Anyone regret putting a cage in their car?

[Sizeth3]

Just curious if anyone has regretted putting a cage in their car, or has been in my situation.

I have a 13 GT with a Procharger stg 2 and an A6. Altitude corrected it has run somewhere in the neighborhood of 11.0 @ 130, however I race at 3500+ DA, and currently run 11.5 @ 125, which is keeping my within a few hundredths of the roll bar limit.

I know I am leaving a lot on the table with the stock converter, my fastest time slip had a high 1.9 60'. However, I know my track will boot me if I drop below 11.5 without a cage.

Kinda sucks because it has basically put me in a place where, either I put a cage in my car, or I am done modding. I am interested in a Circle D 5c, E85, weight reduction, bigs/littles, cat deletes, etc. However, I know pretty much all of these mods will drop me below the limit. A good DA day technically could.

So I am curious if anyone has been in this boat, and what did you do. I suppose I could put a converter in my car and just enjoy it on the street, but that kind of sucks .

Thanks!

 

[rustang1]

I'm in the same boat as you. I need a cage but don't know if I want it in a street car since I will need to get a 10 point.

 

[11Sec_Lx]

I feel for you, man. That stinks! You could always just bite the bullet and get swing outs for the door bars. Put sfi padding everywhere and roll with it. The plus side is, if you were ever to get in accident at the track, you will be far better off.

 

[Paul.]

Cages are horrible in streetcars.

You haven't even run the number yet, so don't worry about it.

 

[Riddick]

I would not put a cage in a car you plan on driving a lot on the street. I know chances are low but if you get in a wreck on the street your chances of getting hurt are higher since you could bang your head on the steel bar. Padding would help but its not a chance I would be willing to take, especially if you put kids in your car. Also if you put a cage in your car when you go to get rid of it there is a much smaller pool of people who would consider it. Now, if you plan on keeping the car for awhile and just drag racing it then cut it all up and have fun with it.

As for the track just stick to track rentals. If you run during rentals tracks dont enforce any types of rules. I am not sure how it is where you live but here in MD there are multiple rentals every year you just have to get with the group renting the track out.

 

[noldevin]

I second what Riddick said. Cages are pretty much a no for a street car unless you plan on driving everywhere with a helmet on.

 

[pep fab]

full cage and frame connectors makes night and day difference in a fox body (those car flex a lot) but i dont feel newer cars will benefit as much.

and as stated, full cage is no fun on the street, roll bar and removable side bars are not as bad

 

[JLear]

I'd do a bolt in 6 point with removable door bars, that is what I plan on doing real soon. I would rather take my chances with a padded bar and harness vs. factory seat belts and crushed in roof.

 

[F.D.Sako]

I have a welded-in custom rollbar in mine. No ragrets!
Only thing is, the rollbar amplifies my already loud gear whine, so now I have surround sound gear whine.

Keep in mind, my boss is not my DD, but a weekend/track car. So I also roll around with race seats and 6-pt harnesses whenever I take it out on the weekends. I could see the race seats being a hassle for a DD. Sometimes in tight parking lots where you can't open the door wide enough, it becomes a pain to get in and out... with a full cage, it'd be pain x1.5!

 

[Weather Man]

I suspect that you only truly regret NOT installing a roll bar when you roll into the guard rail without one. I installed a 6 point in my 08 GT in respect of the power it is making.

 

[5lho]

Having been in a rollover wreck in an s197, I'd say they are pretty tough. I walked away from this with two busted ribs, which a cage would not have helped. The way a 6 point is positioned, I'd have been more at risk from the cage than the rollover.

 

[MKMotorsport]

I have a 6 point in my convertible. I was going to do a 4 point only but to run <13.50 in an open top you need a 6 point and SFI harnesses. It pains me to think of the resale value but I keep my junk till it dies and then some so not so many worries there. It is safer and the car being a convertible is noticeably stiffer with it, not sure that would be true of a coupe (the noticeable chassis rigidity improvement)

The harnesses take some getting used to in a DD, and will get the attention of whomever you have to strap into the passenger seat

 

[stangn]

I have a Wolfe Race Craft 6 pt in my car. I mounted the hoop with Maximum Motorsports adapters so it farther back. The side bars are removable and with Recaro's there is no way my head could contact the hoop.

You can always find a reasons to be unsafe, but only 1 to be safe. Your life!!!

 

[Scott8583]

I run bottom 9's without a bar or cage, granted I should have one. I wouldn't put a bar in a streetcar slower then 10.00's

 

[GNBRETT]

they suck and make all kinds of noises and amplify the ones u never knew were even there smh. not to mention its really DANGEROUS unless u plan on driving around every time u take it out with a Helmet on.

even with padding it cud break ur neck. terrible idea for a street car plus it adds another 100 lbs or so if u go Chromoly