Half roll cage for RA23 Celica

[mattlock]

Hi all,

Now that im getting serious on the 23 im building i want to install a roll cage to it, im looking at a half cage that will comply with CAMS and want to know if there are any links to building one on this site, ive just bought a good quality mig welder and am thinking about buying a pipe bender and have a CAMS manual to go by that specifies the type of cages i would need to make, im a pretty good welder and feel i can do a good job but want to know if anyone on this site has made one for a TA22 or RA23 that i can go by so i know the rite places to make mounts and know where i will need to strengthen the chassis, i wont be running a rear seat and will be running ADR race seats and harnesses. The car will be used in classic tarmac rallys and club sprints in the future and i will have it looked over by an engineer, just want to get it rite the first time tho
Any help on this topic would be a huge help.

Cheers Matt

['ol_skool_'75]

Send a PM to swan86 on CCCSA forums Mike does an fantastic job

Cheers

Bear

[Rodger]

Matt.

If you make a cage and are running without a rear seat; aim to mount the rear two bars at the intersection of the wheel arches and the shock mount towers, then run a bar across between the two arms as low as possible attached to the two bars.
Add a box section onto each rear seat floor rail in the corners near the door opening for the main hoop, then I believe you can X brace from the shock tower points up to the main hoop.

I understand that CAMS will certify a cage if they can be shown that the material size, thickness and quality meets requirements and that the welding can be shown to meet standards. If your engineer deals with CAMS conformity then he would be able to check this quality. Otherwise CAMS accepts easier, cages made by endorsed cage builders.

For anyone wishing to bolt in a cage, we found years ago that an RA-28 Bond cage would allow mounting the rear bars to the wheel arches and not like one for a TA-22/RA-23 which was designed to mount to the parcel shelf.

Regards
Rodger

[mattlock]

Cheers Bear and Rodger, i will take all this info into consideration when designing the cage, im looking at a bolt in type but if i have to i will make a fixed in place type, wheel arch with cross bar sounds like a good idea then i can weld the roof bars onto it rather than to the parcel shelf, would be much stronger i recon, then i will do a cross section behind the front seats. I will be doing a lot of chassis strengthening as well, it may end up being a full cage but i want to minimise attraction from the law as i do want to still drive it on the road for the od cruise with the club. Anyone who has built them before i would love to see how you have made up your mounts.

Cheers Matt

[Willofan]

Be sure to use a mandrel bender and not the one that crushes the pipe like the exhaust guys use.

Also check local authorities regarding a registered car having a roll car, it is illegal in some states.

[mattlock]

Cheers Willofan, yeh i agree, i think i will make up a design and get the pipes bent up mandrel by AAA exhaust in Adelaide, they did my cooler plumbing in the mandrel so i think thats the way to go, and i think i will do a bolt in type so i can still use it for road use and bolt it in when i start doing some track driving. I got my welder today so i will start making some mounts and will be running a tube from my rear wheels arches, think this will make the car a lot stiffer and will give the cage somthing to bolt to rather than just welding it to the parcel shelf, also about to mount my new seats, its gonna be a hot day in the shed

Cheers Matt

['ol_skool_'75]

Half cage is engineerable here in SA so you should be fine

[mattlock]

Yeh thats what i thought Bear, just getting as much info as i can before i start makin up mounting points, dont think you can run a rear seat if you have 1 tho, but i dont intend on taking any backseat drivers and i plan on moving my fuel tank to the spare wheel bay and adding a cross bar between the rear wheel arches, for added strenght. Looks like it will be a bolt in/out type at this stage. Drivers seat in now, mounted perfectly, tomoz i tackle the passenger seat then body and cage work starts, im sectioning in steel wide body flares around 2 inches wider. will make a Rides page once it starts comming together but will ad pics on CCCSA.
Cheers Matt

['ol_skool_'75]

Yeah that's right Matt. You need to lose the back seat as well as the rear seat belts I'm waiting on the Transport Dept to tell me how much it'll be to register my Celica just as a 2 seater.... As being my height no one could actually fit behind me any ways. Will probably bump up rego cost but so worth it as then you can "legally" fit a fixed back seat

Cheers

Bear

[mattlock]

yeh ok sweet, well let me know by text or PM when ya find out coz i want to get started on it asap, should have the car on some cruizes soon, even if it looks like a patch work coat but next time you see it it should be looking a little lighter and wider, and will be ringing the 18RG out until its time to get freshened up, will only be doing a re-ring, bearings, valve guides n seals and front and rear main seals, already have a spare head gasket and inlet and exhaust etc, so around $500 and i will have a nice fresh RG again, im thinking about just tensioning up my 3TG my self so hope chris milton supplied all the rite size parts as i recon i should be able to do it and save a couple of thousand to buy a nice t28 ball bearing for my new manifold ive sorted, im no Yellow Rolla but have built enough 3tg's now to know my way around them and every dollar i save meens extra goodies to go into it. Wont install it until ive done the chassis, brakes and suspension, need to know it will steer straight and stop properly before i add 300 + ponys under the bonnet and th RG just sounds to good to bin it lol, plus i will need to use it if i want to enter it into any classic events in the future. Any way this is turning into an essay lol, Chat soon

Cheers Matt BTW come have a beer when ya in my area next just buzz me first

['ol_skool_'75]

Hahaha, good essay man Sounds like a good plan! I should be able to swing by in the next few weeks, the missus' ankle is getting a lot better so I can leave her without fear of coming home and finding her laying on the floor unconscious.

Defs keen for beer

Cheers

Bear

[mattlock]

Thats good to hear she's gettn better, i'll be in for surgery next few weeks so im going hell bent on getting as much shit as i can do before its a 3 month in bed recovery, way i look at it is i cant screw my back any worse than it is, seat 2 now in then im gonna start cutting my wheel arches to start the wide body sectioning. Time for my welding to improve lol less filkler the better, or may play with some lead wipeing.