I always try and build my own "things" but when it comes to a '57 Chevy rollbar I do not have the equipment to bend tubing. I hate the word "kits" but are their any suppliers out the that make a decent rollbar for the 2dr. trifives? Some pic's would be great! Thanks!
When I needed to make one for my 55, I made a template from thin plywood, and visited a friend with an exhaust tube bender, with 1-3/4" dies. Worked fine. There are several vendors that sell roll bars for 57 Chevys. If it's for a car that needs to p*** a racing body tech inspection, make sure you understand how it needs to be attached, where bars need to be, etc before you order one.
Brigrat, Give Rhoades Race Cars a look... If you are going for the traditional 4 point style cage. I know they make a kit for 55-57's
I've done a few "cages" up to FIA specs. The rollcage bars need to be fully welded where the diagonals or braces meet. I've seen a few cages "revoked" after tech inspection at the track because the cage wasn't fully welded at the top between the roof and cage. Some builders remove the roof to weld this [not needed] What we do is use a hole saw on the floor and slip a "foot plate" [required] between the tubing and the floor. When the cage is mostly welded up, we slide the foot plates out and drop the cage/tubing through the holes to lower the cage and weld the top sides. Then lift the cage backup and slip the foot plates back in between. Fully weld the cage to the foot plate, BUT only s***ch weld the foot plate to the floor [it is stronger this way]
...but keep in mind that some rulebooks don't let you use foot plates on cars with real frames, such as...the 57 Chevy.
On Tri-fives, don't most cages use outriggers to the frame under the floor anyways? So you could still do the same thing without the foot plate?
I made my main hoop bend in at the bottom, at about a 30 degree angle from vertical, and welded it to the frame. I didn't see anything in the rules prohibiting it.
Put a 6-point roll bar in the 56 project a few months ago using outriggers, purchased just the 1 3/4 hoop for under $100.00 + shipping from Jeg's then ordered a 20-foot length of 1 3/4 DOM tubing from my local metal yard in Manitowoc "no shipping" lots cheaper I still need to order a piece of 1 5/8 DOM for the shoulder belts mounting after the back seat area sheet metal is done and rear windows are installed.
Remember 6-point roll bar needs to be at least 1 3/4 DOM or 1 5/8 chrome moly, a 12-point roll cage can use 1 5/8 DOM, check the NHRA rule book. before buying and welding I almost made the mistake of building a 6-point roll bar using 1 5/8 DOM, it would never have p***ed tech
and you don't need all 6 bars for a roll bar, only 5 (the p*** side door bar is not required, and makes life for your p***engers much easier if it isn't there)
From what I've seen, I wouldn't want a cage and harness attached to a ch***is on a ladder frame car. I know of a driver who suffered m***ive internal injuries from the seatbelts when the cage/harness/frame separated from the body/seat/driver. [caused by the car collecting a tree behind the drivers seat at high speed] In this case ^^ the body split in half and the shoulder harness was attached/anchored to the rear half. Personally I would weld foot plates to the floor as I described above [but add 4 x bolts in the corners] and bolt matching outrigger plates underneath which are boxed and welded to the frame. The idea is to have the p***enger compartment become a self-contained capsule. Remember we have 2024 knowledge playing with pre-mid 60's nostalgia [they're a lot faster now]
Yep, rules are written in blood and if you want to play in their sandbox, you gotta do it their way. Alston was the name in kits decades ago, and they also split off. I haven't looked at the ads or mags for that stuff in a long time, though. I typed in "drag ch***is washington" and got this, which I've only heard good things about, and they have cage kits. Should be good to go. https://artmorrison.com/components/roll-bars-and-cages/
Rules for different types of racing are different...not many trees on the drag strip, but there are on road courses? You really do need to build the car for what it's going to do. It would be more difficult to separate a 57 Chevy body from the frame, compared to some other types of cars.
It was on a rally event on a closed off section of public road. But racing is racing and anything is possible! Drag racing which appears to be relatively safe [because the illusion of no corners and obstacles] but somehow has killed more drivers than other forms of racing in modern times.
Nobody posted a link for this one yet? It’s a nice looking basic 6-point which also lets you keep the back seat. I kind of copied it for the 57 Ford in my avatar. https://wildridesracecars.com/product/tri5-chevy-roll-bar/
I have used S&W race cars before with great results, this looks good too, disregard the generic pic, you need to use outriggers as already mentioned.
Thanks to all for all the great info! Art Morrison is about 3 hr. away, will check the out but not opposed to the others!
Go with Morrison. I’ve done several. Last one a 50 Chevy coupe, fit super nice, main hoop good and tight to the body in the b pillar door jamb area. I do have tube bending capability but for a common car like a tri 5 Chevy I typically buy a kit, you’ll spend more buying straight tube than a kit. Morrison folks will usually give you a nice walk around tour of their shop if you ask.
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