Safety Device Rollbars ... Advices please!

[Old English White]

... Thanks Steve ,
These close up picts will complete the subject .
Unfortunatly I don't have the necessary for welding , so I will have to pay to have it done ...
Now , I have to book an appointement at the garage (Tony Kilburn for instance ) where I usually get "OEW" serviced ... before the end of April , and then you know how rare are the good specialists for our cars ... I need to do it tomorrow !
Christian.

[rgh0]

Christian

I created a similar gap in my chassis top rail to provide clearance to fit large diameter exhaust headers by panel beating the chassis rail carefully into a similar shape. I did it this way as I did not want to remove the body to safely do the needed cutting and welding. It has worked fine this way for the last 25 years.

Rohan

[steveww]

Ah some simple engineering that I can understand - Hit with a Big Hammer

A good idea as I was struggling with the same issue. How to weld in a brace with out setting fire to the car and with out removing the body.

[Old English White]

...Rohan ,Steve , The solution will be ... a mixt of the two !
My meccanics will form the chassis (hammer?) then weld the aera (He already has done this!?!) ... anyway , he said than first get the manfold enter (some time the engine mount need to be disconnected ), then a proper alignement , a good ground clearance and a strong muffler fixation need an elevator , I agree and so he will do it !
Back to the rollbar!
Christian.

[Old English White]

... A last , it's in!!!!
You were right , a very very tight fit ... millimetric adjustment and a week-end job .
I finally discover than all the bolt & nuts supplied by Safety Device were in metric dimension and had a reply from TTR about the fitting through the bobin ; "drill through" ! That I did not... made a new thread in the aluminum bobin was for me better mecanic .
So next is the radiator , its swirlpot & fan , that should be easier than the rollbar !
By the way , have you installed a switch on the dash for the fan or not ?
Christian.

[steveww]

I just use the otter switch to turn the fan on/off. However fitting a relay is a good idea as the fan draws quite a few amps and will burm out the otter switch eventually. Of a separate fuse is a good idea too

[Old English White]

... Hi,
Some news ...
The engine bay change a lot these last weeks ...

Looking good , isn't it !?!
Ok , I still need to finish the throttle cable arrangement (the original one was fixed to the metal airbox ,and I recieved the new linkage a FSE weber DCOE from Anthony , Fast road cars ), some stainless collars ...
The car must start this week to reach the garage for the exhaust system ...
Only two weeks left before my Le Mans rendez-vous .
Christian.

[rgh0]

Christian

It is certainly looking very nice !

Rohan

[steveww]

I really like all the polished aluminium. It might take a bit of work to keep it looking like that though.

[Old English White]

Steve , Rohan
... Polished alu is just the easiest way I found to keep "OEW" not too new ... !
When I get the car , the cam cover (originaly green ...) was covered with seven different colors of paint ... I had prefered to be able to paint it like it was but at the time I didn't found the right paint .
And , to be complete , this is not "mirror" polished , this give me less work to do ... I use a kind of fine metal wool and an aluminium polish (Belgom).
Christian.

[jkolb]

Just installed the Safety Devices rollbar with sill bars. Took the better part of a day, but the kit is very well built and everything lined up pretty well. I did modify the brackets for the front of the sill bars by brazing the bolts to the bracket and grinding excess material from the lower part of the bracket to get a better fit. Overall I am very pleased, except for the price. With the high price of the pound, plus shipping, I put a very high value on my head!

Jerry

[Old English White]

... Hi Jerry ,
I just read your post ... and suppose than yours is a dhc and than you don't had to squeeze the main part through the door ... and have you put the front cage ?
Let show us with pictures your mod for the front bracket ... I still have to install them ...
Christian.

[jkolb]

Sorry about the delay in responding. Yes, I have a dhc, so maneuvering is easier, although I also have the entire interior out of the car as well. I am away from my car now, but will do the photos when I return.

Note that any rollbar and harnes in a racing Elan raises an additional issue and that is the integrity of the floor under the seat in a rollover. I reinforced this entire area from the rear bulkhead to well in front of the seat with 2 layers of carbon fiber cloth in epoxy. Amazing how stiff this stuff sets up! Got the idea from Dave Bean, who almost went out the bottom after rolling through 720 degrees a couple of years ago.

Jerry