MikeD

Has anyone installed either the street cage or race cage for the 1G protege from Auto Power. I know they are pretty reputable company and was wondering if anyone has taken the dive and installed one. The prices seem pretty reasonable. Wanted to get any owner feedback and some idea as to the ease of install and fitment.

http://www.ioportracing.com/rollbar2.htm#anchor575860

I also see they make a cage for the 3G's in case anyone out there is looking.

biknman

Mike,
I've been pondering the same question. Roll bar, cage, or just a harness bar. Checkout this page for information to roll bar manufactures http://www.performancemarket.com/rollcage.htm
and this is a link for a local PA shop that is a Autopower dealer: http://www.stable-energies.com/index.html
I've looked for someone local in our area to put in a roll bar with no luck. I can't figure our area out, I can get anybody to do any custom work wither its a header, turbo, exhaust system, etc. Really starting to **** me off to. But because of it I have air tools and soon a arch welder and cutting torch. Things are different it seems where I'm from the mid-west, if you got money to spend you can find someone to do anything you want and its quality work too. Around the D.C. area it seems nobody wants to **** cause of liability laws I guess and if you do find someone to do some custom stuff its usually **** and cost a **** load. Sorry to get off on a tangent. I was planning on doing a roll bar/cage later this summer myself.
Later
David
P.S. Will I see you on Saturday at Tyson II?

MikeD

I know the struggle you are talking about to get anyone to do exhausts etc...I managed to find a place in Woodbridge, Va. that will build cat-backs (provided you catch the owner on a good day when business is slow, NASCAR isn't on, and the wind prevailing out of the SouthWest brings the scent of good ol Cash to his nose). It's owned buy an American Muscle fanatic. He did excellent work..nice mandrel bends, the whole nine yards. I'd love to give you his info, but I can't be sure he'd treat you with the same sorta civility he did me. He's got a very unpredictable and tough personality to deal with.

The fun part about these cars is you do have to work to find parts. Then you have to work to get em on. It's cool cause you really get familiar with your car. I don't go to any of these speed shops to have work done simply cause I don't want my Mazda to be the test mule for these guys who are used to working on H cars all day. I try to do all the work myself.

I know through a friend of mine who races spec RX-7, that a rotary performance shop in MD would probably install a cage in the pro, albeit for a price (read big $$). I like the idea of a bolt in cage simply because it can removed if needed, but my thought is if you're going to get one, welding is the way to go. I'll toss it around a bit more. To many unanswered questions and it looks like ZERO persons have done this to a pro.

As far as this weekend is concerned. I'm not positive. If I do go, I'll be riding with my Brother Jeremy who has the "Sport 20." I am going to be replacing brake calipers this weekend so my car is not currently online. I'll look for you if we decide to make it out! Thanks for the links.

biknman

Yup, I love tinkering with **** anyway. I grew up in a salvage yard and swore I'd never work on cars again now look at me just like dear old dad, DAMIT!
The roll bar: Think of this, you can get the Autopower bolt in install it yourself and then later down the road have someone run some beds of weld around the joints where its bolted together. Will not look as good but it will be functional and stiffen the **** out of the chassis. That’s probably what I'll be doing. I’ll get the street roll bar bolt in first and then later the add-ons for the cross brace and harness bar to make it a race roll bar and then get it welded together next winter. After driving around with it for a while to decided if that's what I want. Easier to unbolt something than unweld it.
So I take it you guys might not make it Saturday? What about Sunday are you guys going to make it to the autocross at Six Flags? I'm registered in the fourth heat, I hope it doesn't rain like is predicted.
Later
David

MikeD

Thanks Jesse...I'll have to check out the EGT group more often. I did manage sometime back to find a White LX that was raced in ITA for sale...5k if I recall correctly, but that has been the only one. Should jumped at that one. I believe I saw it at the Racers Network.

I will be at Tysons II tomorrow David, so we'll be looking for you. Hopefully the weather co-operates. See you there.