Does a roll cage destroy the value of a car?

[Troy]

It won't decrease the value of your Jeep! Your Charger is a different story. If you're not racing it then what's the point of going through the trouble (and added weight) of putting in a cage? Hemi cars only got torque boxes and a couple other small frame stiffeners. You could always add frame connectors. I doubt you'd notice any difference at all on the street.

Safety? My car didn't even come with shoulder belts! The biggest danger in these old cars was folding yourself up under the dash or breaking your jaw on the steering wheel (both due to the lap belt). Better seats and good 3 point belts will probably do more for your safety than a roll cage.

Besides, a good cage will require cutting of some original parts too and it's a royal pain to get in/out of the car. A single hoop would be practically useless.

Troy

[MxRacer855]

I'm going to re-evaluate what I'm going to use the car for and in the mean tie order subframe connectors and torque boxes.

[Ghoste]

 

[Indygenerallee]

http://uscartool.com/I have their subframe connectors and they are badass!!! very nice well fitted pieces!!

[Brock Lee]

There are also insurance implications.  Some companies won't cover a car with a cage since they assume you are racing it.

That is very, very true. I had a Charger with a full cage in it and it posed a problem insuring it. Hagerty ended up insuring it, but only because I had absolutely convinced them it would rarely ever be driven. It was essentially viewed as a historical item that would occasionally be transported to be viewed. It was such a chore getting it covered that I vowed to never go through it again.

[Mike DC]

 
Was Hagerty worried about you street racing the car, or were they worried about the metal tubing killing you in a wreck?  I would assume the main concern was street racing it.

   

[Brock Lee]

Well, since their policy is for an agreed amount, I doubt they care too much about the safety factor. Live or die their payout would be the same.

[Baldwinvette77]

Not to mention, cages on the street just plain ol look badass. Period. Useless? Maybe, just like a 50% efficient roots blower vs a much better centifugal blower.

Useless, just like a shiny paintjob, or fresh chrome,but Just as cool to look at 

[MxRacer855]

If my little Nissan Altima rolled in an accident driving in everyday life (assuming everything was best case scenario), I'm fairly sure the car will have enough support to stay in tact, hold it's general figure, and keep the passengers in the vehicle safe. Not to mention it has multiple air bags, along with many other modern car safety features. If one of our Charger's (give or take 3,700 LBS) rolled in the very same accident, the lack of roof support and the heavy weight of the car would have to cause it to buckle.

Just for safety alone (and if you know you have a tendency to get a little "wild")... I don't see how it's possible for the right cage (sleek, well-fitted, convenient, semi-hidden) being anything but worthwhile. 

Jeff

[Ghoste]

I still think in almost every case it is going to hurt the value of the car and as for concerns about the crashworthiness of these cars, yes, the crash test photo from 1969 is horrible and since it was high speed into a solid object it should be.  Should you be so frightened from the photo that you need to put a rollcage in the car to save your life?  You have to decide that for yourself.  May as well wear a HAN device a firesuit and make damned sure it has the properly secured five point harness too. Since people actually did survive accidents before the advent of airbags and crumple zones I'll continue to take my chances.

[Baldwinvette77]

If my little Nissan Altima rolled in an accident driving in everyday life (assuming everything was best case scenario), I'm fairly sure the car will have enough support to stay in tact, hold it's general figure, and keep the passengers in the vehicle safe. Not to mention it has multiple air bags, along with many other modern car safety features. If one of our Charger's (give or take 3,700 LBS) rolled in the very same accident, the lack of roof support and the heavy weight of the car would have to cause it to buckle.

Just for safety alone (and if you know you have a tendency to get a little "wild")... I don't see how it's possible for the right cage (sleek, well-fitted, convenient, semi-hidden) being anything but worthwhile.  

Jeff

If you really want one, put one in, if you don't, then don't   i put mine in as a dukes, and deathproof reference, not so much a safety feature because its actually kinda hard to roll an old musclecar, compared to alot of other vehicles they have a really low center of gravity, big heavy frame, solid axles, and case iron blocks keep the weight below the body line, just to roll one of these, hollywood typically installs a cannon in the car the rocket one side of the car up in the air to trigger a roll, but its unlike in an everyday situation  

Ohyeah and that crumpled 69 charger that was wreck beyond recognition was traveling 100 mph into a concrete barrier, anycar, especially one with crumple zones will fold in at that speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRkPyuet_o

heres a focus at 120

[Mike DC]

Car guys rationalize rollcages and avoiding economy cars for safety.  Then we scoff at our wives' concerns about riding motorcycles.

[MxRacer855]

 

Car guys rationalize rollcages and avoiding economy cars for safety.  Then we scoff at our wives' concerns about riding motorcycles.

[HPP]

I'd be willing to bet your Altima weighs in pretty close to 3200-3400# depending on your engine. Throw a couple adults in it and a truck full off stuff and it wont be far off from your Charger in weight. Don't be fooled that because it is late model or uses high strength steel that over all it is a lightweight.

If you want a roll bar, put one in.

[MxRacer855]

I just looked it up, you were nearly spot on with the weight. Point taken. I'm just trying to evaluate the possible consequences.

[Indygenerallee]

You roll any car 4 or 5 times and its roof is gonna be flat as a pancake... (I owned a Towing business for 5 years and ive seen multiple rollovers up close and personal) If you plan on drag/road racing or doing any high speed driving (over 100) I would strongly suggest a cage to keep the roof from crushing you into a smudge of blood and goo in the case of a rollover (and throw a good 5 point harness in there as well!)

[Ghoste]

That was kind of my point as well.  If you are just doing it to look "badass" then the bare minimum is all you need.  Make it out of wood and cover it with foam to look round if looking cool is the goal.  But if you are truly doing it for safety or chassis strnegthening then a mere roll bar or even a simple "cage" is not nearly enough.

[Troy]

Yeah, a roll cage is useless if you get ejected from the car while it's flipping over...

I've know a lot of crazy drivers in my life time and I've done my fair share of questionable "stunts" and have never known a car to roll. On the street that is. I have lots of redneck friends who roll their jacked up 4x4s on a regular basis. It's a badge of honor.

If you think you might, at some point, be flipping end over end while racing in the Silver State Classic then, by all means, add a cage. And a fire system. And a fuel cell. And safety wire everything. And wear a helmet at all times. If you're worried about the roof caving in during an accident driving 25 mph to the corner store for a soda then you're overly paranoid and will probably never actually drive the car - at which point adding a cage just costs you a lot of money.

I'd worry much more about the engine coming through the firewall in a accident. Or getting hit in the back of the head by the rear seat when it ejects. One of my previous Chargers had some neat dents in the lower dash frame from someone's knees and the steering column was 2" too short. There aren't any "crumple zones" in these cars (except the steering column apparently) so the driver becomes a pinball on the inside while everything heavy tears itself from its mounting points. The only cage that will protect you from all that will wrap completely around the passenger compartment, have many mounting points, and will certainly not be hidden.

Troy

[MxRacer855]

I guess I was just trying to weigh options. I don't want to build a "drag car", but I'm building a fast car that I'm going to drag on occasion (if that makes sense). 9 times out of 10 I'm going to be just another guy on the road. But my "idiotness" will come out that other 10%. 

[Cooter]

Real question you gotta ask yourself is are yu planning on selling anytime soon?

If so, look for hardcore guys that don't mind a cage. For me, if its well done, its not a deal breaker.

[MxRacer855]

I know what you're going to say to this Cooter (and probably makes this entire thread seem stupid on my part), but I don't ever plan on selling the car... EVER!  You just never know though... and I'm trying to take care of all of those "What if's"?

Jeff

[Indygenerallee]

I've know a lot of crazy drivers in my life time and I've done my fair share of questionable "stunts" and have never known a car to roll.

pretty generous statement.. Ive seen several fatalities due to rollovers and the passengers were not ejected, but I guess unless you have been up close and personal on a fatal wreck scene nothing is gonna drive the point home.

[Mike DC]

Stupid comes in varying degrees. 

There is "grown man abusing the mechanicals" stupid.  And there is "fucking teenage idiot didn't even realize he was near losing it" stupid.  The latter can definitely roll a car.
 

[Troy]

I've know a lot of crazy drivers in my life time and I've done my fair share of questionable "stunts" and have never known a car to roll.

pretty generous statement.. Ive seen several fatalities due to rollovers and the passengers were not ejected, but I guess unless you have been up close and personal on a fatal wreck scene nothing is gonna drive the point home.

You're quoting me. I was just pointing out that, while I'm aware it can happen, I've never known anyone who has done it. I know a lot of people and a lot of really bad drivers so that tells me the odds are small enough that I'm not wasting my time worrying about it. Sure, I could build my car to withstand a direct hit from an RPG but that also seems a bit like overkill. Call me crazy!

Troy

[1974dodgecharger]

I know what you're going to say to this Cooter (and probably makes this entire thread seem stupid on my part), but I don't ever plan on selling the car... EVER!  You just never know though... and I'm trying to take care of all of those "What if's"?

Jeff

I say that all the time, but then end up selling them.....oh well.