I will start with the main hoop.  I want it to sit on top of the crossmember, so I trial fit and measure it so it will be as high as possible to the roof.  After I cut it to the height, I want to tack weld it lightly in place because I'll have to remove it later after I fit the other bars to it.  This is so I can weld the top of all the bars.  You'll see what I mean later on. 

Next, I took the driver's side roof bar and rough cut it to fit the floor pan by the driver's side floor and found the right length back to the main hoop.  I used my jig and joint tubing saw and cut the bar to fit the main hoop.  I now know the position for the 6" square, 1/8" thick floor plate on which the roof bar must sit. I carefully bend the floor plate to fit the floor contour and weld it firmly in place.  Next, I tack welded the roof bar in place.  I tack welded it good to the main hoop, but just lightly tacked it to the floor because it will have to be removed later.  I did the same thing to the passenger side roof bar. Then I carefully measured the windshield crossbar and tack welded it really good to the side roof bars.

 I'm ready to make the diagonal bar that goes from the driver's side of the windshield bar to the passenger side of the main hoop (click picture on left).  I measure and cut it and tack welded it in place pretty good.  Then I go back and break the welds at the bottom of the main hoop and both roof bars at the floor loose.  This lets me pull the assembled roll cage back towards the rear of the car until it gets to the wheel wells. I can let it drop down to the floor in order for me to see the top of all the joints so I can weld them permanently without fighting the roof.  After welding the joints, I put the cage back in place and final weld it to the floor joints.

With that part of the roll cage finished, I now have to install the forward bars through the firewall and out to the front of the subframe.  I measure where to cut the hole in the firewall, and using a hole saw, cut them to size.  Be sure and check to see how high you can go on both sides since they may have things that block one side differently than the other.  After making sure the bars are level and even from side to side, I weld them in place.

Next I need to put the lower rocker bar in on the driver's side making it parallel to the rocker panel from the main hoop to the bottom of the windshield bar.  The rules require this if you have cut the floor pans up like I have.  I will then need to install a bar from the sub-frame to the windshield bar at the floor right where the rocker bar connects.  This makes a box around the driver at the floor level and is required by the rules as well.  I do the same thing to the passenger side for strength.  The last part of this phase is adding the dash bar.  It will go from the driver's side windshield bar to the passenger side windshield bar close to where the forward bars are attached.  I cut, fit in place, and weld it in.

  

  

Main Page
Phase 2 -- Getting it Straight
Phase 3 -- Crossmember Installation
Phase 4 -- Ladder Bar Mounts
Phase 5 -- Installing the Roll Cage
Phase 6 -- Fitting the Tires
Phase 7 -- Fabricating the Wheel Tubs
Phase 8 -- Painting and Finishing
Phase 9 -- Finishing Up
Phase 10 - Subframe Replacement & Roll Cage Upgrade
The Budget
The Tools

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