Rollcage?

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
1

Let’s see.
There seem to be a few rollcage designs out there for the S1, all of them slightky different.

Vut which is the best shaped/better thought/cheapest/lightest one?

ability to use the whole cabin (seat to the back of the wall) is of utmost importance.
Then the shape, no yubes should go below the glass line and should be well hidden/use the inner cabin space the best.

Same with the harness bar, should be as far back as possible.

Any input on this?

(preparing for the winter work )

2

I’ve got the safety devices full cage (so has Sean B) and its great. It fits really well to the shape of the car and doesn’t hinder vision at all BUT the rear A frame is directly in line with the rest of the main hoop, meaning it pushes the seat position forward. I’m afraid I don’t think you’d fit Uldis. The only other cage I’ve ‘experienced’ was the A frame and diagonal, but It’s not much of a step forward from standard and it’s horrible as a passenger too-No offence Maddog.

HTH

3

I’ve got the safety devices full cage (so has Sean B) and its great. It fits really well to the shape of the car and doesn’t hinder vision at all BUT the rear A frame is directly in line with the rest of the main hoop, meaning it pushes the seat position forward. I’m afraid I don’t think you’d fit Uldis. The only other cage I’ve ‘experienced’ was the A frame and diagonal, but It’s not much of a step forward from standard and it’s horrible as a passenger too-No offence Maddog.

HTH

What he said!!

4

There must be another way.
I remember helping somebody post some pictures of an alternate cage but I didn’t really like that one because it required a long hole to be cut in the chassis, in a part where can’t see how it wouldn’t affect the chassis strength.
The way the top member was bolted also didn’t inspire confidence (I’m sure it would be strong but…)

Well, this is why I’m tapping the vast Exige communal brain , there must have beeen some other cage developed that fits this criteria.

Can’t believe that there has never been a tall guy racing an Elise/Exige!

5

Hey! Don’t lump me in with the rest of these bloody leprechauns

I’m 6 foot but I’m still crammed in. The interior height is not a problem it’s just the leg room that is hard to find. The type of seat being used makes a huge difference

It was Mark Funnell that had the other cage made. clicky

6

And I’m 6’ 2.5" but with really long legs, def. wouldn’t fint on anything but the seat as far back as it is now.


You know what?

Looking at that design (and the comments from all) I think it could be made much more interesting if the brackets attaching to the sill were different: instead of them bending slightly down in order to clear the coin tray, let them go straight towards the coin tray area (no more coin tray) and have the tube end exactly at the joint between the lower dash and the sill, with a suitably angled and wide spreader plate.

Anybody know how to contact Mark? Maybe he can put us in touch with said company?

I’ll send him a PM but see he’s not visited this site a lot recently.

Either that or it’s A-frame only then

7

I thought Plans did full cages for S1’s ?

8

Not sure which one is fitted to my new car… maybe Mr Doe knows ? But with my 6’2" frame I fit (just)

9

Does it look like Sean’s? (on his track preparation thread)

Anyway, contacted Mark F., it seems he got only 3 or 4 made and then hasn’t done anything abut it.
He will be contacting that company to make some more but this time I agree with Mark’s idea that the attaching at the forward point should be like Sean’s (his thread here) the end result being something similar to his full rollcage but that you can add on to the std existing one instead of the surgical removal procedure.

Let’s see if it works out.

10

Yep, from memory (the car is at Scared Stiff racing having some bits added), it’s like Seans, but I’m sure the triangulating bits are curved. The rear stays are larger/thicker jobs than std. too. I’ll try and get over there this w/e and I’ll try to remember to get a pic.

11

OK its on an S2 but some different ideas HERE

[image]http://mil0.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/cage-3.jpg[/image]

[image]http://mil0.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/rollcage.jpg[/image]

and custom cages look like a good source for a custom cage.

12

Plans Motorsport. We have them in stock, the only people to actually stock Lotus Motorsport genuine Safety Devices FIA cages. We also can make a replica cage without removing your existing roll cage.

13

Graham,
Is the replica model identical to the Safety Devices one?
What is the price for it?

14

We also can make a replica cage without removing your existing roll cage.

???

15

I just called Graham regarding this. He was busy but spoke with somebody else there (can’t remember his name).
The one he mentions is actually using the existing rollbar hoop, but since the spades are a bit thin (and only 1 bolt) they need replacing with thsicker, 3 bolts ones.
So they get cut off (for this the sides of the sill need to be cut and refit).
Then the front part of the cage gets welded in.
Of course this means they can only do it there, no DIY kit available.

All for about �2500 (!?). I don’t know how much does the SD cage (like Sean’s) cost, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not far off this amount.
Might as well fit a whole new one…



In reality I’m looking for a DIY kit that is better/stronger than the A-frame without getting to the SD full cage spec.

Ideally one that bolts on to the existing rollbar (no welding) and has the same front attaching points as the SD one. I mean, the dash plastic is easy to change, but there’s no way back if you slice the chassis.

If there is none and I have to get it made, is anybody interested in getting any?

16

Sounds really expensive - not sure exactly what you are after - how do you want it to tie in to the existing roll bar?

Give these a ring CAGED They do all the Caterham bars and the website is a good source of info.

17

The Safety devices cage was around �900 - �1000 + fitting.

If you want the new sections to bolt to the existing hoop it’ll really still need the brackets welding on. So the hoop might end up needing to be removed anyway.

I think a similar cage to the SD one minus the welded in A frame(using a bolt in harness bar instead) and triangulations in the rear of the roof (I think your head would hit them Uldis, mine touches at times and i’m not as far back as you want to be) could be possibly what you’re after.
see here on this pick I’ve stolen off Sean’s thread:-
[image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/SeanBicknell/newcagefloor.jpg[/image]

18

Thanks Steve, Steven.

Spoke with SD yesterday and it gets a bit more complicated.
It turns out since they moved operations abroad they have not found yet their Exige S1 jig, they will goo and look for it.
But they mention that it was really designed for the Autobytel cars, i.e. central driving position (therefore the triangulation you mention, didn’t matter) and is not meant for tall drivers. Concurred with me that a tall guy would need it moved back abour 4" but then it needs redesigning because it’d all be wrong.

The front bolt on idea cannot happen because the A frame was designed time ago when regulations permitted it. Regulations have changed and it would just be allowed now.
my options would be that they design one welded-in (a one off) but if I needed certification it would be more than �3.5K (lots of time spent on FEA, simulations and approval).
They concur that the best for the S1 would be just an A frame.

So they’re concentrating on the S2 Exige instead.


I know it’s a business and the S1 is old news, but I’ll still look for a different solution.

19

Guys, been trying to download the 2006 MSA blue book to understand precisely the rollcage issues, but I need to have a race license in order to login.

Favour: could anybody with a license log in to the MSA website , download the regulations (particularly Section Q) and email them to me?

Please?

20

Done!

Sent from my work e-mail so don’t reply Uldis - It’ll only get filtered out by the netwatch nazis.

From memory the Q34 / 35 type cages would seem the most suitable shapes, but good luck with whatever you go for.

HTH