Full cage build thread
 

My black turbo track whore, as well as the blue MaX5 racer are getting their cages done this winter.

Work will start around the end of November and it should complete before the end of this year. Together with some other new MaX5 cars.

Black Turbo
The black car will keep it's hard top, so the cage will be custom fit below that. I will probably lower the seat a bit by removing the floor humps.
The black car has the Hard Dog Ace currently - do I have them extend the full cage to that - or have them remove it first? Safety first!

Blue MaX5
The blue car will be raced open and the default MaX5 cage is higher so a hard top will never fit again. I am considering getting a lower cage, so I can fit a hard top for transport, track days and future plans - but will be raced open as per MaX5 rules.

Please show my your cages, links to off the shelf SM cages and other ideas? What do cages cost in the US? Fully welded CrMo.

Miatacage.com

I based mine off these guys. I only have the back part though.

Miatacage looks good, but I don't think shipping steel is an option.
These guys will do the build:
Autotaal Montfoort Motorsports - Bouw

Curious to the helmet to roll bar clearance and the (im)possibility to every take the hard top off and back on again.

I'll snap a few photos of mine this week while we're prepping for paint. I've seen a few different cage designs and I like mine the best. TC Designs in San Jose did it.

Cool. What are the specific details you like/wanted?

ATM has built cages like this one. Mine will be based on this, but fit under a hard top:
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I wish my car weren't so nice so I could stuff a cage in it.

Good shit here.

mmmmmm race e30 m3 in background

Myself personally am going with the Miatacage kit as all the bends are there, and they leave an additional 1" to adjust fitment to your application if needed. Have you thought about what door bars you are going to run? With or without a dashbar?

And yes, sexy E30 in the background...

-Low NASCAR-style door bars which makes ingress and (more importantly) egress much easier
-A-pillar bars hug the a-pillars super tight, the car doesn't even look caged from the front view (except for the rear hoop/downtubes)
-Cage goes through the dash, ahead of the windshield vents
-Retains the use of the dead pedal
-$1900 out the door with double NASCAR bars, a custom straight dashbar to delete the dash support structure, and a pair of mesh window nets+install kits

Tony's done dozens of them (basically a Spec Miata cage) so he's got it down to a science, and they are all beautiful cages.

I am going to see some MaX5 cars this Saturday, so that will bring some ideas.

give ATM in Montfoort a call. The guy I'm helping building a car is getting his CroMo cage built there at a decent price. Sidebars all the way into the footwell instead of stopping where the doors do, NASCAR door bars both sides, front hoop welded to window frame for increased stiffness and rear shocktowers welded through. You gonna be in Vlaardingen saturday too?

There is the AWR kit. It has a front and rear half that are pre-assembled. I have it in th eSM that I am trying to sell at the moment. I like the cage. There could be changes that would make it a little better I think. However I am not the one who builds cages. Look into it.

Have a great day,
Jared

Post pics? :D

I would take some pics but I dont have my NASCAR bars in yet but they will be the low style, its more than just nice for getting in and out, its safer to have the bars farther away from you than just a strait door bar, Ive seen both styles brake before but the guy in the car with the NASCAR style door bar was walking around afterward. I should be able to get some pics up soon.

The blue car went to the cage builder last week:

Stripped the blue car and took it to the cage builder last week. They're going to do a little more cutting where needed (seat belt towers i.e.).

Started working on the black car while waiting for final parts to fix my sub frame.

Black car stripped. Shitty job due to all the aftermarket wiring (remote control doors, alarm, etc.)

Cage for MaX5 toy nearly done!

Blue car's cage is finished. Seat is a tight fit, but fits. Custom brackets are being made. I fit in the seat, below the cage, with helmet and HANS and helmet clears cage with padding (barely).

Black car will be ready for pickup tomorrow.