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Alright, this is long, but I figure you guys want the info. I just pored over 2 cars yesterday to specifically check out the Cusco cage. I saw 2 cars with the Cusco cages installed: one with a 6-point cage, and another with a 7-point cage. Sorry, no pics as my camera got jacked earlier.
Sat in the car and really was surprised how the cage does NOT intrude into passenger space. You know how the WRX doesn't have a sunroof and the interior roofline arcs upward from where the vinyl grab-bars are? The cage fits inside this space, so I really see no chance of head-banging the cage when driving on the street (without a helmet). The back seats are a little different: there is a cross bar up top (removable) that is closer to passenger heads than I would like. You can remove it, or just make sure they buckle up and aren't too tall. I guess it's really not that different than a car with low-ish rear headroom, especially if you pad it.
The big deal with roll cages in a street car is head contact with the cage while not wearing a helmet. However, after sitting in these 2 cars, I can say that it's highly unlikely you can hit the bars even if you tried. Your head hits the vinyl grab-bars well before you could contact the roll cage, and the front cross-bar is only a bit thicker than the sun visors it replaces. A 4 to 6 point harness would further prevent any upward movement. A set of bar padding might also alleviate some concerns; Cusco makes a specific set.
You lose usage of the coin tray and sun visors with either cage. The 7-point pretty much makes the back seat unusable. The front legs of the bar takes a bit of foot room from the driver's left foot, but doesn't interfere with using any of the 4 pedals. Weighs about 20 kilos. Stiffens the car dramatically, I'm told. Not sure how it affects interior noise levels.
Bozz Performance in Fremont (highly recommended) are asking around $675 for the 6-point, not including tax & install but including freight from Japan. Installation requires removing front & back seats and quite a bit of drilling and some slight mods to rear seats (for a good fit).
You can probably forget about talking your way out of speeding tickets after installing, and your girlfriend (or boyfriend), who's already annoyed at your throbbing exhaust, will think you're a nut for ripping up your carpeting, drilling 24+ holes and wedging this ugly blue jungle-gym in your car. Not for the half-hearted or those only looking for the "racer look": just get some stickers and move along, please
What I REALLY want to know is if it qualifies for SCCA road racing. I was told it is FIA certified and has a pre-drilled test hole (for bar thickness checks). Both types bolt-in with no welding required, though I believe some groups require welded-in cages for all cars except aluminum bodied ones (i.e. NSX). It's Cro-moly steel, so I hope welding wouldn't be a problem
This review is from: sleepy-scoobie
Alex can you get this cage and also can you answer if it is SCCA O.K and FIA certified?
You are talking about the cages that require you to cut them into the dash correct? They also have a metal bracket at the feet that help attach them to the rocker panel inside the car. Its not one of those that just sits on the floor pan without any other support and bends around the dash instead of going through it? If its the type that bend around the dash you might want to keep in mind that bend around the dash is actually its weakest point. In a real rollover that bend is going to continue to bend down. The floor pan is really way too thin and won't take too much to have the feet of the car punch through or force the body bead on the car to seperate. Those kinds of cages or more for looks then anything else.
Yes, I have the cauge in my car as well. I have the CUSCO 6 point one and also have 2 additional bars, so make it 8 point.
CUSCO is a "brand" of CARROSSE which makes lots of motorsports-only parts. Most of those parts have never even been shown anywhere.
So, CUSCO's cauges are blue and made from chromoly. But, you can get a Safety 21 cauge (another CARROSSE brand) which is steel and is heavier, but it can be WELDED into place.
Nither of them require dash cutting. They have diff configuration for the rear "legs". Some go around the door like in my car, and some shoot straigh to the tower bars.
Prices are ~ whatever # of points you want x 110. Thats roughly.
About their SCCA legality. Not sure. I dout they are, since they are bolt-in.
If you have anymore q's or want more pics, let me know.
Actually I have 2 rear bar. A carbon fiber angled cross bar for the rear (I am sure SCCA officials will gigle when they see it) and a steel bar for the harness.
Safety 21/CUSCO have diff types of cross bars. Steel, chromoly, aluminum and carbon fiber. Bar-2-bar type, bar-2-floor type and open end type which lets you do whatever you wanna do with it.
I just uploaded some pics for you to see. Click on gallery and Members Gallery. There should be 3 new cage pics.
Location: I go to school in Peoria IL, but live in Burr Ridge IL (its near Chacago)
Drives : one fast 4EAT and a project 6spd
Posts: 570
Rollerboy- two questions, one is is that carbon fiber around you main gauage cluster, and two do you have any other pics of how the cage fits in the rear?
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