Any recommendations for roll bars that are track approved, but dont require dismantling the factory roll hoops and surrounding trim?
Thank you in advance.

 

None that I know of or would trust.

There is no way to install a roll bar in this car without taking the rear interior out. Many have put it back in with a bunch of trimming and modification to fit around the rollbar but still have to remove it for the install. You also will be cutting into the body under the car for the plates the rear feet of the bar attach too but that is in the fender wells.

Not sure about keeping the roll hoops either with a proper roll bar in the car. But they are easy to remove and you can just keep them in case you ever take the bar back out again and want to go back stock.

My recommendations for a good roll bar that pretty much all tracks and groups will recognize that are built well are Hard Dog and Rockstar Garage. I have the latter in mine. All the interior I took out is on my shelves in the shop in case I ever wanted to take the bar back out.

 

I would also add EVS to the list with Hard Dog and Rockstar Garage. I'm also running a Rockstar Garage bar as well. I'll also give a nod to the Ballade Sports roll bar (as much as I hate them), but credit where credit is due.

I would not run any of the JDM ones - Cusco, Safety21, Mugen, etc. etc.

 

Billman has made his own brackets to avoid some of the complications of installing a roll bar. I don't think it is something he sells or if it's something you are even interested in but contacting him for more detail couldn't hurt and maybe even help you to make your own. I'm not sure but i think it bypassed him having to cut into the body of the car for install.

 

The sandwich plate is a key part of a rollbar design and its safety. And while you may be able to make it appear right to fool an inspector, those plates need to be under the body structure as designed and have the correct amount of surface area to meet the rules. I have never heard of Billman making any such thing as mentioned above but I do not see any way to retain the rules compliance and safety of the bar by not cutting and installing the lower plates.

There are lots of clubs and tracks that do not require a rollbar. Track Night in America at almost every track they run (a couple of tracks have their own rule) do not require them in an S2k. NASA HPDE that I ran before I installed one did not explicitly require them in an S2k. so if you are just trying to be able to run at the track and dont care about the safety part, then just check with the clubs around you and see if you need one. If you are installing a bar though, I would install it correctly and make it as safe as possible. Incorrectly installed bars can actually be more dangerous than no bar in a crash.

 

I could be wrong but i could have swore he told me this when i went earlier this year for some work on my S. I took a notepad and tried learning as much as I possibly could while there. As far as how safe it is i have no clue but i would just shoot him a PM if interested or for clarification. If I am wrong I am sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

Thank you for the replies. I appreciate the advice.