Roll bar advice needed. No room....
 

I have a '90' running 5-6 psi boost, with decent suspension etc that i have track day'd and want to pursue more track days and maybe some racing.

The car came with a good half cage (bolt in but with proper mounts) the problem is it bolts in in front of the seat belt towers and this makes the seating position horribly squished up. Leaving about 10 cm of clear space between where I would normally be jammed up against and where it now sits against the roll bar....

Without the roll bar I have the seat pushed back all the way and inclined quite a bit as well. This position is the only one i am comfortable in (6'1" with long arms and 103 kg's).

All the roll bar installs I have found on my research show the main down bar of the hoop mounted more or less in front of the seat belt and sheet steel of the body....does any one know of examples where the bar is behind the seat belt tower and/or the sheet steel behind the seat.

This to my mind is the only way I could have a half cage and be comfortable....

Alternative solutions if i am on the wrong track also greatly appreciated.

My hard dog bar doesn't interfere with stock seat travel in any way. Have you looked at their products? http://www.bethania-garage.com/. I can slide my seat all the way back and recline it until it hits the rear shelf.

I've seen good reviews for Blackbird Fabrication's stuff as well, if you want something more on the lines of a 6-point. They will custom build for you. http://blackbirdfabworx.com/

Edit: for reference I am 6'2 and ~80 kg.

I have the same problem. I recommend you get the highest bar you can and get an Elise seat. The Elise seats are not cheap but you can mount them to the floor and they are good for a daily.

doesn't really make sense to put it behind the seat belt towers in our cars. I don't know of any that do it. But you could have a local shop cut the seat belt towers and weld in a half cage that accomodates to your seating needs? Not sure if no seat belts would be legal in your country (I assume Australia from the name).

I am having a hard time visualizing the issue here, perhaps some pictures would help.

Proper cage and working stock belts is a challenge. If I were to try I'd try to get the main hoop indented into the sides just ahead of the towers.
My current bolted cage sits on boxes/shelves in front of the towers, which have been removed to get the cage in/out. But adding the towers back shows that the hoop is exactly in front of the belt.
Using the Harddog design but getting the hoop 2" outward on each side would be a good start (meaning get into the hardtop hook mounting area). But that means a custom hardtop etc...

The Harddog bars work but if you want something higher and less "one design fits all purposes" you need to go custom.

Thanks guys, higher isn't the problem, just seat back against the parcel shelf.

Unfortunately the hard dog bars are not approved for race use here not to mention the freight charge would be excessive.

A lot to think about. Especially as any race seat i have tried hits the seat belt tower as well, severely limiting the recline I need.....

FYI - Track, calling a Kiwi (new Zealand) an Australian is probably a bit more of a slap in the face than calling a Canadian, American (to the Canadian) :nono:

But no problem ;) (we are brothers when it counts) I appreciate the advice!

my apologies! No offense intended.

So Here is what I am talking about:
http://blackbirdfabworx.com/

Click on roll cages and check out the silver miata in there, the seatbelt towers are chopped off, which may give you space to recline back.

Lastly, if you need clearance towards the door, just hammer the tunnel in more. If it doesn't go anymore, you can do like Moti and cut the trans tunnel and weld in a 90* piece rather than the tapering sheet metal that mazda does. Pictures in the same album.

Thanks track, those pictures are a perfect reference for taking to the roll bar guy. Fantastic! (and no offense at all, was just an fyi in case you werent aware we are a seperate country, there are none further away from you so it's unlikely to have popped up before! :) )

Incicentally, my goal this year (later in the year) is to get the Autokonection fast back shipped over. In terms of height of the roll bar can anyone advise me....does this make it a tighter fit or lesson the problem.....i.e. if it fits in the factory hard top will it fit in the fast back...? I'd rather not have to wait for the fastback top to fit a roll bar if I can help it....

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

I suggest you e-mail autokonexion, or consider a new face on the market warhorse performance.

I think the autokonexion FB is roll bar friendly, but when you talk about custom cages, its generally DIY fitment stuff. You may have to shoot some dimensions there way and they can check it on the shop car.

If you're going to go with a custom rollbar or half/full cage, I would advise waiting for the fastback before plunking down that cash. Impatience can be expensive.

Aha, the voice of reason!!!

Yes I know, but, well.....you know ;)

Hopefully someone with the fastback can chime in with experience........

Isn't this the fastback that Sav has?

Sure is, that is why i was hoping he or someone else with one would chip in.

Being half a world away makes this not so easy (or perhaps the cleverest) to do :)