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I have similar issues (5'11 and 30" inseam). I juuuuuuuust fit with my blackbird GT3. I have the stock seat set up so I can put foam in or out at a whim and to pass roll bar I pull out all but half an inch of foam. I also cut out the rear seat mounts and built new rear backets. The seat pan sits on the floor now. I clear by about 1/2“ in this setup with my helmet on.
I have two friends the same height with even shorter legs and even with my setup they are above the roll bar by a hair without a helmet!
I have similar issues (5'11 and 30" inseam). I juuuuuuuust fit with my blackbird GT3. I have the stock seat set up so I can put foam in or out at a whim and to pass roll bar I pull out all but half an inch of foam. I also cut out the rear seat mounts and built new rear backets. The seat pan sits on the floor now. I clear by about 1/2“ in this setup with my helmet on.
I have two friends the same height with even shorter legs and even with my setup they are above the roll bar by a hair without a helmet!
stage 4: super tall roll bar. Kontrolle engineering hooked it up with a custom ultra tall roll bar. I am finally legitimately passing a literal broomstick test. Cost of this stage: $525
the top still goes up but it is VERY snug....
More info and detailed pics please, interested in this.
Hey 2slow, feel free to ask any specific questions about what you need more info on. I have more pictures but I feel like my original post was fairly thorough...
Well, I'm interested to see more pictures of the rollbar (shape, supports, mounting points) and measurements from parcel shelf and from the top of the window frame. The reason for this is quite simple - Hard Dog, BBFB and others all build their bars to be as tall as possible, while accommodating maximum seat travel, layback angle, etc. I had a rollbar that was rubbing on hard top and was barely clearing the soft-top frame beams, so I'm not sure how one would manufacture a taller bar that is safe and gives more space. To make it taller - it has to be further forward as not to interfere with the frame beams. But that will reduce how far back the seat could go or would put it above driver's head. At the same time going maximum distance back means putting it under the arch part of the soft top, but then you can't get maximum height. If you removed one of the frame beams - how well does the soft top work? Does it use rollbar instead of a frame member to give it shape?
In the picture the top of the main hoop looks curved, i'm not sure if that's camera angle making it look that way or if that's really the case.
If this rollbar is really taller than anything else on the market and still fits under the soft top - I'll buy it. Especially at the indicated $525 price (provided it is well designed and is safe).
P.S. - I think you need a new seat, your current one looks low behind your head
Well, I'm interested to see more pictures of the rollbar (shape, supports, mounting points) and measurements from parcel shelf and from the top of the window frame. The reason for this is quite simple - Hard Dog, BBFB and others all build their bars to be as tall as possible, while accommodating maximum seat travel, layback angle, etc. I had a rollbar that was rubbing on hard top and was barely clearing the soft-top frame beams, so I'm not sure how one would manufacture a taller bar that is safe and gives more space. To make it taller - it has to be further forward as not to interfere with the frame beams. But that will reduce how far back the seat could go or would put it above driver's head. At the same time going maximum distance back means putting it under the arch part of the soft top, but then you can't get maximum height. If you removed one of the frame beams - how well does the soft top work? Does it use rollbar instead of a frame member to give it shape?
In the picture the top of the main hoop looks curved, i'm not sure if that's camera angle making it look that way or if that's really the case.
If this rollbar is really taller than anything else on the market and still fits under the soft top - I'll buy it. Especially at the indicated $525 price (provided it is well designed and is safe).
P.S. - I think you need a new seat, your current one looks low behind your head
Alright, this is gonna be lengthy.
The roll bar is taller than a standard rollbar by removing the soft top support that is integrated into the soft top right in front of the rollbar. The softop now rests on the rollbar and uses that as the support. It is VERY tight, even a little too tight imo. I don't have any measurements on hand but can get some next time I am near the car.
Clint at Kontrolle built one of their standard rollbars, which is taller than my Hard Dog Sport M1 rollbar, for certain and probably slightly further forward as well but we determined that it would still not be tall enough for me. He tried it with soft top and with a race hard top (basically just a skin) and with the soft top he had about 1.5" of room and with the hard top he had less than 1" of room. That's when he came up with removing the soft top bar and using the rollbar as a support. It supports the soft top well, the top is very tight though (it should be noted, my top was hard to latch before, not sure why). Will it cause additional wear of the soft top over time? Hard to say. Will the soft top rub the coating off the rollbar? hard to say.
Kontrolle uses the same diameter tubing for these as they do for race cages, I can't recall what that is exactly (I can ask) but my understand is that it should pass tech with the major organizations the same as BBFW or Hard Dog. The top bar has some slight angles in it. You can see some pictures of their standard bar in the link above. I believe the support points are similar to the hard dog and BBFW. At least I don't think he ended up trimming much to make the new rollbar fit in comparison to the old roll bar.
I am checking with Kontrolle to make sure it's okay to post the photos he took of his work. I will add them if he gives me the all clear.
I agree that my seat is a little low, but helmeted or unhelmeted, my head hits the seat, not my neck, so it'll have to do for now. Now that I have the drop pan and tall rollbar I would like to test fit some other seats to see if I can find something more comfortable.
BTW I ended up paying a bit more to have it coated red instead of flat black but $525 is the cost of their standard rollbars and that's what they originally quoted me for a black extra tall rollbar. I live nearby and they had my car to do the work and the measurements so YMMV on the price, especially if you are not local.
Okay, Clint at Kontrolle Engineering said it was cool to share some pics that he took while he was making it.
This pic shows the height difference between the standard Kontrolle Type II bar and my Hard Dog Sport M1 bar. Different angle comparing the too bar, you can kinda see how similar the mounting positions are in this picture. Standar Bar installed in my car for testing Amount of space above the standard bar and my soft top amount of space above the standard bar and a race hard top Standard bar installed in my car standard bar installed in my car standard bar height compared to my custom ultra tall roll-bar height. Extra tall roll bar added about 1.5 and necessitated the removal of the soft top support bar. Ultra tall rollbar without paint, being test fit with soft top bar removed. ultra tall rollbar being test fit into car ultra tall rollbar being test fit. rear view with extra tall bar installed much better to see out of for me than the hard dog bar which blocked most of my rear view. Clint's finger showing the extra tall rollbar supporting the top. Extra tall roll bar from outside the car
Props for taking the time and effort to post that info.
Doesn't apply to me, but I really like some creative thinking and fabrication.
I agree, the best part about working with Clint is that he seems genuinely excited to do that work. He is an excellent fabricator but his ingenuity in solving my issues is what really made me feel like I could trust his judgement. It was super cool of him to share the pictures of his progress with me as well and let me make decisions about what I was willing to have him do along the way.
Marioshi,
+1 on thanks for posting this. So with this bar - can you move the seat all the way back if that was needed, like flush with the tub behind it? I'm considering this as an option for myself if bolting the seat to the floor won't drop me enough.
Marioshi,
+1 on thanks for posting this. So with this bar - can you move the seat all the way back if that was needed, like flush with the tub behind it? I'm considering this as an option for myself if bolting the seat to the floor won't drop me enough.
I would have to double check, my seat is reclined a bit and I know it's not all the way back becaueb my legs are short, plus with the drop pan my floor is slightly different, but I could probably set my seat in there without the mount and see how far back it'll go...
Putting this car up for sale, it is heavily modified for track use, but the engine needs work/replacement. PM me if you might be interested, located in CA, but willing to ship.
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