gab712 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 I have an 07 GT 500 Convertible. I would like to have a roll bar on the back for protection. All I see advertised is a light bar. Does anyone know of a company that makes the bolt in rear roll bar OR is what I am seeing everywhere the light bar?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Several good sources out there, this is one that I really like the fit and finish on: http://www.rpmrollbar.com/rollbars-ford.html Their 5 and 6 points are NHRA certified down to 10.00 too. Removable side bars are a must for a street car, unless you and your passenger enjoy flopping into your seats every ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby73 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 (edited) I have the Chrome moly 6pt by RPM with swing out bars, and love it! I actually daily drive my car and left the side bars attached, they swing out so well that they don't take to much trouble time to swing out. I powdered coated the bar white to match my car. I feel like speed racer everyday. Mark Edited January 14, 2016 by Shelby73 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 That looks good in there. I see you installed the rear seat delete. If you still had the rear seat in, do you think it could be still used or is the bar in the way? You would have to either climb under (if possible) or over the cross bar brace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby73 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 You can still use and access the rear seat, however it is like a jungle gym. LOL I have to get back there and clean the rear window. Easier to get back there with the top down. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Maybe it would be worth explaining why you feel a roll bar is necessary. Are you tracking your car? If you are just driving on the street then the "industrial" nature of a racing roll bar is overkill. Rollover accidents are rare but not unheard of in street driving, and the strength of the A-pillars and windshield are enough for the convertible to be "safe" according to NHTSA rules. Of course if that is your concern then the full roll bar will add safety margin. That said, the "light bar" is mostly decorative in nature. I had one on both of my Shelby GTs and frankly thought it added excessive bulk to the top of the car, and certainly added no safety. The only thing it added was a third "ET Light" brake light. Were I to get another, I wouldn't add one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby73 Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 For me, once I exceeded 800HP it was a matter of safety concern. Anything can happen, better safe then sorry. I also installed drive shaft loops just in case the upgraded drive shaft fails. Let's face it, there is a reason tracks have safety rules depending how fast you can go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted January 16, 2016 Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) There is a big difference in a coupe and a convertible. I would assert that putting that much hp in a convertible would first be met with an upgrade to a coupe. The one time i ran the track would not let a vert run under 12 secs. All of the coupe points are valid. I'd like to hear from the op about if he really wants structural or decorative and if structural if the use is correct for a vert Edited January 16, 2016 by twobjshelbys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Our IHRA track is even more strict than that, 13 seconds is the cutoff for convertibles without a roll bar. gab712 did mention he wanted a roll bar for protection, a light bar is not designed for deflection loads so it is not a reasonable form of protection. Check out OCDs Round One Completed thread under the GT500 Modifications section. He has performed many mods on his car including the roll bar, and his power range is easily up there. He also has one of the nicest and cleanest looking undercarriages I have seen too. If I were to mod a convertible myself, I would get the 6 point bolt in roll cage, BMRs sub frame connectors, and also see about fabricating plates that go from the sub frame connectors to under where the roll cage points bolt in. You don't have to run the 2 front bars on the street if you don't want to, but you will need them at the track if you get your car running quicker than 11.5 seconds. The convertibles also are supposed to have a rear brace of some sorts, not sure what work needs to be done to get that to work with the sub frame connectors. If you ask OCD, he may able to help you with that question or at least let you know what he did. If it is in the budget, adding BMRs tubular K-member, K-member brace and rad / sway bar mount will help tie the front bottom end together. Top it off with a KR style strut tower brace, and you will have added significant strengthening to your car. I used to have an old X frame GM car, so I can tell you first hand that adding in a 6 point roll bar made a huge difference in structural integrity. That 6 point was welded in though with the high / straight side bars to be NHRA\IHRA legal, and although they looked cool they were a pain on the street. The swing out / removable side bars are much easier to live with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCD Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 The light bars look good, but a real roll bar will help stiffen the vert up... I researched them for months and went with RPM... I was kicked off the track for running in the 11's... The roll bar imo makes the back seat useless and unsafe for people to sit in... I didn't want anyone sitting back there anyway... also see about fabricating plates that go from the sub frame connectors to under where the roll cage points bolt in. Great idea!! In the future I want to get my welder/fabricator genius friend to add some additional bracing in places and weld in my roll bar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb64 Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I have also been thinking real hard on a bar myself for awhile now, for track and overall safety reasons. Even though the roof is stronger with newer cars, mine is getting pretty close to 130mph in the 1/4 mile and that is moving. Unfortunately that $2345 US for a 6 pt chrome moly setup works out to over $3408 CDN. With taxes at the border that climbs up to just over $3850 CDN total. That's a good chunk of spare cash to lay out (at least for me), for something I am not totally sold on yet. Be careful what you weld on or modify on your RPM roll bar, it may negate its existing certification and require you to get it inspected and recertified. For the underside bracing, I was thinking something as simple as an "L" bracket welded to the subframe connector will allow the bar to be bolted directly to it at the various floor points. Hopefully the floor at the various points are fairly flat and not too complex a shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby73 Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I actually used the BMR subframe connectors along with the rear strut bar and of course the front strut bar, and the 6pt chrome moly RPM roll bar. No flex shoots straight as an arrow. Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCD Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 I have also been thinking real hard on a bar myself for awhile now, for track and overall safety reasons. Even though the roof is stronger with newer cars, mine is getting pretty close to 130mph in the 1/4 mile and that is moving. Unfortunately that $2345 US for a 6 pt chrome moly setup works out to over $3408 CDN. With taxes at the border that climbs up to just over $3850 CDN total. That's a good chunk of spare cash to lay out (at least for me), for something I am not totally sold on yet. Be careful what you weld on or modify on your RPM roll bar, it may negate its existing certification and require you to get it inspected and recertified. For the underside bracing, I was thinking something as simple as an "L" bracket welded to the subframe connector will allow the bar to be bolted directly to it at the various floor points. Hopefully the floor at the various points are fairly flat and not too complex a shape. The mounting points are fairly flat, I had to scrape some of that caulking stuff off... On the verts, a bit of metal has to be cut off the top of the wheel wells where the soft top bracing goes... My only worry was the roll bar punching thru the floor, but I think the sub frame connectors would stop it now!! The exchange is brutal right now... I just ordered some filters for my air line and the $2400 American order, cost me over $3600 Canuck bucks after all the dust settled... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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