Rollbar ID help wanted

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Ronald Sieber
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Rollbar ID help wanted

#1 Post by Ronald Sieber »

I am looking for help in identifying this rollbar that came in my car, which I bought as a project 26 years ago. I was told at the time of purchase that the car had been involved in autocross with its first owner, but no other data was given. The unit appears to be manufactured rather than a homebuilt or one-off fabrication. It has what I believe is a manufacturer's name on it.

The rollbar has four feet that bolt to the "frame" of the car, which has reinforced welded plates for this, if I recall correctly, but are now covered by carpet in the car's restored state.

The rollbar is constructed of oval steel tubing, about 3" diameter, and has a drilled hole in the side for tech inspection of the wall thickness. It has a faint embossed "Republic" on its side. Approximate dimensions: 42" wide. 27" tall, back brace 19" to main tube, span of feet 23."

I'm including some photos to show how it originally sat in the car. Any help in further identifying this would be appreciated. Also, would something like this still be "legal" in autocrossing or other competitions? I don't have a need for this other than a chin-up bar.

Thanks in advance,
=rds
Attachments
4 Rollbar Feet in situ.jpg
3 Rollbar in Car fr Frt.jpg
2 Rollbar in Car fr Side.jpg
1 Rollbar Frt.jpg

Erik Thomas
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Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:55 pm
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Rollbar ID help wanted

#2 Post by Erik Thomas »

Ronald:

That is a nice roll bar. My experiences in vintage racing only extend to the VSCCA which does not actually require roll bars. Your roll bar does look pretty strong, and could easily form the basis for a roll bar to be used today, if the material is thick enough. ( about 0.0100 thickness? ) I think a diagonal brace and a head rest would need to be added, but not to difficult.

Please advise if you are selling it.

Erik

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Vic Skirmants
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Re: Rollbar ID help wanted

#3 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Erik; check the decimal point on roll bar thickness.

Jeffrey Leeds
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Re: Rollbar ID help wanted

#4 Post by Jeffrey Leeds »

Autopower is the name that comes to mind to someone who did SCCA in the 60's and early 70's, and it turns out the name still exists. www.autopowerindustries.com/Roll-Bars-Cages/ The bar that you show looks more typical of what most of us did back then which was to find a good tubing bender / welder to fabricate a hoop that fit what we raced. Your bar appears to have the weakness of many such bars in their day - namely that the hoop uprights are too narrow (close-together) to provide the necessary coverage to protect the shoulder width of the driver. An additional problem is the left upright's proximity to the driver's head. Lot's of accidents contributed to bad headaches (or worse) as a result the helmeted head striking the bar.

Jeff
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