Sub 9.0 second roll cage discussion

Joshinator99 · 02-26-2024, 06:25 PM

So let’s talk roll cages. There’s a few of us living in the low 9 second range so this discussion needs to be had. And fortunately one of us (ahem, Jason lol) is already knocking on the 7 second door! Maybe I should have just sent him a PM.

I see RPM makes a weld in cage that is supposedly good to 8.50 but the NHRA spec looks to be really crazy to run below 8.50…more braces than the Golden Gate Bridge! What are you guys running? RPM, another brand, or custom? Or just frequent a really friendly track that doesn’t enforce the cage requirement?

I hardly drive my car on the street anymore and I’d hate to ruin that even farther with a crazy cage setup but not sure what else I can do if I want to race at my local track. I’m assuming you need a chute too…easy to remove if you want to drive on the street? What about the window netting? Or is all this stuff just a necessity and my street days are numbered?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Dirtbike · 02-26-2024, 10:15 PM

Custom is the only way to go IMO. I had a couple variations of "bolt in' roll bars/4pt etc in other platforms, but it's never really ideal. Most are going to be mild steel, and chromoly is what you want.

jlaudio11 · 02-27-2024, 08:57 AM

I've been wondering about this myself. If the car itself is good to 9.0, all of a sudden it needs a lot more to go 8.50? Can anyone educate me on the break points? I took my Camaro to dinner last night and work today. Yes I want to go faster but I also don't want a jungle gym to bash my head off of while driving on the street.

Joshinator99 · 02-27-2024, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlaudio11

I've been wondering about this myself. If the car itself is good to 9.0, all of a sudden it needs a lot more to go 8.50? Can anyone educate me on the break points? I took my Camaro to dinner last night and work today. Yes I want to go faster but I also don't want a jungle gym to bash my head off of while driving on the street.

Yeah we can go as fast as 9.0 or 150 MPH without a cage. Breaking either of those barriers necessitates the cage which I’m really not looking forward to. And even then, that cage only gets you to 8.50! The next step to go faster than 8.50 is really crazy… jungle gym lol…

jlaudio11 · 02-27-2024, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

Yeah we can go as fast as 9.0 or 150 MPH without a cage. Breaking either of those barriers necessitates the cage which I’m really not looking forward to. And even then, that cage only gets you to 8.50! The next step to go faster than 8.50 is really crazy… jungle gym lol…

No kidding! I run mostly 1/8 no prep locally but running it through the 1/4 I can feel how a chute would be helpful (over 150mph). I think I'll do it first but it's also an instant indicator on how fast the car is to competitors and tech officials lol.

Joshinator99 · 02-27-2024, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlaudio11

No kidding! I run mostly 1/8 no prep locally but running it through the 1/4 I can feel how a chute would be helpful (over 150mph). I think I'll do it first but it's also an instant indicator on how fast the car is to competitors and tech officials lol.

Yep, exactly! I already broke 150 MPH so the guy in the ticket booth looked at my ticket, looked at my car, looked at the ticket and the finally just handed me the ticket. So I could see he was thinking of busting my butt already lol…

2018ZL1 · 02-27-2024, 07:14 PM

I have the RPM bar in mine... more for piece of mind for me! I normally only do track rentals and they could give a rats ass if you run in the 8's without one! Put a Kirkey seat and a 5 point harness in as well! I ended up going off the deep end here with another Camaro! LOL! 2019 COPO that is certified to 8.50. NHRA also wants anyone under 10.0 to have a license! I need to get on that one...

Joshinator99 · 02-27-2024, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2018ZL1

I have the RPM bar in mine... more for piece of mind for me! I normally only do track rentals and they could give a rats ass if you run in the 8's without one! Put a Kirkey seat and a 5 point harness in as well! I ended up going off the deep end here with another Camaro! LOL! 2019 COPO that is certified to 8.50. NHRA also wants anyone under 10.0 to have a license! I need to get on that one...

Yeah the bar doesn’t help at the track at all since you can run 9.0 without it (as you know). The 9 second license was easy to get. This is the form I did: https://www.nhraracer.com/Files/StreetLegal.pdf

Friendly track rentals can’t be beat. Wish I didn’t live so far from Cecil County Dragway lol…those guys were great and that track is fast AF. Solid 3 tenths faster than my local track and less drama.

2018ZL1 · 02-27-2024, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

Yeah the bar doesn’t help at the track at all since you can run 9.0 without it (as you know). The 9 second license was easy to get. This is the form I did: https://www.nhraracer.com/Files/StreetLegal.pdf

Friendly track rentals can’t be beat. Wish I didn’t live so far from Cecil County Dragway lol…those guys were great and that track is fast AF. Solid 3 tenths faster than my local track and less drama.

I havent seen this! The one I was looking at is somewhat of a PITA to get, this not so much! Thanks!

Yea... Cecil is fast! Not sure if you had ever been to Capitol raceway? It is even faster than Cecil! Now its a no prep deal! I am not interested in putting my ride in the wall because of lack of prep! :/ April 14th Brandon is doing a spring brawl... I will be here to see what the 15 inch conversion and 100lb weight loss will do! Cant get here fast enough!

Joshinator99 · 02-28-2024, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2018ZL1

I havent seen this! The one I was looking at is somewhat of a PITA to get, this not so much! Thanks!

You’re welcome!

JSH · 02-28-2024, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

Yeah we can go as fast as 9.0 or 150 MPH without a cage. Breaking either of those barriers necessitates the cage which I’m really not looking forward to. And even then, that cage only gets you to 8.50! The next step to go faster than 8.50 is really crazy… jungle gym lol…

I knew about the 150 limit but not the 9.0, which is good news. I will not put another cage in a car, so I'll have to deal with these two limits.

Hammer-joe · 02-29-2024, 12:37 PM

Here's a few pics of my 8.50 cage on my 16 Camaro. Few other things to keep in mind. You will also need a window net and a parachute after 150mph. My cage is a 8.50 cert RPM and is fully welded in. It's not that bad getting in and out once you get use to it. The 16 Camaro has alot less chassis flex then my 18 Camaro with no cage. The rear view mirror and sun visors are useless.

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2018ZL1 · 03-01-2024, 04:12 PM

That looks good! I bet that bar that goes thru the dash up front is a major PITA to install! I would think the dash would have to be removed?

Joshinator99 · 03-01-2024, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2018ZL1

That looks good! I bet that bar that goes thru the dash up front is a major PITA to install! I would think the dash would have to be removed?

Agreed, probably pull the windshield to do that.

02-26-2024, 06:25 PM	#1
Joshinator99 Drives: 2017 Camaro 2SS A8 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Petersham MA Posts: 4,756	Sub 9.0 second roll cage discussion So let’s talk roll cages. There’s a few of us living in the low 9 second range so this discussion needs to be had. And fortunately one of us (ahem, Jason lol) is already knocking on the 7 second door! Maybe I should have just sent him a PM. I see RPM makes a weld in cage that is supposedly good to 8.50 but the NHRA spec looks to be really crazy to run below 8.50…more braces than the Golden Gate Bridge! What are you guys running? RPM, another brand, or custom? Or just frequent a really friendly track that doesn’t enforce the cage requirement? I hardly drive my car on the street anymore and I’d hate to ruin that even farther with a crazy cage setup but not sure what else I can do if I want to race at my local track. I’m assuming you need a chute too…easy to remove if you want to drive on the street? What about the window netting? Or is all this stuff just a necessity and my street days are numbered? Thanks for any and all feedback. __________________ 2017 Chevy Camaro 2SS A8 Whipple 3.0, Mast Black Label heads, Fore triple in-tank pumps, 112mm TB, LPE +52% injectors, LPE BB HPFP, 15” conversion *1059 WHP/944 WTQ, 9.48@150*

02-27-2024, 08:57 AM	#3
jlaudio11 Drives: Chevy Camaro Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: IN Posts: 193	I've been wondering about this myself. If the car itself is good to 9.0, all of a sudden it needs a lot more to go 8.50? Can anyone educate me on the break points? I took my Camaro to dinner last night and work today. Yes I want to go faster but I also don't want a jungle gym to bash my head off of while driving on the street. __________________ '20 Camaro LT1 Twin 67/62 turbo 401(L8t) Texas speed forged piston & rod, BTR stg1 turbo cam, holley ultra lo, port injection, circle d 3600 stall, hoosier bias ply quick time pro's on racestar recluse wheels 1.45 4.01 6.07@120.74 9.28@153.43 '94 Camaro Z28 6mt cc306 cam, 4:10's, longtubes with x pipe, getting an engine rebuild

02-27-2024, 07:14 PM	#7
2018ZL1 Drives: 2018 ZL1 A10 NFG Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Woodbine Md Posts: 655 View My Garage	I have the RPM bar in mine... more for piece of mind for me! I normally only do track rentals and they could give a rats ass if you run in the 8's without one! Put a Kirkey seat and a 5 point harness in as well! I ended up going off the deep end here with another Camaro! LOL! 2019 COPO that is certified to 8.50. NHRA also wants anyone under 10.0 to have a license! I need to get on that one... __________________ 2018 ZL1-NFG-A10 New Iron L8T 9.32 147MPH

02-29-2024, 12:37 PM	#12
Hammer-joe Drives: 18 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: In the garage Posts: 46	Roll Cage Here's a few pics of my 8.50 cage on my 16 Camaro. Few other things to keep in mind. You will also need a window net and a parachute after 150mph. My cage is a 8.50 cert RPM and is fully welded in. It's not that bad getting in and out once you get use to it. The 16 Camaro has alot less chassis flex then my 18 Camaro with no cage. The rear view mirror and sun visors are useless.

03-01-2024, 04:12 PM	#13
2018ZL1 Drives: 2018 ZL1 A10 NFG Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Woodbine Md Posts: 655 View My Garage	That looks good! I bet that bar that goes thru the dash up front is a major PITA to install! I would think the dash would have to be removed? __________________ 2018 ZL1-NFG-A10 New Iron L8T 9.32 147MPH

02-26-2024, 10:15 PM	#2
Dirtbike Drives: Chevrolet Camaro Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: AL Posts: 39	Custom is the only way to go IMO. I had a couple variations of "bolt in' roll bars/4pt etc in other platforms, but it's never really ideal. Most are going to be mild steel, and chromoly is what you want.

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