BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

I dont need the pics now but thanks anyway. I really really wanted to put the hoop on that platform thing your talking about but when I mocked it up there, I found I couldnt put the sail panels back in without cutting them all up. I moved the hoop foward and cut the plates a bit to fit. I hope the track dont make me pull the carpet. I think if my welds look real good then they wont inspect the rest with a fine comb.

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

Yeah I had to chop up the interior side pieces a little bit. Then it took me at least 20+ minutes to shoehorn the head liner in there.

MCas7

I was told to leave my headliner in, I wonder if they told me that just so they can fit the main hoop and then i will have to take it out? I would think that when you weld the rear bars to the top of the main hoop that the liner would catch fire.

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I would test fit and trim the main hoop with it in. You will get some splatter with a MIG so you have to pull out the interior. I've seen pics of people doing it with TIG. Which supposely doesn't splatter as much. They take a wet cloth and put it up against the liner then put a steel plate on the cloth so it's weld|plate|cloth|liner that way the plate gets hot and just steams the cloth doesn't hurt the liner. I would remove all interior though after test fitting is done.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

I know when I did mine I had my liner out, even when fitting. left enough space to slid my fingers between the bottom of the roof and top of the hoop. Got lucky as we had to wiggle the liner into place when we were done so it was "just right"

On a few others I've installed for people that left the liner in both vinyl-older cars and cloth-like ours I used a good size peice of metal between the liner and hoop. Thick enough to bend with a good amount of grunt, but thin enough to allow maximum clearance. Did'nt use a wet cloth, but sounds like a good idea. I never had any sinjing/burning problems to date, but now that I announced it, It's sure to happen on the next one!! Good tip.

PhilM

IHI, I also took the liner out when I did mine, and left just enough space. I think the toughest portion of the project was sliding the liner back in. We've used cardboard with foil over it before, too, to protect the liner when we couldn't remove it. I sympathize with your earlier comment about being tall. I'm 6'3", and my helmet is constantly banging the t-tops...

@ZZKKER

iTrader: (1)

good thing i have a set of track t tops (what i consider junk) and a nice set for daiyly driving.

thanks
anthony

IHI

iTrader: (1)

LOL Phil, your really in a bad spot then-wont know how bad until the worst happens..."that's gonna leave a mark" We're redoing the door bars in friends Malibu right now and he installed a set of after market plastic seats. He's got a 4" cowl that before-he's short-just guessed when he took right hand turns so he raised the platform for the new seats. Plenty of head room for him with helmet, but when I sat in it my bare head was rubbing the roof. Asked how I'm gonna drive it now and he laughed at me?! Gonna have to do the Forest Gump I guess, cant tilt these seats since we have to install a brace to the back of it and tie it into the cage. Oh well, jumping into bike class this year too so I already have 3 classes to worry about Cant wait to see the look on the bike guys face when I pull up on the pit bike!! The new track manager said it'd be okay to run it, last year clicked off some consistent 28.84 sec passes, so the poor guys are gonna have a 19 sec wait...can you say red light or break out!!!! $200 to win, what the heck-plus the new program will give plenty of time between classes so I wont be running around like last season-be staged in one class and then they'd call up my other class, now that bit buffalo *****. Just need to get time so we can fab up our conduit wheelie bar, hate to lose control and flip my lil 50cc on me. More for play and giving the spectators something to laugh about, think how stupid I'm gonna look running against a 8 sec bike. Ahh cant wait, been a long winter!!

PhilM

The pit bike is great! When I worked at Mason Dixon, every time one of the bikes would break, there was one of the racers who would loan out his pit bike as a replacement. That damn thing won many rounds against 8 second bikes!

as for my hoop, I am hoping a seat change will help to lower my head!

IHI

iTrader: (1)

Ahh, so my theory's been proven already..Yeah baby!!:lala:

As for the seat issue, that's kind of a stumper. Our factory seats sit pretty dang close to the floor pan already, my 3rd gen and the new 4th gen seats seem about the same. Maybe so clearance could be had with the plastic racing buckets since you could fab them to sit almost directly on the floor, I do know your butt sits into the seat a little deeper with those style seats, and with the padded covers one could live with the fact they're kinda uncomfortable. I know in the truck I have to remove my wallet and tin of chew other wise my hind end gets pinched on both sides literally. Have'nt had the pleasure of plunkering down into a set of Sparco's yet so maybe somebody could share some details with the higher end seats and possible more head room. Good luck

PhilM

So you have 4th gen seats in your car now, and they are the same height? I was hoping they would be shorter.

westman

Just out of curiosity, could you leave in the carpet for installation? I mean cut out the holes for the plates and just cover them up later?

PhilM

if you mean leave the carpet in after the install, yes, but not during. welding + carpet = fire...

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, those plates and bars get a little hot once you start welding on them. You should definitly remove the carpet. Might beable to get away with prying it up and shifting it around using boards to prop it off the floor and move each time during different welds but that would take more effort than just pulling it. After you've pulled it all once it's easy I've had my carpet in and out of my car at least 3 times now.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

Aside from being newer material so it looks better, the overall seat is pretty much identical. Mine are from a 98 bird, but would assume they'd be pretty close through both makes and years of 4th gens.

Wesman, dude, pull the carpet. with all the grinding to find fresh metal to weld the plates too and spatter going everywhere when doing the bars, the extra 30min. it takes to rip it out is WELL worth it, not only that, but a good excuse to get new stuff when you put it back together

BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

ya and might even find some money in places you never seen beofre when you pull all your interior out. I have been thinking of trying to use something on my steering wheel like the boys in mascar use. Something with a locking clip to take the wheel off so I can get out a lot easier. Getting in isnt a big problem since I put my hand on the wheel and step in. Getting out a bit harder, Maybe I'll just get use to it over time though

IHI

iTrader: (1)

LOL, tell me I'm not the only one that "rolls out" of the car. Found it easier to step out with my right leg first so my belly rolls over the door bar so to speak Gettin in's real easy, had to laugh when I took my grandpa for a ride this summer, told him he was a permenant fixture unless he could get hiself out, lol!! Ended up having to lift/tug to get his old butt out. Then of course he was making fun of me for having to do gymnastics to drive a car

PhilM

Funny! I am still the only person who can climb into my car without terrible amounts of swearing and bending in numerous directions...I think it just takes getting used to.

@ZZKKER

iTrader: (1)

the power 4th gen seats can go a little lower than the power 3rd gen seats, so a little clearance is gained.

as for rolling out of the car, thats why i bought the swing out kit, but i should have nought the comp engineering ones as the sw are 2 peice ones and are a pain to install.

thanks
anthony

Riley's35089rs+

You are looking at around 1500 to have the thing welded in at most speed shops...ask me how I know>>>I bought the swing out bars for the drivers side...

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

Wow! I paid 300 bucks for my install. Course I removed all the interior that I could and fabbed up the plates to the contour of the floors. I even used a cutter and trimmed the main hoop to the right length and then marked all the connecting points of the bars. Only thing the welder had to do was help me cut the bars (he did most of the work since he was very experienced with a torch) and mig it all in. I worked with him to reduce the cost of labor and since I was right there I was able to give my input on certain things which made stuff go a lot quicker.

@ZZKKER

iTrader: (1)

i think he included the chassis welding in that figure (seam welding and the cage).

thanks
anthony

Riley's35089rs+

maybe, I didnt specify ALL the interior would be out.....but free is still better,,,

MCas7

The install has started. Check my website for pictures. I would post them here, but they are too big.

MrDude_1

from your webpage:


that makes it not NHRA legal.

MCas7

What about IHRA?

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I'm willing to bet the techs might frown and fail you on the plates (read wrong the first time I thought you were talking about front sidebar plates). Course I really have no clue either, but from what I remember it says 6x6 steel plates are need'd.

I used a hammer to smooth out the area of the main hoop mounting spot that way I put the whole plate on the piece without having to bend it. It was a PITA hammering on that seam. Oh, then the welder add'd material under that back corner and made 2 little triangles to connect the corner where you cut off to the floor pan.

When I did my install I cut my steel plates too but only on the transmission crossmember bars (which don't require plates). All the rest I simply used a BFH and propped them against a board and smacked them to make a curve in the plate then I hand formed them before the welder even got them.

MCas7

Well I hope what he did is ok, because I can't really undo what he did. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

MrDude_1

if you recarpet the car, it'll probly never be found....



would i feel safe flipping the car like that? yes.

is it TECHNICLY not legal? yea. its not legal.

will anyone ever make a issue out of it? probly not.

FIREBIRD7777

Here is some picturs of my install might give some ideals, I bought mine from sphoon as well.

FIREBIRD7777

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IHI

iTrader: (1)

Ahhh Firebird7777, the guy that gave inspiration for me to install my 4th gen interior. Used alot of your pics from your site as references and modded what I saw fit. I'm sure you've gotten alot of questions regarding your swap as I know I have, PITA at the time, but well worth the effort once it was done. I know I as well as many others have forwarded your web addy to alot of others for questions since you did such a great job a step by step tutorial. You've definately got more patience for tech articles than I have I just wanna "Get'er Done!!"

FIREBIRD7777

Thanks man, well at the time i just got lucky with finding the wrecked firehawk i used, and i just went for it, but that guy over in sweden that did the camaro swap is what gave me my inspiration. Since the pictures i posted i have pulled everything back out , to accomplish what i started, putting in my 383 motor, t-56 swap and do all the wireing that you and everyone else has fiqured out. So now its my turn to use everyone else how to's for the wireing and gauges

and other misc stuff, like zepher fiquring out the door handels, which i have now swapped over. I think every one has a part in fiquring out this swap , what i did was just a simple mock up . As far as technical article well I only wish i could have taken more time writting that up now. But I didnt have a shop or anything to lay out the parts and take my time taking pictures . Im glad somone did get use out of my site though.

your the guy who broke the wireing codes, and posted the how to on that ? you have the red firebird with the roll cage ? grey trans am dash . Your car is awesome !

MCas7

Well more progress on the roll bar. They are almost done with everything. Check my website for more pictures.

V6canvas

iTrader: (1)

Wow some of these cars are too sweet!!:hail: :hail:

Regarding aftermarket seats, I have Corbeu's CR1s and I love 'em. The only problem is, it raises you up about 0.5-1", so now my head hits the roof (I'm 6'3", hardtop). This is due to the mounting bracket that had a ~1" rise on it. I'll be taking it to a shop hopefull soon to cut and reweld the mounting bracket so I don't have to either slouch or tilt my head


All these cages are making me want to get my car to go fast. I hate being so slow!

Riley's35089rs+

Just Do it Darn it!:lala:

V6canvas

iTrader: (1)

I want to!!! Problem is cashflow right now, what I want to do probably cost around $15k, if I'm gonna do it, I'm doing it right.

Plan is LS1 w/ cam (possibly heads too) LT headers, T56, SFC, tubular k-memeber & a arms, LCAs, LCARBs, fiberglass hood (does anyone make one that looks stock?), lower it a bit ~1". Also want to do some body work (I had a little accident last year), repaint the whole thing and stitch weld the body.

Long term, involves intercooled twin turbos putting out about 15 psi, lower the CR, but I think that will have to wait since a heads and cam LS1 will feel like a rocketship compared to what I have now

Basically it'll look stock, esp to the uneducated, but will blow ppl away.

-Steve

MCas7

Roll bar is complete! I picked it up last night and everything looked great! It's going to take some getting used to with climbing in and out, but I'm very happy with the final product. Go to my website for more pictures. If anyone wants different pictures that I don't have posted, let me know and I'll snap anything you want.

Riley's35089rs+

Looks good! Snap up some covers!