Does anyone have one or, has anyone installed one before? I got a killer deal on one and will be putting it in shortly. looks like the daily driver is going full race before I had planned but, such is life.

p.s. this is their SCCA legal full cage. the real question is where if anyone has done one they cut the rear side panels to attach the rear down tubes to the rear (not sure which) shock towers or wheel wells?

I would love some pics if anyone has some.

 

I don't have the cage but the bar, most probably the same rear section.

I have body panels and the install is CLEAN ... look at my gallery, and or let me know if I can help

 

Looks good but I cant see where they go into the panels. do you have any shots from the front of the car looking at the mounting point? and something else I was thinking about, did you use any kind of rubber gromits or anything of that nature to cover the cut portion?

 

i'd like to know how and where you did the drilling took place too.. as i am getting interested at a roll-bar (a 4pt. for me probably)

 

Well, since I am screwed in this area at the moment...I can help you out. FYI...I bought an AP 6-point THINKING the cages were the same for all makes and models. At least that's how it's portrayed on the AP website. It turns out that I have a Non-sunroof application. It's like an 1 1/2'' too tall. I need one for a sunroof! I am gonna call AP Monday and see if they will do a trade...

Anyways, the cage mounts as far back as you can go with it behind the seats. Center it and drill. Watch out for the harnesses underneath. Someone has done this and I shall not speak his name. The the hoop braces in the back mount on the very aft section of the wheel well. Right behind the last groove.

 

I have a sunroof and got the non-sunroof version. I just planed on cutting it down to size. It also has nascar style door bars that I will be cutting out as well so I thought I would do it all in one big plasma cutting party.

 

I just want to say that Autopower is the bomb! They are making me a mooroof 6-point application. Talk about 150% customer suppport! hELL YES!

 

Yes, it is SCCA legal but that doesn't make it safe. It's knowmn as the "death cage" though it is not really a cage.

 

That's quite a statement you've just made. Care to elaborate on it ???

 

It all depends on how you value safety. Just ask around and you'll get the picture. If you want safety and rigidity for improved handling build a cage.

 

I don't have any first-hand experience with roll cages. What makes this one unsafe, and why does it not qualify as a "cage"? Is it the intrinsic design and placement of the tubing itself, or is the Autopower implementation/construction sub-par?

 

Crashing and getting crashed into can be serious business. True safety cages start at around $3500. Bolt/weld-in cages like this are child’s play. On a scale of 1-1000; I give it a 30. The Safety Devices cage such as is used in the UK Mini Challenge: 40. Search what onasled has to say about cages and check out his. Or come by the race shop and see ours.

 

I asked you & you gave me a very vague answer. Just what is it about the Autopower cage that you dislike so much to make the statement it's a death cage?? Yes a custom fabbed cage built by a reputable shop is going to be worlds better than any bolt in cage. That being said for someone running a few track days the cost is way over the top. For someone wheel to wheel racing the choice is much easier.

 

Just cause it is a "bolt in" doesnt mean everyone BOLTS them in!!! I plan on welding it in, and welding all connection points! Is there a safty issue with the stock mounting points with this cage or is this another "dyno" issue?

I think any cage weather it be welded or bolted in is going to be safer then the stock supports in a roll over, especially in a sun roofed car! (what I drive at PCA, DE's and open track events)

so whats the deal? do you have any accounts of people being killed by these cages? (guess the "death cage" comes from them!?!) do you have any videos of cages failing? (most caged cars on track are running video) or is this just your edjucated guess?

BTW, I am getting this cage from Brad Davis, A VERY respected Mini Racer, and Manager of Mini of Charleston / BMW. I respect his knowlege WAY more then some vender that seems to have a problem with people sharing their dyno charts and views that differ from your own!

(dont bother coming back with dyno's are for tuning, its old and we arnt interested in it) Lets see cage info only, if you want to prove yourself correct.

 

by the way your webpage still sucks! I would spend more time TRYING to get it updated.

 

Instead of having to take my word for it you ought to research it yourself. And it is not me who gave it that name; for many years it has been known as that by many racers.
Since this car will mostly be a street car (a few track days) you are better off with not putting one in because you have to disable the side curtain air bags.

 

I think your cage statements are a little skewed. How can you say the Autopower (or any other cage for that matter) is child' play? It's a 6-point cage! It has all the necessary angles covered and even comes with door guards. How is this a "death cage"? You aren't supposed to run airbags with a cage anyways. That's how people can get killed...When the airbag deploys and is deflected because of the bars. That's not the cage's fault. Plus, it's made with 1.75" DOM tubing. You might be able to strenghten the cage a little more by adding extra points but I doubt it. Plus, a bolt in or weld in are in the same strenght class. If you have a huge crash and it rips a bolt-in from the floor....it's gonna do it even with a weld in. The floor is still gonna come apart.

 

This is ridiculous...someone buys a roll cage which he has no idea about, then he asks for people's opinions, and when he gets them, he personally attacks someone because he doesn't like the opinion.

Wow. Really impressive.

If you already knew what you bought was the greatest thing in the world, why ask? And if you weren't ready for negative opinions from experienced people, why bother? And if you can't handle _possibly_ making a poor purchase, why buy something without doing the proper research?

mb

 

I was asking for your word, because you made a very provocative statement about the Autopower cages safety. Seams to me if you make such a statement you must have some facts to support it. I haven't raced for a number of years, but in all my years of racing & pro rallying I've never heard an Autopower cage called a death cage. There is no argument from me as to whether a custom fabbed cage is better. Absolutely it's better, it's just not doable by most folks.

I most likely will just do with an Autopower rear bar. That way the airbags can remain in place. Later if I decide to get more serious I can upgrade to a cage.

I'm sorry someone in this thread is attacking you. I don't understand why that's happening. My intentions are to gain some valuable knowledge from your insight & experience as a race car mechanic.

Merry Christmas

 

Yes, necessary but not sufficient.
Have you completely researched how cages are supposed to work? The cage blocks the air bag in both the A pillar and the roof. You better invest in a good seat, HANS, and belts.
I just saw and noted that this is not a "full race" cage as was stated. And since this is in the "Suspension" forum I noted that it will do little to improve the handling.

 

The original poster IS talking about Autopower's 6-point cage, I believe. It will provide some suspension improvement by stiffening up the unibody. That's about it. I will be running the cage (as soon as the replacement is finished being built ). But, like DMH stated...you do need some good seats and belts. The HANS device is not necessary but recommended. Especially, if this is primarly a street driven car.

 

This "cage" does not tie into the suspension pickup points thus it will not really help the handling all that much.
And for a street driven car the air bags are superior to this "cage."

I'll leave it at that.

 

ok I asked around I heard some similair things to what you have said. I havent heard this thing get called a death cage, but not much better!

So sorry for getting fresh dmh, but you arnt very subtle.

 

Just from a safety standpoint, what does everyone think of the addition of just the race type roll bar for atuocross applications? On the surface this appears to add rollover protection while allowing the airbags to perform as designed. Thoughts?

 

well... i ran it by a professional who builds his cages out of chorm-molybeium, some material like that on their BMWs, and he said autopower rollbar is sufficient, but defenitely not the best, and he told me rather spend 1k on a cage like that, spend a bit more on a custom one is best, whether it is on a street car or a track car, i dont believe he referred to the autopower as a death cage, but it does support to what dmh is trying to say

while it could be him trying to make a sale, but he's a decently reputable guy from Raven Performance of Toronto, ON, I know him through BMWCC track school and club events... but apparently the owner goes alot deeper than that