I'm reluctant to add a rollbar b/c they tend to ruin the look of the car (for me). However, I want to get started in road racing and was hoping someone could tell me what the nicest looking rollbar out there is for our car. I assume there are few options to begin with. I was at Pocono this weekend and saw some reall nice ones for the Z3. Some even had integrated windscreens.

Thanks for any help.

 

The nicest one is the one that saves your life.

I wouldn't consider looks as even a close second - I'd want it to work well. At such time as I figured out which ones I was interested in and had checked the specs closely, *then* I might consider looks.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jguerdat
[B]The nicest one is the one that saves your life.

 

Miata.

 

I don't have a rollbar (yet) since I'm not tracking. However, the three that I've seen here that would interest me most would be (in order of preference):

1) The SCCA-approved (hopefully) bar that is being produced by Wael el-Dasher - you can find recent posts and pictures in this forum. Not yet available. ~$700, I think.

2) A custom one-off Triple-H had made. $~1500 See here...

3) The Bitterman rollbar which you can find via posts in this forum or the various for sale forum(s). ~$600. Pictures here.

Note that these are not absolute picks since none of them have been subjected to specific tests. The reason I put the Bitterman bar last (not that it's somehow of lesser quality) is that some compromises were made for ease of fitment which makes me wonder about its strength in certain situations. I am NOT a structural engineer and these picks are straight off the top of my head as opposed to scientific. Choose wisely and CYA...

 

The nicest rollbar I've seen, is on the IRL S2000 pace car

 

Anyone know what rollbar is on the s2000 in this Best Motoring vid? It's an Amuse prepped car, but not sure if they make a rollbar. Any idea it meets track regulations? Looks a bit low, but I like it.

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...threadid=121809

 

If you are serious about tracking your car then any obsession you have with looks will soon disappear. Function become far more important. If you plan to do any significant amount of tracking your car is going to take a beating.

Dents and dings, scratched up and brake dust encrusted wheels and a filthy interior are just a few of the sacrafices you will make.

The ELDA bar is my recommendation. SCCA approved and non intrusive. The bitterman bar requires removal of almost all of the panelling covering the stock hoops and top tray (including the hoops themselves). Other than that you can have a custom one done.

 

Actually, I think we're overstating this a bit. The ELDA bar is *designed* to SCCA Solo1 specs - I don't know that it is, or will be, SCCA-certified.

 

jguerdat, you are correct. The SCCA does not certify anything for liability issues (e.g. what if the welder does something incorrectly, even if the bar is to spec?) However, as I understand it, the specifications required are indeed due to testing that they have conducted.

So basically what they are saying is: "If you build it this way, and build it right, we believe that you are protecting yourself reasonably enough." Which coming from a body with much experience in dealing with wrecks and such (internal politics aside) is better in my book than someone else's " i think it is good enough".

bassem