Autopower or hard dog?

So here's my situation. I'm stuck between the autopower single diagonal w/ harness bar (3 friends currently use it and I like the way it looks) and the hard dog hard core single/double diagonal.

Through a local shop, i was quoted $595 for the autopower bar shipped with tax. vs ordering myself and costing $485 for HardDog single and $520 for the HardDog double diag.

I already have a bucket seat with an autopower 5 point harness currently attached to the stability bar behind the seat (car is a 95 na8) which is NOT safe w/o a roll bar. I have my seat pushed all the way back because i'm around 6'2". I installed the seat just so i can comfortably fit in the car without slouching to see out the windscreen, but if i flip i'm pretty much dead with this 5 point holding me in place like a child seat.

Is the hard dog the obvious choice and i'm on the fence only because my friends use autopower? or is the autopower bar a better built bar?

any opinions are welcome, as long as they're constructive, i've seen how some of you guys on miata turbo are

 

I want a single diagnol bar as well....I think I'm going with hard dog just because thats what most people go with and I have seen a number of "saved" rollover photos with the hard dog bar.

 

I've installed 5 hard dog bars, and they are an excellent product. The only other brand I would consider is BossFrog, but I haven't seen one in person. Add the door bars and profit

 

The quality and finish of a harddog are unsurpassed. I don't think you would find anyone that says different.

 

I'm a little over 6'2 with a 33" inseam. I did foamextomy on the drivers seat and I fit just under the hard dog hard core double diagonal non hardtop. It was super easy to install, the fit and finish were great.

 

i personally prefer boss frog clearview roll bar

 

i like my autopower.. dont think you can really go wrong with either one

 

Where are you located? Kirk Racing in Alabama makes a nice bar, you can get a 6 pt bar for about the same as a 4 pt Hard Dog bar.

 

black car - clearview boss frog
red car - hard dog



Install was pretty much identical, and a PITA.

 

I have been trying to decide also but im wondering about autox requirements?

from what I could tell, the main issue is thickness of tubes, height above helmet (2") and some rearward bracing. but alot of places I looked only mentioned Hard core bars as being legal for autox. Is a clearview bossfrog legal too? because I also read something about the diagonal bars having to reach at least half way across the main hoop (which the boss frog clearview does not)

am I missing something? or are they both equally autox approved?

 

There really isn't any such thing as "autox approved".

SCCA Solo 1 rules (which is basically time trials, not autox) specify things like height, tube thickness, attachment points. Most bolt-in Miata rollbars meet these specs, but there's no "approval" process.

Autox is SCCA Solo 2, which has no requirements for rollover protection in most classes that you'd run a Miata in.

HDHCDD in my car.

--Ian

 

get a hard dog hardcore double diagonal

 

I bought a Hard Dog Hard Core (but ordered one from Bethania <i>without</i> the diagonal!

Great rollbar without the sacrifice to your rear window visibility!

 

I just ordered a HDHCDD from Bethania a couple days ago, hoping to put it in this weekend if it arrives today! any tricks to making it a smooth install or are the instructions pretty much all I need to follow?

 

Joe Mauch
Last Activity: 05-01-2010 01:14 AM

 

I've had 3 different hard dog bars. My next one for the project will be custom built cage or another hard dog bar.

They fit well, easy to install, yada yada.

 

Thanks for all the replies all, I've decided on the M1 Hardcore double diag.

I appreciate all your input.