Looking to install a bolt in roll bar. I have seen the Bones type on ebay, and don't like the construction. Does anyone have experience with Autopower, or any other quality brand?

 

Why don't you like the construction of the Bones??

What do you want from the roll bar? Track only, street only, bothe, Back seet access?

 

Track and street, need harness mounting bar, don't need back seat access.
I didn't care for the way the sections bolted together on the Bones. I'm not suggesting they are not a fine bar, just not what I want in the look and type of construction.

 

I am thinking about one for the Phil Wicks series next year!

 

buy a tubing bender, learn to tig weld and have at it in the car .

 

im thinking of a bolt in rollbar too... is there ANY that gives back seat access (autopower i know it does), yet i wont have to tear apart the car to put it in?

 

Don't know the Phil Wicks, do you have a link?

 

Heard about it on White Roof Radio, Eppisode #21 and #18

http://minichallenge.minimania.com/UMDA.htm

But his web page for next year's series is not up yet.

 

I just finished up my roll bar . Luckily I have a tig welder and a tubing bender but in hindsight I would for sure 110% buy a bolt in. It was much more time consuming than I had planned to get everything bent exactly just right (lotsa trial and error) plus its obviously a fairly permanent deal compared to the bolt in. Not to mention the pain in the butt of having to mask off EVERYTHING inside and outside of the car to paint the cage once it is all welded in place so as to not get overspray on anything. I believe the bolt ins are already painted of course.

 

Keep in mind that BMW Club Racing has classes for the MINI Cooper and the Cooper S in both Stock and Prepared. The Cooper is in L Stock/Prepared and the Cooper S in J Stock/Prepared. The car can also be built for Modifed. The Non S is either E or F Mod (not sure) and the S would run in D Mod.


Finally, BMW CR also has a class for Spec MINI, however it has not taken off yet. I think it will take a couple more years before Spec MINI gets momentum.

Vince
BMW Club Racer

 

Check out MINI Mania http://new.minimania.com/web/TextSea..._Inventory.cfm

 

The Built-by-Bones does. I have one in my mini, and may also be selling it this winter as I'm going full comp.
It's an excellent bar and the connections are the best I've seen as far as strength goes. Very ridged.
It lets you use all the rear seat functions. Below is a picture of mine with the removable diagonal and horizontal bars installed. I have no back seat.

 

hey onasled

if you are parting the car let me know if you are interested in selling the rollbar

o yeah, one last hting, does it require major surgery to the inside?

 

Not major. You do need to cut out two, approximately 3"x5" , pieces of the carpet to bolt it to the floor behind the seats and drill a 1.5" hole into each rear plastic interior side panel for the rear braces.

 

I saw in another thread that the driving requirements for the Phil Wicks series is pretty light. I don't know if I'd want to race against someone who's only done one track day. If this is the case, it sounds like a recipe for disaster.

With regards to the roll bar, there is a part of it that holds the harnesses in the correct position. See onasled's photo. There are some roll bars on which that portion is flat, and some tech inspectors believe that in the event of a serious impact it can act like a knife on the harnesses. Make sure that the part that supports the harnesses is rounded.

 

I just wish that NASA and BMWCCA could get together on the specs, as I believe it would foster faster growth of the Spec MINI series for both!

 

You need to go to WRR and listen to episode 18. Phil says over and over that you are watched at all times. If your skills are not up to par, you don't get to race.

I honestly doubt that very few first timers will get to race. But say if you have 3-4 track dates under your belt, you have the skills, And you can actually run the track without being a moving chicane....

 

Well, for next year there will be 7 "races" for the North American M.C. Challenge, run by Phil Wicks. As long as there are more than 5 cars and less than 20, it will be a success. As you know, the NASA ones are really packed, and get dangerous

Sounds fun to me !!!!

 

How/where do you access the underside of the car for the backing plates on the upper supports?

 

I'm also looking into a roll bar since I want 6p harnesses in my car, rear seat is getting thrown out so no access is needed back there. Autopowers bar looks real nice. Shipping is killing me though, do you guys know of any european dealers? How are your experiences with Autopower?

 

You may want to check out Safety Devices. They are in England so shipping should be more reasonable. I had a Safety Devices cage in my Fire Arrow rally car & it fit perfect, just like a glove.

http://www.safetydevices.com/compone...page/Itemid,1/