I am having the mini i am getting highly modified. One of the modifications is the addition of a full half back roll cage. The problem with this is that to add the roll cage, i will need to remove my rear seats. My question to all of you is which way should i go? I was planning on occasionally having more than 2 people in it some time, but hardly ever. Because i am 6'3" i wouldnt be able to have anybody sitting behind me, so that would mean i would have a maximum of 3 people no matter what. If i were to have more than that, i would just use my jeep anyways.

I plan on using my mini for track events, as well as "spirited" driving in the malibu canyons i live on...

Thanks in advance for your advice, and sorry if this is the wrong forum, but this looked like the right place.

-Blake

 

I can give some good advice, although probably won't be heeded.....

NEVER do spirited driving in the Malibu canyons.

As for the next piece of advice...

Dont put a rollcage in the car. Not for a daily driver. Not unless you track at least once a week, and especially not if you don't track like a lunatic. It just isnt worth it, not even for the looks, not even for the self satisfaction.

I wouldnt do it to a brand new MINI.... after a couple of years sure!!!.... but not brand new.

Goodluck.

 

How much track experience do you have? Your profile says you're 17? Most folks recommend getting to know your car on the track in stock form before modding the heck out of it. My neighbor is an SCCA/PCA instructor and he even discourged me from swaping the run flats for my first track day.

Take it easy out there....skip the mods and buy HP driver education days :smile:

 

My friend has an E30 M3 race car as a "daily driver", and he hates getting in and out of his car because of the rollcage. He says it's a massive pain and a total frustration. Don't do it man. I know it'll look cool, but it's just not practical (said by a 21 year old guy who will be trading the MINI in for a Z06 corvette )

On the other hand, you might want to look into whether or not there's a roll cage with removable side bars? I head they have those for the corvette, I'm not sure if they make them for the MINI.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. As for your questions, I have been to driving schools in the past, and the "spirited" driving in the Malibu canyons is second nature. Besides, it isnt very spirited. Im leaning against getting it now. I will probably just get a sway bar or a leaned down roll cage so i can keep my rear seats.

Blake

 

Putting a thick metal tube in your car is a bad idea, for Street driving. Roll cages and helmets go together. Unprotected heads and metal do not.

If you keep the shiny side up, you won't need the roll bar/cage anyway.

That said, the entry/exit issue with a full roll cage is not really that big a deal unless the seats have really high sides - then it's a pain My track car has a cage and a removable steering wheel, and it's easy to ingress/egress.

If you are 17, you should learn to use your judgment to keep you safe, not throw money at the problem.