Ive read all of the previously posted info on here about cages in splittys but its all quite old and since there are a few more quick buses around now, I wondered if there are any other companies offering cages for buses.

Im looking at a full cage, as hidden as possible with the front especially needing some attention. Ive thought about fabricating my own, but apart from the fact ita CDS, Im not sure on OD and wall thicknesses etc, and those bloomin tube benders are not cheap so thought Id get some input from you knowlegeable chaps first!

Any help, phots or advice would be very much appreciated as its a minefield!

I am having a full bespoke cage put in my bus by Jim and Trev over at cotsweld racing as we speak which wil be spec down to 8.50 seconds and fully MSA legal for drag racing.

I don't think it's possible to 'hide' a cage as such other than having it as close to the bodywork as possible which most are anyway.

Also what type of cage do you need? There are different regs for different types of racing.

Options for tube are CDS and cro moly, Iirc the same diameter tube but cro mo is stronger than CDS so the specs allow a thinner tube wall compared to CDS making it lighter but 'as' strong as CDS.
Cro mo costs more in raw materials.

Any good race car or Motorsport garage should be able to fit a cage in anything so you could also look outside of the VW community for companies also.

I'm not sure you can get made to fit cages for buses as each cage is basically bespoke and not all buses are true and straight so it might look odd.

I pick my bus up Wednesday so if I remember I'll throw some photos up.

tufty65 wrote:I am having a full bespoke cage put in my bus by Jim and Trev over at cotsweld racing as we speak which wil be spec down to 8.50 seconds and fully MSA legal for drag racing.

I pick my bus up Wednesday so if I remember I'll throw some photos up.

Yes Please Jim's Welding is so good looking, I feel like a perv when admiring it.

Like I said you can't really hide a roll cage if it's going to be used for racing and be legal unless you want it specifically for cosmetic looks.
This is as hidden as you're going to get it as it sits as flush as possible to the bodywork.
Turns out I needed an 8 point not 6 to be within regs.



I love how they have followed the lines of the front screens with the top tube, looks really nice and neat.

Tufty dude that looks epic

Jim is pretty good at that stuff, as are Andy Robinson Race cars! Rob Judge at RJM Motorsport or my particular favourite Bob at Concept Racing - the cage he built for the cool flo guys is a stunning piece of work, don't know if it's all MSA legal but it looks the tits

Orb

orb wrote:Tufty dude that looks epic

Jim is pretty good at that stuff, as are Andy Robinson Race cars! Rob Judge at RJM Motorsport or my particular favourite Bob at Concept Racing - the cage he built for the cool flo guys is a stunning piece of work, don't know if it's all MSA legal but it looks the tits

Orb

I've only seen that one in a few photos but can't see if it's 8 or 6 point. I'm pretty sure it has to be an 8 point cage to make it legal for regs as you have to tie in the cage directly to the floor on busses unlike beetles where they are boxed/tied into the chassis rails etc so only needing 6 point.

If they wanted it legal it would only take a couple more tubes in the back anyway.

Like the way the seats are incorporated into the cage, looks whacky!

tufty65 wrote:

orb wrote:Tufty dude that looks epic

Jim is pretty good at that stuff, as are Andy Robinson Race cars! Rob Judge at RJM Motorsport or my particular favourite Bob at Concept Racing - the cage he built for the cool flo guys is a stunning piece of work, don't know if it's all MSA legal but it looks the tits

Orb

I've only seen that one in a few photos but can't see if it's 8 or 6 point. I'm pretty sure it has to be an 8 point cage to make it legal for regs as you have to tie in the cage directly to the floor on busses unlike beetles where they are boxed/tied into the chassis rails etc so only needing 6 point.

If they wanted it legal it would only take a couple more tubes in the back anyway.

Like the way the seats are incorporated into the cage, looks whacky!

Try and sit in the cool flo 58 if you get a chance.

The seats are just WAY too high in my opinion.

You end up driving bent doubled, great looking but not so practical.

Wow! Missed all of these replies, think my notifications are screwed as I never get updates to threads I've subscribed to anymore...

Anyway, thanks for the pictures guys, mine wont be used for racing, just to keep the family safer than they usually would be in the bus. Ive decided to build my own cage, and have ordered the tube bending equipment (not cheap!!). Its for two reasons:

First: I have an idea of how I want it to look and think its easiest for me to actually make it rather than try to translate it into something other understand, I want to integrate the front seat mounts to keep the height low etc.

Second: its a new challenge, something Ive not done before so why not.

I will post a rough sketch of my planned layout later, its very rough as its drawn on my ipad, just to give an insight into my mind

Sort of that....

I like you way you've designed it so as not to impede access to the front seats

Haha they sit inside my front tubs and follow the profile of the existing metal work, they will actually form the runners for my front seat to sit on... All will become clear in the build thread, promise! Im not completely nuts although my wife may tgink otherwise!!

No really, I think it's a great idea. You can be a bit creative because you're not trying to comply to any specific regs.

I've often thought that most bus owners worse fears are a front end crash and it's puzzled me for a while that someone hasn't made a bolt in section that just wraps around the front and comes back to mount on the wheel tubs.
Saw an orange Scooby powered split at the pod once who'd done just this, it was simple and effective.

Can't wait to see the build

Orb

wejjy wrote:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1406644805.350966.jpg

Sort of that....

That's pretty trick! I hope your good at angles and measuring
That looks almost legal for regs I'd say anyway, the only thing obvious that wouldn't be legal is the access to the front seats as this would need a bar that traverses at your shoulder height but as it's for looks/non regs it doesn't matter

I'd would also add a cross member above the windscreen like this



I would still be inclined to make it from CDS or cro-mo for strength though.

Some good looking kit there and that drawing looks pretty good too
Mrs Empi constantly asks about a front cage and even more so now we have little Empi up front. I'm thinking some thing like the drawing but with a top bar across the top off the screens ( I noticed it too) and then either tied into door bars which mount to the bulkhead behind the cab seats or come down the cab side of the B post and tie into where the seatbelt mounts would be then have a bolt in door bar. I noticed that the safety devices cages are a smaller diameter tubing and wondered if this would be better to make it out of whatever they're made from as it's less obtrusive.
I wonder how much it would cost to get just the cab section on the drawing made up and fitted but with a bar across the top of the cab?
One thing I've always wondered though was how do they do all the welding without frazzling all the interior and interior trim etc

Cheers, Lee.

wejjy wrote:Im not completely nuts although my wife may tgink otherwise!!

You sure?