• Registered: 2011-02-14
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

Hi all,

My team and myself are preparing a Miata for the Sears Pointless event. We have a professionally built standard Spec Miata cage, which sadly turned out to be too low for me - my helmeted head is about 1" above the main cage hoop, clearly a bad thing.

Would it be legal and safe to solve this by adding an extra hoop above the driver, something like this here: http://www.autosportlabs.org/blog/wp-co … ified2.jpg , but welded directly to the main hoop rather than a part of it. Said modification would be professionally done by the same cage builder who build the cage itself.

I seem to remember a red-and-white checkered Miata that was running a similar type of rig, but can't find a photo.

Guidance much appreciated.

Thank you.

  • From: Wheaton IL
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 408

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

There is a fiero in the midwest that has a similar thing, and have run that way for every event I have seen them at.  Theirs looks more like a kind of diagonal gurney bubble.

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  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

How we do it:   

    http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w279/Evilgeniusracing/100_4694.jpg
   
This is a spec miata cage made to fit under a hard top.. the central longitudinal bar is about 3" higher than the side bars.   A well done main hoop extension may pass tech(and has before), but I recommend lowering the seat or raising the cage.  We lower the floor in some Miatas...


  -John

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  • Registered: 2011-02-14
  • Posts: 11

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

John, thanks for the feedback. The seat (an aluminum shell UltraShield) is already mounted straight to the floor with bar stock and no sliders, can't go any lower. Cage is already built sad

(In my own car, I have 2" below an Autopower Street rollbar, and have mistakenly assumed the spec cage is no lower).

As it stands, I believe my only options are the extra hoop, or the longitudinal bar you suggested. Hardtop clearance is obviously not an issue. I need about 3" of extra height right above driver head - would your design provide that? The line connecting the center bar to the side bars seems like it would be provide much less than 3" right above head, or am I mistaken?

Tony of TC has built the cage, and would be building the extension, so I'd like to think the quality of work is beyond reproach.

  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

Let Tony figure it out, he is very good, he'll get it right

-John

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'

6 Reply by Spank (edited by Spank 2011-02-14 07:53 PM)

  • Spank
  • Utter Madman
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  • From: Escondido, CA
  • Registered: 2009-06-10
  • Posts: 5,864

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

why not a 4" drop in the seat pan-- a bucket. Too awkward for the pedal reach?

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  • Baron
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  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

We had to

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r119/Baron733/Lemon%20Racecar/DSC00011.jpg

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  • Registered: 2010-02-14
  • Posts: 577

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

Baron wrote:

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r119 … C00011.jpg

Well ............. that's one way to get around helmet to cage clearance .... but what are rules on helmet to clutch pedal clearance?  Did you cut a hole in the floor to see where you are going?

  • From: Columbus, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-26
  • Posts: 2,839

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

Is he wearing crocs??

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  • From: Hayward, CA
  • Registered: 2010-03-23
  • Posts: 1,762

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

dculberson wrote:

Is he wearing crocs??

No those are wooden clogs. Much more stylish.

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  • Baron
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Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

lol, yep, clogs. Interesting guy, but builds a hell of a cage...

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  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
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Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

good ol' Russ. one hell of a cage builder

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  • From: Columbus, MS
  • Registered: 2011-04-03
  • Posts: 33

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

So along the lines of abnormally tall drivers...I'm 6'5" w/o the helmet and come well within the 2" rule of the roll cage main hoop w/ it on.  The car is a '90 Protege and the Kirkey seat is installed on the stock sliders since my co-drivers are 5'7".  The sliders are great, they lock with two teeth on both rails, and i'd like to keep 'em.  The question is can I cut the roof off and extend the cage to fit and then weld the roof back on, rather than having an open roof car requiring arm restraints?

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  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Extra hoop on top of main cage hoop for tall driver - legal/safe?

ace912 wrote:

So along the lines of abnormally tall drivers...I'm 6'5" w/o the helmet and come well within the 2" rule of the roll cage main hoop w/ it on.  The car is a '90 Protege and the Kirkey seat is installed on the stock sliders since my co-drivers are 5'7".  The sliders are great, they lock with two teeth on both rails, and i'd like to keep 'em.  The question is can I cut the roof off and extend the cage to fit and then weld the roof back on, rather than having an open roof car requiring arm restraints?

I've seen lots of cars with the roof cut off for cage installation, and then welded back on.  You'll see the telltale booger welds in the A and C pillars, sometimes B.  I've never heard of this not passing tech; the new rules stipulate changes can't be made to shorten the car, but this is more to the point of someone modifying crumple zones or that sort of thing.  Chopping the top shorter, removing it altogether, or removing it and welding it back on is all fair game, still.

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