brace, not that I would ever use it as such.