History Roll Bars before 1952

I remember reading the drivers thought being thrown clear of the car when it rolled was the best way to survive. Guess that thought process was before them wearing seat belts.

 

i cut the anchors out of my '78 F-150 4x4 so my toolbox would fit behind the seat.

 

I started a company in the early 60's called Safe-Speed Roll bars with Trigg Stewart who owned Autopower in San Diego. Sports cars were our main market. We used a Pines mandrel bender to form the hoops and 1/4" plate and 7/16" grade 8 bolts. Roll bars were 1-3/4" OD mild steel. Research was done in junk yards throughout southern California by looking at wrecked MG's, Triumph's, Sprites, Austin-Healy's, etc. Biggest problem was attachment points as a lot of those cars didn't have frames. We had some very satisfied customers that had survived a roll over thanks to our roll bars. Product liability insurance premiums put us out of business.

 

yeah you still see that from time to time in old used up dirt cars around the west side with Sunset and St Helens speedways. I think even the one older Roadkill episode when they got a 70 Challenger dirt car that ran at Banks had a threaded ductile iron pipe roll cage. So it was still happening into the 70s/early 80s with that same thinking.

 

The rules for the hobby class at our local track had a roll cage requirement. The rule stated that a 4 point roll cage was required, and that at least 3 driver side door bars were required. the roll cage could not go forward of the firewall, and could not extend to the rear beyond the main hoop. Surprisingly, most roll cages were pretty well constructed. Most new comers checked out the other cars in the class before they came to race.

There were no specs on the size of the bars, what material was required to be used, how the bars were supposed to be attached to each other, or how they were supposed to be installed into the car! We ran on a long 1/2 mile track (measured around the inside of the track) and reached straight speeds approaching 90 mph, on 78 series street tires, with stock factory wheels, and factory stock suspension. My car was running mid 28 second laps, with a factory stock, 100K miles, 383 ci big block Mopar, 3rd gear in the 4 speed, 3.23 rear gears, turning 6,000 rpm at the end of the straights.
It is a wonder how we never had any serious injuries in those many crashes that class had.

 

interesting. i am assuming this was recent past (meaning after 1960).

i think for the period cars i am & going to model, the rules wouldn't require such elaborate iron-mongering. in those days (pre-1952) i get the impression cars and drivers may have been expendable.

but please don't think we're not glad you are here to tell your experiences!

thanks,

s.e.