Hi,
I'm going to start participating in track days in the near future. I've done some research on what my options are and i'm pretty sure i'm going to go for the elda engineering roll bar. But, since i don't want to have the bar in the car for street driving (no helmet = safety issue), and since i'm only goin to be doing 2-3 events a years, I was wondering how easy it was to install and remove from the car. I realize that over time i would get better at it, but how long do installs, and removals typically take??

Thanks alot for the help,
Matt.

 

That's not really practical, if I understand the design correctly.

 

What's your reasoning for wanting a rollbar for track events? Is it true rollover protection or simply for "helmet height" rules? I'm assuming you mean for performance driving type track events rather than wheel-to-wheel racing?

If I were you I'd check into the guidelines for safety equipment on your car and you might find that you could get by with just purchasing a hardtop (salvage one that might not be in mint cosmetic condition should save some coin) rather than trying to build some sort of compromise rollcage to accomodate being able to remove it for street driving.

Just a thought...

 

The Elda bar is not really practical to remove. After the many hours or days to do the initial install, it would take hours each time just removing and replacing all the stock plastic trim, and likely hours to do/undo the bar, and then when not installed you would have to plug lots of holes. So not realistic.

 

The reason i need a bar is to comply with the rules of scda or other similar clubs which offer track days. I'm not looking to get into any wheel-to-wheel type of events. I thought that the roll bar was probably best since it offered more protection than a hard top and costs thousands less. I was hoping the roll bar would be my best bet, but it seems as if the convinience of the hard top is worth the extra green. Are my fears about street driving while having the roll bar installed well founded??? I doubt that having a metal bar that close to your head (regardless of padding, harnesses, and racing seats) on the street is a very good idea. Hmmmm, well thanks for all the help, i guess i'll be on the look out for a hardtop in the near future...unless there is another solution that i'm not seeing?

thanks again,
Matt

 

For me personally, I think the risk/benefit of driving on the street with the Elda bar is acceptable, if not a plus. I am 5' 7" and my seat is a few notches forward with my head inches lower and well forward of the bar (I am also generally in my Recaro SPG which is very low), so it would need to be a very bad accident for my head to possibly hit the bar, and in the case of a rollover on the street, it might help. So to me the potential risk vs the potential benefit is acceptable.

 

A hardtop will do ZERO for you in a rollover. It's basically like having an aluminum can over your head.

Removing the rollbar is not really an option. It's easily a full day of work.

 

I concur that the hardtop is almost useless in a rollover. The only reason I suggested it was as a potential alternative to a compromise rollcage which, in my opinion can be just as bad if not worse in a rollover...or even in day-to-day driving.

If increased safety is the primary concern, have a rollbar/cage built to fit the car appropriately. If rules compliance is the primary concern, evaluate alternative options since a rollbar may not be the most practical solution.