Topic: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

Ok, so our team decided to take a look at this former U-Car with a cage installed, but our senses say that the cage isn't going to fly without major mods, wanted to put it up for review before we do something stupid like buy a car that we have to cut the cage out of, cause that's really the only reason to buy this car. I know it will need down tubes in the rear, but other than that what are we looking at?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4822245649_df051fe844_b.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4822861688_39a5737120_b.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4822861612_915c66f063_b.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4822245439_a53d394459_b.jpg

Oh, and there's a seam in the hoop above the driver, assuming that's a no-no as well. And the bends are not the nicest I've ever seen either.

Squatting Dog Racing
2000 Mustang - sold to those Hokie Pokie losers
1970 Valiant - 2015 Southern Discomfort Organizer's Choice - 2016 Southern Discomfort Most Heroic Fix

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

There is no cage.   that is not a cage.  Fail

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

Evil Genius wrote:

There is no cage.   that is not a cage.  Fail

+1  Rip it all out and start over.  The bends are crap, the welds are crap, the design is crap.  Fail.

http://wartburg.misfittoysracing.com
OTTER: "I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part."
BLUTO: "We're just the guys to do it."

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

Evil Genius wrote:

There is no cage.   that is not a cage.  Fail

+1

i see pinched bends, the top halo is not the full width of the car, it looks like at least one section that should be single section is multi-sectioned, the diagonal doesnt goto the floor. Looks more like a mouse trap than a cage.

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

Thank you for confirming. We're definitely passing on this one. Even if it did somehow pass tech I think I'd rather have no cage at all than that mess.

I can't believe they were letting them run it on the circle tracks like this.... guess they're VERY desperate for entries.

Squatting Dog Racing
2000 Mustang - sold to those Hokie Pokie losers
1970 Valiant - 2015 Southern Discomfort Organizer's Choice - 2016 Southern Discomfort Most Heroic Fix

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

Actually a LOT of circle tracks require a cage to go around the driver, and don't particularly care about anything else.  They aren't desparate for entries, they've just done that way forever, and somehow people don't get killed every weekend, so they're happy.

Mike Peters
Former rotary brat pioneer.
3.17.08 Jalopnik Hoon of the day.  #hasbeen
1984 Dodge Rampage, A few SHO engines, a Mustang 8.8, and a lot of hot glue going on now.

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

and somehow people don't get killed every weekend

There are a lot of injuries and deaths in circle track racing, but everybody just shrugs. Most of the injuries could be prevented if they just upped the cage requirements, but "it costs too much".

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

EriktheAwful wrote:

Most of the injuries could be prevented if they just upped the cage requirements, but "it costs too much".

There's a lot of truth in that. I can't stand how NASCAR's COT has the same body shell for Impala/Focus/Charger/Camry's, but you can't argue with what they've done to increase the safety on those cars. I'm continually amazed at how Cup drivers literally walk away from wrecks that only a few years ago would have had them out on gurneys -- one example being Carl Edwards at Talledega last year. Same thing with WRC cars these days. How you can roll down a cliff and survive should be impossible, but somehow those cages hold up.

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

EriktheAwful wrote:

and somehow people don't get killed every weekend

There are a lot of injuries and deaths in circle track racing, but everybody just shrugs. Most of the injuries could be prevented if they just upped the cage requirements, but "it costs too much".

Keep in mind most circle track people can barely use the internet, much less keep up with nationwide happenings.

I cruise the Texas roundyround forum, and you really see more health problems than on-track injuries, and when it does happen, its "Just racing"

While I agree 100% their safety is lacking, somehow they are totally okay with it, and for the most part the #of people participating/%of people injured ratio is amazingly low.  Most tracks will have over 100+ drivers on track/weekend, with no injuries, sometimes 2 nights a week, so its not really enough for them to realize from a statistic standpoint how unsafe some of their stuff is.

It's quite a quirkly little normalcy over in that demographic.

Mike Peters
Former rotary brat pioneer.
3.17.08 Jalopnik Hoon of the day.  #hasbeen
1984 Dodge Rampage, A few SHO engines, a Mustang 8.8, and a lot of hot glue going on now.

Re: Tech experts, cage opinions please...

That's a pretty nice heap of scrap metal you've got there. Nice to have around the house.

Driver, Pit Monkey, Rod Buster and Engine Fire Starter
Team FinalGear