Autopower roll bar

[TemecFist]

Hey guys. I looked all over and could not find good pics of the Autopower roll bar installed, so here you guys go. Maybe it will help someone out

 

[WutApex]

I'm not here to poop on your parade, but since your clearly running TT, can I ask why you didn't go with a weld in?
IIRC, Autopower typically have small footplates - were these beefed up?
And are they able to tie into anything substantial underneath instead of just the floorpan?

 

[TemecFist]

I'm not here to poop on your parade, but since your clearly running TT, can I ask why you didn't go with a weld in?
IIRC, Autopower typically have small footplates - were these beefed up?
And are they able to tie into anything substantial underneath instead of just the floorpan?

It's actually going to be welded in to the frame rail with gussets. I agree, Autopower does have a reputation for using small floor plates, theres also a few other things I didnt like about this roll bar, but that's for another day I guess. When I was researching this roll bar, I could hardly find any pics that showed clearances (harness bar to back of seat, main hoop to b-pillar, etc). I just posted this up to show a quick snapshot. It's a good bar to begin with, but to make it safer, it needs to be welded to the frame rails at a minimum. I will probably even remove the bolts, and rosette weld everything together. The reason I didn't go with a full weld in to begin with, was because I still have interior, and I didnt want to worry about burning stuff up with a full weld in. At least at this point, theres only minimal welding that needs to be done inside the car.

 

[Woods247]

Hey guys. I looked all over and could not find good pics of the Autopower roll bar installed, so here you guys go. Maybe it will help someone out

Thanks for posting this. Is there any possibility of getting a pic directly from the side with the opposite door closed? I’ve been searching everywhere trying to see how far back the harness bar sits in relation to the rear door handle. That’ll give me an idea as to wether my seat position is compatible with one of their prebuilt “race” bars or if I need to build my own.

 

[AZSP33D]

Here’s a few I have on my phone that may be helpful...

 

[Erick_V]

Are any racing organizations going to hassle you for bolt in cages? I have been debating OEM Recaros w/ Schroth Harness' or a Bolt-In cage, Bucket seat and a 5pt harness. The former is the less expensive option for me but I'm debating the latter because my rear seats are deleted anyways and I could sell the Recaro set and get a lot of the money back. I am gearing toward HPDE in a year or so and TT after that.

 

[Woods247]

TT is the reason I have to lose the Schroth QF Pro. They’d don’t allow it. If I buy this bar, I’ll weld an additional large plate to the floor and the foot of the bar to that. In fact, that’s what Autopower suggested I do. Consider skipping the 5-point and go for 6-point. The 6 is easier on your balls.

 

[Shikari]

6 point all day. 10/10 confirm my 5 point wrecked my balls.

 

[JDG]

Here’s a few I have on my phone that may be helpful...

View attachment 29890 View attachment 29893 View attachment 29892 View attachment 29891

Is there a plate that goes on the underside of the car as well?

I have also been eyeing this kit.

 

[AZSP33D]

Is there a plate that goes on the underside of the car as well?

I have also been eyeing this kit.

Yes...

 

[JDG]

Awesome, thanks @AZSP33D. Looks like I would make a larger plate for the bars that mount vertically. The angled bars don’t have much space to add a bigger plate..


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[AZSP33D]

Awesome, thanks @AZSpeed. Looks like I would make a larger plate for the bars that mount vertically. The angled bars don’t have much space to add a bigger plate..

The roll bar is solid and well made... Big drawback is that the areas where the bar mounts to the floor, are not a pinch weld area or structural point, and very flimsy. For the bottom plate I would strongly recommend a larger plate not nearly as thick (thinner is actually a much better idea for this)... that's stitch welded to the pan, and extending to the structurally supported areas and seams for at least 2 edges if not 3, and then have the standard backing plates still used outside of that as designed.

My thoughts are that the Fiesta car structure is perhaps good at a 50mph rollover scenario (autocross) and the roll bar gets you an additional 50mph (which is not much at all, perhaps 70-80% of the race track for a time trial or HPDE) at most with a helmet and respecting head strike issues, a properly integrated cage is needed for above that and any door to door of course... just rough spitballing here, but the biggest issue is the additional energy would poke through the unsupported floor first and crush the A pillar later, depending on the type of crash obviously. My concern was the high CG and sticky tires there's a legitimate rollover risk. I remember even just parking at an autocross event parking lot style, and the little Fiesta was the tallest car in the lot.

 

[JDG]

The roll bar is solid and well made... Big drawback is that the areas where the bar mounts to the floor, are not a pinch weld area or structural point, and very flimsy. For the bottom plate I would strongly recommend a larger plate not nearly as thick (thinner is actually a much better idea for this)... that's stitch welded to the pan, and extending to the structurally supported areas and seams for at least 2 edges if not 3, and then have the standard backing plates still used outside of that as designed.

My thoughts are that the Fiesta car structure is perhaps good at a 50mph rollover scenario (autocross) and the roll bar gets you an additional 50mph (which is not much at all, perhaps 70-80% of the race track for a time trial or HPDE) at most with a helmet and respecting head strike issues, a properly integrated cage is needed for above that and any door to door of course... just rough spitballing here, but the biggest issue is the additional energy would poke through the unsupported floor first and crush the A pillar later, depending on the type of crash obviously. My concern was the high CG and sticky tires there's a legitimate rollover risk. I remember even just parking at an autocross event parking lot style, and the little Fiesta was the tallest car in the lot.

Yeah, my goal is to do a local hill climb event in the next few years. There are guard rails but a roll bar is required (for obvious reasons) but I want whatever I add to be fairly removable. Welding in some plates isn't a big deal, as long as the bar can still be bolted in.

What I like about this roll bar is it sits far enough back that there is no risk to hitting your head on it in a street collision, so the car can still be driven on the street per usual.

 

[M-Sport fan]

PHA (Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association), and SCCA Solo 1 rules allow for bolt-in, and bolted joint, split-bar roll bars in their rules?

 

[JDG]

PHA (Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association), and SCCA Solo 1 rules allow for bolt-in, and bolted joint, split-bar roll bars in their rules?

Yes, the mounting plates need to be 3/16” thick, this is the only rule the auto power doesn’t meet (but easy enough to address).

SCCA hill climb rules:

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[TemecFist]

Just do what I did. Problem solved. This is not a pic of my actual car, but it's exactly how I did it. I also welded a plate on the inside, in the rear.

 

[WutApex]

Just do what I did. Problem solved....

But that's just it....all the modifications needed to get an Autopower bar correct...I say do it right the first time with a real cage builder since your life is on the line. If you have to chop it out later, so be it. Don't skimp on safety (says the guy that ran W2W with an extinguisher instead of a fire system)

 

[TemecFist]

But that's just it....all the modifications needed to get an Autopower bar correct...I say do it right the first time with a real cage builder since your life is on the line. If you have to chop it out later, so be it. Don't skimp on safety (says the guy that ran W2W with an extinguisher instead of a fire system)

It's really not that simple. Try having a "cage builder" weld inside of your car when you still have interior, lol, 1 spark and now your stuff is burned. I did the math. I used to build Class 1 cars for Chenowth so I'm pretty knowledgeable on cages. By the time you have a "cage builder" build a cage (and hope he doesnt mess up your interior), you can get the exact same safety requirements, for less money, by buying the Autopower and "upgrading" it (welding in floor plates, welding the rear bars, etc). Everyone has their own way of doing things tho, which is what makes building cars fun. You just gotta pick the best way for you.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Don't skimp on safety (says the guy that ran W2W with an extinguisher instead of a fire system)

NASA allowed that in CMC?!?!

 

[WutApex]

NASA allowed that in CMC?!?!

Surprisingly, yes.

"5.10 Fire Extinguisher/Fire System All cars must have at minimum a fire extinguisher meeting CCR requirements. The installation of an on board fire system meeting the CCR requirements is not required but is strongly recommended."

However, seeing the in-car footage of one of the Texas Region American Iron cars catch on fire going up the hill at COTA, I realized there's no possible way I could reach the fire extinguisher in time. Because the nature of the fire, the fire system only allowed him enough time to bail out of the car and even that was sketchy...

I thought changing that was one of the RCRs submitted...I'll check with my regional director to see if that ever got changed.

edit - I will add that of the handful of fires I've seen firsthand and a bunch I've heard of, the system was never activated - the driver GTFO'd and didn't think to pull the handle.