superpilun requested some other pictures of the cage in my almost finished track car, so here they are. It was going to be for Honda Challenge H2, but HC hasn't really taken off here in Texas, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'm the type that likes to modify them as much (or more!) than I like to drive them, so we'll see. I don't have my license yet, but hopefully this year.

I have to get the windshield replaced, so I'm thinking of having braces added between the halo and the front down tubes. Plus, I want to add gussets to the passenger's side x-brace. If you guys see something that could be improved, please let me know!

The cage was done by Todd Oppermann of TOPP Racing. He's a local guy at Motorsport Ranch that does quite a bit of work on Spec Miatas and Porsche Cup cars.

 

very cool
I noticed you cut a sheet of CF for the sunroof plug rather than laying your own. any regrets? or things you'd recomend?

 

Very nice cage!

Make sure your helmet wont hit that diagonal roof bar if you were in a wreck.

I don't think the bars connecting the rear shock towers to the bottom of the main hoop will help much. I would guess those would be better tied into the center of the harness bar with a petty bar on the other side to the passanger footwell. I could be wrong, thoughts?

 

Can't tell from the pictures positively but there does not appear to be any tubes from the front down tubes to the firewall or foot well braces? What did he use as a bender and dies? The tubing at bends appears to be thinned out, compressed and at quite sharp angles. Can't see the mounting plates but most everything else looks good to me.

 

rollingCULTURE, the sunroof plug is from Lighterfaster. The epoxy mounting method sucks, so I had them send me some mild steel mounting tabs. I'll be welding those in soon. The tabs broke out of the epoxy at almost every track event I've taken the car to.

RussTypeS, I'm a fair bit underneat the hoop and the upper diagonal. I'd have to rise over 4" in my seat in order for my head to even be close to the upper diagonal. That was a concern when he was doing the install.

DB2-R81, his bender looked just like a JD2 Model 3. I'm not sure of the radius on the bends. I actually never noticed until you pointed it out. I'll take a closer look, but when I looked at it the first time, the bends are smooth and continuous, they're not crimped and the walls don't show any signs of being compressed or elongated. The mounting plates are on the floor pan and on the sides of the chassis. The tubing is welded to the floor plates and to the side plates.

There are no tubes going to the firewall except a dash bar. I'll have to think about adding some bracing for the footwell. That's a very good idea.

EDIT: I went out to the garage to take a closer look. The walls around the bends feel smooth, no kinks or crimping. The tubing is 1.5 x 0.120" so maybe the smaller diameter makes the bends look sharper?

 

I hope you don't find it rude to ask, but would you mind saying the cost of the cage? I don't trust my welding abilities yet, so I am in the market for one and want to get an idea what people spend for quality work.

 

I am also interested in the price or your cage looks really well done. I have done all of the mods on my car myself but welding and stuff like that makes me kinda nervous so I am gonna have someone else do it. Any info about cage prices or some companies that do good work would be awesome! Sorry for the tangent! lol

 

I think you should add some bracing to the bottom of your nascar bars like this cage

 

I don't recall the exact figure, around $2400 for labor and parts. That includes the battery disconnect, net mounting, sunroof plug install (the cage builder thought it best to do it as the cage was going in, so I didn't get a chance to do it myself), and a couple of other misc. things.
Otherwise, I have built pretty much everything on my car, including the engine and transmission.

 

Sweet man looks sick! thanks for the info! and good luck with your car man on the track and otherwise!

 

What in the heck type of shifter system linkage you got goin on there? I bet theat ***** C02 powered? Wow thats rad nasty

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by XLR8 GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What in the heck type of shifter system linkage you got goin on there? I bet theat ***** C02 powered? Wow thats rad nasty</TD></TR></TABLE> i'd assume k' series

 

I'm 99% sure it's a prelude.

Which has a cable shifter.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ekim952522000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm 99% sure it's a prelude.

Which has a cable shifter.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep, it's a prelude Cable shifters

 

one question.

it's not really a big deal, but.....

on the halo diagonal bar, it comes together at a single intersection point on the passenger side, but on the drivers side it's welded on about 1'' towards the center of the car instead of where the front part of the halo and the downtube intersect. is it just because it's not a major stress point and it would be a biznatch to cut the tube just right to fit into that spot?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by XLR8 GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I bet theat ***** C02 powered? Wow thats rad nasty</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

what seat is that?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ekim952522000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm 99% sure it's a prelude.

Which has a cable shifter.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, it's a Prelude. 98 model.

 

I don't know for sure because I didn't ask, but I would imagine it's because he couldn't weld all the way around the tube. Then again, he did weld all the way around the halo tube. Eh, I guess I really don't know!?!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tnord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">on the halo diagonal bar, it comes together at a single intersection point on the passenger side, but on the drivers side it's welded on about 1'' towards the center of the car instead of where the front part of the halo and the downtube intersect. is it just because it's not a major stress point and it would be a biznatch to cut the tube just right to fit into that spot?</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Semi custom Ultrashield Ultralight Roadracing seat.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DILLIGAF Racing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what seat is that?</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

have you had it out in the sunlight yet ? as I can recal most white cages I've seen cause a bit of glare across the windsheild

The quality of the work looks very nice btw

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by suavacito &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">have you had it out in the sunlight yet ? as I can recal most white cages I've seen cause a bit of glare across the windsheild</TD></TR></TABLE>

I didnt have any problems with mine. My paint isnt "gloss" either though.

 

No problems here either. I'd think a pimpy "Armor All"-ed dash would be more of a distraction. I intentionally keep a protective layer or dirt on my dash.

 

Very good work and attention to detail. I love the car. I will consider a trade for my 94 VTEC street version................that's a bad joke. The only thing I don't like is the wiring connectors hanging near the driver's feet although I'm sure that was before the car was raced and they are all tucked neatly now. I hate when **** touches my feet while I'm driving don't you?

 

Those are from the dash. That was when the dash was just put into the car, and before anything was connected. Nothing is dangling now.