Section : Bodywork and Interior

Roll bar for MkIII 

Posted By : Jackie Forsythe, 27-Jul-2004, 11:09am

• roll bar for mark 111 

  Posted By : Michael Charlton, 27-Jul-2004, 12:43pm

  I've got a roll bar !
  
  Took it out though !.Dead easy to fit ,it tilts forward so you can get the hood up !!!!
  
  No problems with seats.
  
  Two brackets for each of 4 feet on roll bar.One set to hold in situ .One set to allow tilting forward.
  
  PS It creaks on the top of the roll bar against the soft top.

  • roll bar for mark 111 

    Posted By : Ben Watson, 27-Jul-2004, 01:41pm

    i also have a spare roll bar it is one of those aerodynamicable ones from the club shop, doesnt fold but you can have it.
    heres the but... im in devon
    
    
    
    
    ben w

    • roll bar for mark 111 

      Posted By : James Carruthers, 27-Jul-2004, 01:46pm

      The Mk3 needs to have a roll bar that folds - or else the hood won't be able to be put up/down.
      
      
      
      James
      

      • roll bar for mark 111 

        Posted By : Craig Gingell, 27-Jul-2004, 03:26pm

        ... or you could go for a proper hood, like that on the Spitfire 4...

    • roll bar for mark 111 

      Posted By : Jackie Forsythe, 27-Jul-2004, 05:45pm

      Ben
      your roll bar MAY fit my car? Can you e mail me and discuss?
      JFORZOO@aol.com
      Seems there are two types that can fit the mark 111
      
      Craig...are you saying no hood at all? Go for it...personally I like my bum dry in a car....wih all the traffic queues these days, you must have to stop surely?????
      Jackie

• roll bar for mark 111 

  Posted By : James Carruthers, 27-Jul-2004, 01:03pm

  Jackie,
  
  
  If you havent read it - you may want to dig out a thread from a couple of weeks back about roll bars... might make you think twice about putting one in.
  
  
  
  James
  

  • roll bar for mark 111 

    Posted By : Jackie Forsythe, 27-Jul-2004, 01:29pm

    Thanks people.
    James, if you mean the thread where some folk queried whether or not roll bars were for people "scared" of driving an open top...thanks I have read it. Didn't want to re-open that debate Suffice to say I want to keep my head on top of my shoulders...
    
    Remember reading another one re: head clearance? (Can't get search to work for me at moment, get an error message) Still thinking of roll bar..know I am potentially tall enough for head clearance problem (5ft 9) but think a damaged head may be better than no head at all...just a personal preference, no offence intended to the roll bar-less fraternity.
    
    Michael, why did you take your out (if it's not a cheeky question? and is it for sale (cheeky question)? Did you have 1500 seats in a Mark 11 Michael?
    
    

    • roll bar for mark 111 

      Posted By : David Styles, 27-Jul-2004, 02:10pm

      I think the thread was more about the fact that if you are in an accident where a roll bar is needed in a MKIII Spit... well... you are going to need a hell of a lot more than a roll bar to save you.
      
      It gives more of an illusion of protection rather than any real protection.
      
      By the time you've managed to turn your car over..
      the doors have probably folded inwards... if the front hit anything then you probably have no footwells... etc etc..
      
      Its just that you are going to have to go some to turn a spit upside down... and if you are going fast enough to turn it upside down... then you've probably folded the rest of the car up anyway.
      
      I suppose there may be a 1 or 2 percent chance that you are upside down.. and have survived...
      
      so I spose you could argue for fitting one...
      
      anyway... its just my view !
      
      cheers
      
      Dave.
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

      • roll bar for mark 111 

        Posted By : Jackie Forsythe, 27-Jul-2004, 03:19pm

        Thanks all. Really helpful and thought provoking
        
        Ben....That's a very kind offer but think I would need a folding job but thanks for that.
        David, I nearly choked on my sandwich...wow, you managed to get my imagination going big-style. Seroiusly, I agree totally, we shouldn't drive in such a way to encourage a car to flip...BUT I
        ...have seen a PUG 306 conv flip on a roundabout due to some clown hitting her hard, side on. Driver upside down but ok
        ...was also thinking of possibility of someone shunting over the back/on top of car
        
        All this is making me sound a real worry-wort...legacy of working with Head Injuries in a past life AND passive involvement in a fatal crash.
        
        I personally think you can't sanction for everything
        AND prefer look of convertables without roll bars BUT would like even the smallest edge to avoid what I have experience of!
        Boy that was a cheerful post, wasn't it!!!!

        • roll bar for mark 111 

          Posted By : James Carruthers, 27-Jul-2004, 03:55pm

          My biggest fear is that it would cause more injury in an every day small accident.
          
          I've been shunted from behind at a reasonably slow speed - and your head sure whip back! I would have easily been knocked out if there had been a big bit of metal behind my head. That in itself could cause more problem - ie being trapped in the car until you come around or someone pulls you out.
          
          However at the weekend I noticed a car with headrests that were attached to the roll bar - which could work very well - something to investigate - could even keep your Mk3 seats...
          
          
          
          James
          

          • roll bar for mark 111 

            Posted By : Andy Vowell, 28-Jul-2004, 07:52pm

            In the racing rules you HAVE to have a headrest and for cars without highback seats then there is often one fitted on the roll cage. Also it is very easy to use pipe lagging to pad out the bar around your head. (or expensive roll bar padding in a variety of colours).
            
            I have the Mk3 "folding" bar in my race spit (though welded up solid) and it is pretty narrow so claerance may be at a premium if fitting larger seats.
            
            A plus point - Roll bars make it easier to carry the surfboard.
            
            Andy

            • roll bar for mark 111 

              Posted By : Mark Stradling, 29-Jul-2004, 09:52am

              [QUOTE]In the racing rules you HAVE to have a headrest and for cars without highback seats... ...A plus point - Roll bars make it easier to carry the surfboard.[/QUOTE]
              
              Geez, is carrying a surfboard in the rules too!?! That REALLY can't help the aerodynamics.

              • roll bar for mark 111 

                Posted By : Andy Vowell, 29-Jul-2004, 11:31pm

                Well the rules say no spoilers, but a cunningly angled surfboard can generate a fair bit of downforce
                
                Andy