Roll Bar/Style Bar

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Tue May 04, 2004 7:13 pm

Has anybody had any experience fitting a roll bar or style bar with diagonal
supports down to the rear parcel shelf? I've seen a few but its difficult to
find where the rear bars are bolted. After removing the fuel tank inspection
cover, it appears that there is nothing solid enough to fix to unless you cut
through the parcel shelf and take the bars right down to the boot floor. I
want to fit a twin hoop style bar, but want it to stand up if it were ever
required, which it won't do if it is only bolted to the seat belt towers. Any
ideas? Thanks, Vince.

Janet & Jeff Curtin · Post by **Janet & Jeff Curtin** » Tue May 04, 2004 8:08 pm

Most style bars {that I have seen} are bolted to the suspension tower and
have "flat feet" that sit on the parcel tray.

"Roll bars" though seem to be welded integrally {sp} onto the chassis.

Just my one 1 cent worth.

Jeff.

Matt & Sarah Avery · Post by **Matt & Sarah Avery** » Wed May 05, 2004 7:22 pm

I have had this type of style bar in my last two mx5s, and on both of
them previous owner left the rear braces just sitting on the parcel
shelf and didn't bolted them down. I removed the carpet and came to the
same conclusion as you - bolting it to the thin panel beneath wouldn't
be much improvement. I had planned to get some bigger plates made up to
spread the load a bit, but so far I haven't got around to it. A few
years back a club member rolled his car on a club run up the Coromandel.
It had a twin hoop Racing Beat style bar (with no rear braces) fitted
and it proved to be a lot stronger than I thought. No substitute for a
properly designed roll bar, but better than nothing.

greg.powell · Post by **greg.powell** » Wed May 05, 2004 7:45 pm

I have been looking for a set of style bars for some time now and have seen
various types. The the diagonal supports are designed just to sit on the
parcel shelf. Style bars are in reality just there to improve the look of the
car (and they certainly do-in my opinion anyway). If you want safety then
properly fitted roll bars are the answer however they don't have the same
aesthetic impact a nice set of style bars will provide.

I would be interested to compare any prices. The cheapest I have been able to
find is $350-00 but they are alloy and really poorly welded. A nice set of
chrome or stainless steel seem to up around the $600 plus mark.
Greg

Stevo · Post by **Stevo** » Wed May 05, 2004 8:59 pm

I have been having discussions with a bar manufacturer in the USA re importing
them into NZ. Twin hoop style bars at approx $450nz. Stainless steel polished.
I must pre-sell at least 10 pairs in order to qualify for that pricing. Black
is a bit cheaper but I prefer the stainless.
They supply top quality bars of various styles including the 4 point type if
required.
Note:- As the name suggests, they are "style bars", look pretty but not
designed for protection in case of roll over.
If there is enough interest, I will order the first 10 sets.
Cheers Stevo

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Wed May 05, 2004 9:08 pm

So far I've had a price to make a twin hoop style bar with some extra bars
going down to the floor behind the seats, bolted through the floor, for about
$6-$700 before p/coating or chroming! I'm still hoping we can incorporate some
diagonals to give it a bit more support. Cheers, Vince.

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Wed May 05, 2004 9:33 pm

On Wed, 5 May 2004 21:08:15 +1200, you wrote:

So far I've had a price to make a twin hoop style bar with some extra bars going down to the floor behind the seats, bolted through the floor, for about $6-$700 before p/coating or chroming! I'm still hoping we can incorporate some diagonals to give it a bit more support. Cheers, Vince.

Look up the LTSA site Vince .. There are strict rules on style bars from
memory. Go back through the list archives. There was a thread a while ago went
through all the pitfalls etc .

--
Col

Col's law
* Thinly sliced cabbage *

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Wed May 05, 2004 9:58 pm

The testing station never comments on the style bars
on my car,
They bolt to the seat belt towers and cost me $70 in
tube(2x $25 for the hoops and $20 for the cross bar
and bits and pieces ,then $220 for the chroming. Of
course i did all the measuring and grinding and had
them tig welded so that cut costs. Would they hold up
the car in a roll over?? No, but then the windscreen doesnt either.
Check out http://miata.cardomain/id/supasparky

my m5emails · Post by **my m5emails** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:06 pm

I have a full roll bar, (main hoop, back stays, cross brace plus harness
mounting bar. It is bolted to plates so can be un-bolted and taken out
without too much problem.

The rear shelf was cut and the rear bar stays go through the shelf and mount
in the boot just in front of the shock towers.

The bar is powder coated. It cost about $700, drive in drive out and
included all the nz motor sport paper work, homologation, approvals and a
car logbook for club sport competition.

It may not look as good as a style bar but allows me to use the car on the
track and at a number of club sport events.

MN · Post by MN » Fri May 07, 2004 11:13 pm

Where did you get it done?

Matt & Sarah Avery · Post by **Matt & Sarah Avery** » Sat May 08, 2004 8:51 am

No, its all been sorted out now, mostly thanks to Mike (?) from the
Wellington chapter. I confirmed it at the National Motor show in
Hamilton when I spoke to Tony Johnson, from LVVTA (certification chap).
There is now a clause that excludes style bars from having to be classed
as roll bars and thus certed. So long as the style bars are rearward of
the seat head restraint they are legal and don't need to be certified.

my m5emails · Post by **my m5emails** » Sun May 09, 2004 2:52 pm

will send you all the details in a private email.

[...]

joanie · Post by **joanie** » Sun May 09, 2004 3:37 pm

I'd be interested in the details too please..especially if you are from the
Wgtn area...
J H

greg.powell · Post by **greg.powell** » Thu May 13, 2004 7:44 pm

Hi Stevo - can you provide any more details i.e. brand photos website etc.

Greg

Stevo · Post by **Stevo** » Thu May 13, 2004 8:14 pm

Hi Greg.
I have only 1 photo and its of the style bar, not the TT bars. It is
powdercoated to match the cars colour.
The USA manufacturer I intend to distribute them for does not have them ready
to market yet. He is undergoing final testing and polishing up prior to photos
being taken for marketing.
The bars sit 250mm above the seat belt towers and slope back at the same angle
as the seat back.
This process cannot be hurried up unfortunately but he assures me he is nearly
there.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Stevo

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Thu May 13, 2004 9:06 pm

On Thu, 13 May 2004 20:14:31 +1200, you wrote:

[...]

ghead · Post by **ghead** » Fri May 14, 2004 9:52 am

Return Receipt

Your Re: Roll Bar/Style Bar
document
:

was Graeme Head/R&SA/NZ
received
by:

at: 14/05/2004 09:52:15 a.m.

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Sat May 15, 2004 4:49 pm

www.frenzybars.com has some top qaulity TT style (and
others)bars that are well respected among the
Miata.net guys, and also Moss motors is having a sale
on at the momentFor about $180US$ i think) You can
find them on the marketplace section of Miata.net
Glenn "SLYDIT"

David & Judy Kerr · Post by **David & Judy Kerr** » Sat May 15, 2004 8:14 pm

The price of the bars from America aren't too bad it's the freight that will
kill you. I was offered a set of used extractors for 120$ US, when I
enquired about the freight I was going to be charged 170$ US for 5 day
delivery. I would expect the style bars to be about the same.

Dave.

Vince · Post by **Vince** » Sun May 16, 2004 4:24 pm

I've been in contact with Warren at Frenzybars several times but he is not
interested in shipping them internationally because of the cost. I've made
a style bar mock up similar to a Frenzybar with a few extra tubes down
behind the seats and have got a local manufacturer making it up shortly,
hopefully for about the same cost as a US one before the freight.
Does anyone in the Mount /Tauranga area have a hardtop fitted as I would
like to make sure it will clear everything before I have it made up in
steel, just in case we get a hardtop at a later date. Cheers, Vince.

poison · Post by **poison** » Mon May 17, 2004 10:12 pm

Glenn (sorry I don't know how to email just yourself)

I'm new to MX5's and one of my first projects is also a Style Bar. My friend
David Moughtin has one that I had a look at but his sits directly between the
posts and I'd like to make one that sits back a little so I can recline
further. I was going to make it out of exhaust tube and a guy at Al's Mufflers
in Auckland said he could bend up some hoops for about $35 each and I could
then gas weld them onto the main bar (mig would make a mess). But as you said
the design is most of the battle, so any info you have I would love to see. At
first I thought it was simple but there are a lot of clearances to keep in
mind, hood up, down and any place in between...

Were you going to get them chromed?? or painted or even made of stainless
(that would be cool, but I can't weld stainless). Any idea how much it would
cost for getting them chromed? It has to be cheaper and more fun to make
anyway.

Cheers

Gazza

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Tue May 18, 2004 5:44 pm

Hi Gazza.
The hoops were bought pre bent from the muffler shop,
they ordered them in from either COBY in Hamilton or
some crowd in christchurch, cant remember. They are
2.25 inch u bends with 10 inch center spacing between
the "legs". They had to have a small amount of work
done to get rid of the "bulge " on the inside that is
a result of the bending, They were much better
quality than the muffler guy could have done on his
machine here in Tauranga.They cost about $25 each.
I used a 2.5" straight pipe as the cross bar and it
mounts to 3mm plates that bolt up inside the seatbelt
towers.
The center line for the cross bar is directly above
the rearmost soft top boot clip nipple thing.
The top of the 2.5" cross bar sits level with the top
of the seatbelt tower sheetmetal.
The very top of the hoops are 250mm above the top of
the cross bar and angled back the same degree as the
rear edge of the door window, this will give about
10mm clearance to the soft top window.
The outer most edge of each hoop sits vertically in
line with the side plates, this means the bars are as
far apart as possible, so they dont look too close together from behind.
If you want to have a much stronger mounting then you
could add a tab to the side plates that goes out
horizontally to pick up at the seat belt bolt.
I got them polished and chromed at Forlong and Maisey
in Te Rapa, Hamilton for $220. They did a great job
and even double dipped the copper coat so they could
repolish it before the chrome plate for a better
finish
check out my website pagefor pics:
http://miata.cardomain.com/id/supasparky

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