EL SHELBY Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 I know its been discussed but when will we see a bolt in roll bar? These guys have the best bolt in option I've seen to date. http://www.cooltechllc.com/Boss/Boss_Roll_Bar.shtml Based on a thread from another forum where this roll bar has been discussed at length it will fit all '05-'13 Mustang Coupes (don't know about ragtops.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark17357 Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 The question is always how it is attached. The highest quality materials will not save you in a rollover unless the bar is properly affixed to the car. I can't tell for sure, looking at the link, how they attach it to the car but it appears it is bolted in on the sides of the car (look at the photo titled "rear strut during fabrication"). It just does not look to be strong enough to save your life. In a rollover, the car is flexing in every direction and failure of a bolt in mount would seem more likely than with a welded in bar. I note the web site says their product is adequate for track days but not for "trading paint" racing. I don't think your roll bar knows what kind of racing you are doing when your car gets wrong side up. I must say though it is a beautiful looking set up. I looked at all kinds of options before installing mine but, in the end, went with a welded in roll bar. I am interested in the impressions of others, particularly someone who installs it. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afdharley Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 The cool tech is a cool product,,pardon the pun but it is just a harness bar, not a true roll bar. I would have no problem putting this in my car. I traded emails with them during its development and it truly is a well thought out design. Just not a true roll bar, and they will be the first to admit that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EL SHELBY Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 In princable I agree in the differences between a weld in and a bolt in. However, a weld is not better than a bolt in if the mounting location and welds are not adequate. The bar offered Cool Tech uses what I understand to be the strongest points in the floor for mounting. It's oversimplifying to assume the use of bolts over a weld emplies an inferior design/reduced safety. Lastly, there is nothing stating this bar could not be welded in, but for the vast majority of Shelby owners welding in a roll bar or cage is not an option. So what qualifies as a 'true roll bar'? Calling it 'a harness bar' is also oversimplifying in my opinion. If I was Cool Tech I would also only refer to the bar as a 'harness bar' simply for liability. This bar is not certified by any racing organization and using it in wheel to wheel compitition is just plain stupid, but how many Shelby owners does any know who is using their street driven Shelby in wheel to wheel racing? The Autopower bolt in roll cages are SCCA & NASA cerified but based on how where they bolt in (flat to the floor and to the rear wheel arch) along with how the bars are coupled together I would never install one in my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afdharley Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 You are correct. I over simplified things. If I were in the market for one this is the me I would choose. It bolts into the strongest parts of the car, as you said. Plus it can be powder coated to match just about any paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT4578 Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 IMO, a bolt in bar is no better than just a harness bar. Neither of which will save your life if you put it on the lid. Do it right the first time, get a welded in bar in you want one, cos chances are if you dont you may not get a second chance. (null) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EL SHELBY Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Agreed, do it right the 1st time, so we should all stop driving until we can weld in a roll bar because we absolutely have no protection now and adding a bolt in bar increases the likelyhood of flipping your car and ensures you will be harmed. Got it. Guys, welding in a roll bar does not ensure your safety in a rollover. However, it will improve your likelyhood of not being harmed if done correctly. The same goes for a bolt in bar. How much more safe is one over the other is something we can debate endlessly but I'm willing to bet there are far more factors to consider than how a bar is attached as to how safe someone is if it all goes harry. Adding a full NASA spec cage simular to what is used in GrandAm or NASCAR will greatly improve your safety, but it still guarentees nothing. Everyone will need to weigh and balance what is an acceptable level of risk for their situation. There are many of us hitting the track every other weekend with nothing more than a helmet and the OEM safety systems. It's not logical to do nothing to improve your safety if you are unable to, or unwilling to go all out with complete weld in bar or cage. If a bolt in bar is well engineered, built with quality materials and correctly installed there is no reason to assume its not a worth while investment or that you are better off with nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Boss Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 I have the CoolTech bar powdercoated race red. It's a lot more than a harness bar, especially since I got the optional diagonal. I'll try to post some pics later when I get home from work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark17357 Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 In the end, it is your life. Each of us assesses the risk of our driving activities, the cost to effectively address that risk and then makes decisions accordingly. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Boss Posted August 2, 2012 Report Share Posted August 2, 2012 Very true Jim. Here's some pics of the CoolTech bar. If Shelby is going to produce one, they should make sure they are in the same ball park in terms of pricing and quality. This bar is 1.750" DIA with .120 wall. The connectors are very nice and likely stronger than the rest of it. You could easily weld it in. IMO if you started crushing the roof down, you'd pinch the bar between the roof and the floor/body. I got the diagonal to keep the Silver State as an option, but that really cuts down on the access to the area behind the seats. Apologies for the crappy iTurd photos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark17357 Posted August 2, 2012 Report Share Posted August 2, 2012 Very nice set up and thanks for sharing the photos. This whole topic of roll bars is one that generates more emotion than you would think it would. You said this: "The connectors are very nice and likely stronger than the rest of it" and that is exactly the information I was hoping to get and is supportive of this set up as a cut above the rest. I don't see Shelby offering their own roll bar as the market for same is not big enough. Safety does not tend to sell as well as other things (count the number of superchargers sold vs. the number of big brakes sold for example). And roll bars, thank goodness, tend to be the less "tested" of the safety devices so we have little field data to assist us with our decision. By the way, was there a 5th point available on your BOSS 302 racing harness? Just curious. Beautiful car by the way. I was on the track with one in May (he sold his SGT and bought the BOSS) and found it very capable. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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