Cage

#11

Long time preferred location for rear down tubes is where the rear springs meet the body. If you are smart, you make your base plate go on the floor of the trunk and up the side of the shock tower. Then run your tube beside the shock tower to the floor and weld to floor and along side of shock tower.

#12

Do you have any pictures of this? (If you don’t want to share I understand)

#13

I can do your cage. Have done at least 8 so far between the NorCal regbion and here in Danville, VA. Basic cage starts at $1800 and goes up according to what you want. I’ve been a NASA member since 1995 and was an instructor for 5 years. I also have a chassis dyno in the shop if you want to do tuning.
Mark Welch
444 Wilson Street
Danville, VA 24541

434-770-2645

www.bmwracedyno.com

#14

I’ll look and see if I can find any pictures or if I can get to my car to take a picture.

#15

I just picked the cheapest, closest cage builder who’s done se30s and let him do it how he wanted. I actually didn’t know it was legal to run tubes in the trunk at the time. I went to Chris schimmel “Competition Cages” in hillsborough, NC. Cost me 18 something including removing the sunroof cassette, a dash bar, and nascar door bars almost tight up to the outer door skin on the driver’s side. He also put in the window net included in that price. I think I posted pictures on this forum somewhere.

Get your racing seat mounted where you want it and take your window and right side net with to the cage builder so they can weld that stuff where it needs to go instead of guessing how what you buy is going to mount. If your going to lower your steering column you should do that also before you get the cage put in. If the cage builder is far away ask about leaving the trailer there while it’s being built. I made the assumption I could leave it but his yard is to small, so he has to arrange it with a neighbor.

#16

Did you ever get a chance to find pictures of your cage?

#17

simpler build, lower cost, likely as safe as going to the trunk floor.

#18

http://www.spece30.com/forum/16-general-discussion/52815-2011-rules?limit=10&start=50

Heres some pics of questionable legality. I believe there is a serves no other purpose rule about cages.

#19

Here you go. I unloaded the car from the trailer on Friday and drained the water for winter. Sorry it took so long
[attachment=1647]IMG_0903.JPG[/attachment]

#20

[quote=“ilateapex” post=60670]Here you go. I unloaded the car from the trailer on Friday and drained the water for winter. Sorry it took so long
[attachment=1647]IMG_0903.JPG[/attachment][/quote]

Thank you very much for the help!

What is the silver plate with two bolts in it next to the mounting plate?

#21

That is a reinforcement piece for an aftermarket rear sway bar. You can see my rear bar attachment points and similar reinforcement here:

#22

[quote=“King Tut” post=60722]That is a reinforcement piece for an aftermarket rear sway bar. You can see my rear bar attachment points and similar reinforcement here:

[/quote]

What he said.

#23

You can’t see it in the picture but there is also a tube from this mount that goes forward and ties back into the B pillar bar. Also, keep note that non required bars do not have to meet the minimum bar size (they can be smaller).’

Just FYI.

#24

Heres a link to the thread with all my cage photos.

http://www.spece30.com/forum/51-cages/51501-new-cage-photos

#25

[quote=“ilateapex” post=60731][quote=“King Tut” post=60722]That is a reinforcement piece for an aftermarket rear sway bar. You can see my rear bar attachment points and similar reinforcement here:

[/quote]

What he said.[/quote]

Thanks for all of the help.

#26

I am looking for a cage fabricator in the NJ area. Anyone have someone? I have looked at the NASA cage requirements, is there a document that is specific to E30’s?

#27

I can do it here in VA near VIR. I’ll be in NJ on Monday next at Guten Parts and Service if you want to meet to talk about cage design. I’ve built several Spec E30 cages and Spec3 (E36) also.
There’s no real document/white paper for SE30 cages. Rather, it’s probably best to use a seasoned fabricator who can offer you options, i.e., door bars, rear supports and bracing, etc. That same fabricator should be aware of the GCR’s and requirements for the sanctioning body. NASA and SCCA are the same, essentially.
At my shop, a good safe, solid cage starts right at $1850. That’s with “X’d” door bars. NASCAR style left bars add another $200. Includes window net from I/O Port Racing, your choice of colors.

Mark Welch
444 Wilson Street
Danville, VA 24541
434-770-2645
(Soon to be) www.GoE30Racing.com (site under construction)

#28

What is the differnce between xd and Nascar?

#29

X’d means a cross or 2 bars forming an X covering the door opening. NASCAR is 3 parallel bars that protrude into door opening. The bars are supported by short uprights. More tubing and more difficult to make but better protection.

#30

Cages are kind of complicated. You need to go sit in some e30’s and have their owners talk about their cages. There’s a bunch of variables and features and without sitting in a car you’re not going to understand the significance of what folks might try to discuss in this thread.

NASCAR bars is a door bar design where the bars intrude into the car’s door. This is a popular design because it’s perceived to give the driver more protection. Some cars have it on the driver’s side only. On the downside, you have to gut your doors and it’s harder to get in/out of your car.

The location of the knee bar is a big deal. Getting it high enough to clear the knees, forward enough to clear the dash, low enough to block the engine from intruding, and also clear the steering column is a neat trick and frequently not successful.

Getting the A and B pillar bars nice and snug against the pillars is also tricky.

Read a lot of threads about cages and look for pics. That will get you started. But that’s no substitute to sitting in people’s cars and talking to them about what they like and don’t like about their cages.

My first car had x brace door bars not NASCAR. If it had not reached end of life I would have probably done something to strengthen it’s driver’s side door bars. It’s need bar was a little low and forward. It gave me shin a nice whack when the car reached end of life.

My current car has A and B pillar bars too far from the pillars and the knee bar is too high. It has NASCAR bars which do make ingress/egress harder, but I feel much more protected. When I got the car it already had a cage. I’ve never worked with a cage builder and had a cage built to my specs. Hopefully I’m a couple yrs out yet from car #3.