if your cage is done right it shouldnt even be close to your head!








...and without my helmet i can sway my head left and right and not be within 2" of the bar.

Spend some $ and do it right!

 

Back to the cage vrs. bar debate...
I know I am the FNG noob who should be seen and not heard... but I came across a great deal on a cage recently, and thought it would be pretty bitchin in my car, especially since I do a lot of high speed 4am mountain driving. So I did some research on cages in streetable cars, everything I've read on the subject shows the body stretching in the craziest ways when in a collision, and strongly warns against full cages in street cars. My .02 is with Savington, a frontal or side impact without a helmet would be like an aluminum bat upside the head.

BTW I respond to accidents on the 10 fwy in LA frequently, and continue to be amazed at what happens to bodies when subjected to strong external forces. So I chickened out and got a HDHCDD, and love it.

 

Because everyone knows you stay 100% perfectly in place during a serious accident. Cages are not safe on the street, stop trying to delude yourself and others into thinking otherwise.

 

On the street w/o a helmet, cages aren't great, but I think rappadan has room to talk about his cage after what it held up against not too long ago.

 

the lexus hit me doing like 40mph in reverse. and my head still didnt hit the roll bar. this could of happed to me on the street also...um person running red light. the cage is the only thing that saved my car and my life probally.

IF YOUR SERIOUS ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY THINK YOU WILL USE IT, GET IT!

 

FWIW, i really like my HDHCDD in my street car.

 

bringing back an old thread.....if you cage the car, you can either do no top, or bolt in hardtop only right?

if so, a very good reason to stick with a simple rollbar (yea, i've been shopping and dug this up)

 

In a street car, I say roll bar, and bolt in door bar maybe for track days.

 

already have cage. no soft top and bolting hard top in.

 

badass, waiting for pics

 

I love the look of the DD, and its the model I want to jump on ;p

Any chance you're rocking a duetto softtop w/glass?
Not sure if mine will fit!

 

I like the way the cage looks....I'm debating which route I want to go....especially since my doors are gutted.....(Rappadan, got any other pics of your cage???) ---- anyways, came across this semi cage and thought it was neat
http://www.flipsidecustoms.com/Galle...KellyMiata.htm

MiataExteriorandInterior004.jpg?t=1238889705
MiataExteriorandInterior006.jpg?t=1238889642
MiataExteriorandInterior011.jpg?t=1238889755
MiataExteriorandInterior013.jpg?t=1238889808

 

If I'm not mistaken the owner of that car is associated with this forum. Flipside customs was the shop, I'm thinking the owner was Kelly?

 

i wouldnt trust that half-cage construction... i dont know if thats just me but it does not appear to have enough support on windshield. i can imagine windshield colliding on roll over and banging you on the head/trapping you with that big *** bar.

 

Though I think it looks bad ***, I agree I wouldn't trust the design. As little as the windshield pillar is able to support, its pretty much like having that section of tubes just sticking out there by themselves. In a roll over I would be afraid they would end up crushing me into the seat. At least you would look bad *** doing so. Could be completely wrong though. Either way, I wouldn't want that setup without a helmet or padding.

 

You are correct.

 

Yes that's not a roll cage, it's a stiffening device. Think about it, ignoring the windsheild, the broomstick would completely fail. You font want that in a roll cage

 

I'd gut the bottom half of the door and modify the interior door panels to clear some side bars. Then you would still retail some semblance of a 'street' car with half the interior door panels still on there. You might even be able to retain the window function (rolling it up and down) with some creative fabrication.

Orrrrrr... gut the hole thing and you still have a decent armrest that doubles as crash protection.

 

Add the front hoop tracing the outline of the window down to the floor pan toward the firewall and you would have pretty interesting looking cage. Add some door/side bars and the funtionality would be pretty close to a more traditional looking cage. And if you are a tall guy (who isn't considered 'tall' compared to a lowered miata anyways?) it would make getting in and out of the car easier.

 

If "getting in and out of the car easier" is one of your considerations for a good cage, you don't need a cage.