Do I *need* a rollbar?

[ERA Chas]

I asked you to stop doing that^^^^

[kevins2]

I would say that's a nice looking car, but then I'd get flamed for "feeding the Patrick"...

Lippy, congrats on the chassis number. I'm two cars ahead of you - ERA #795. Lots of opinions here but ultimately whatever you decide won't be a "one off" so go with whatever pleases you. You probably know that Peter is very good and patient with changes, so just know where your car is in the process and you have that much time to think things over and decide what you want.

Regards,

Kevin

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Incorrectumundo.... Splitting the difference can be quite rewarding.

Uh, how can my opinion be incorrect? Me no likey "splitting the difference." I don't like compromises or the look. Go ALL street or ALL S/C. That is my opinion.

And I'm tired of looking at the same old pictures of your Arizona Beige car. Either shoot some new pics or refrain from posting the same old tired pics.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

And I'm tired of looking at the same old pictures of your Arizona Beige car. Either shoot some new pics or refrain from posting the same old tired pics.

OK, here she is fitted for a drive in the english countryside, with no roll bars....

[RodKnock]

I've just realized that old pics or new pics, it doesn't matter. I'm just tired of seeing your car.

BTW your steering wheel is on the wrong side.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

BTW your steering wheel is on the wrong side.

I had the front end fabbed so I could pull the quick release, drop the dash, and move everything over to the right. Now you gotta admit, that's pretty cool.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I had the front end fabbed so I could pull the quick release, drop the dash, and move everything over to the right. Now you gotta admit, that's pretty cool.

Ahhh, now I get the reason for two roll bars.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Ahhh, now I get the reason for two roll bars.

... and Chas was still three steps behind you on that revelation.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

... and Chas was still three steps behind you on that revelation.

You know, those two bozos rear-ended you, made cornflakes of the of the rr and Walt had to glue it together.
But you didn't get a basal skull fracture on the flippin roll bars. (Matresses notwithstanding).You just act like it.
In spite of that you continue to preach that litany to poor sots like this who ask for opinions and think they're getting them from knowledgeable owners.
You're really just the class show-off again. That's all you're in this experience for. Thousands of posts with 'look at me' pictures.
That poor car never broke a sweat.
I love you but I hate you.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

I love you but I hate you.

... ahhhh, if I had a nickel....

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by lippy

Sort of a hybrid street/SC...I don't plan on tracking the car. Would it be crazy to build without a roll bar? I think the chance of rolling the car is low, and I'm not sure the roll bar would do any good anyway.

Here are a few pics of sort of a hybrid (mine):







Like you, I have no interest in track racing, but might be interested in some 1/8 mile drag racing. Mostly, though, it is just my daily driver in decent weather.

However, relative to the roll bar issue, this thought occurs to me:

...it would be better to have it and not "need" it than to "need" it and not have it.

You never know what might happen out there on the street....best to be prepared. Spinouts around corners and curves are not uncommon, and once the beast is sliding sideways (or, even worse, swapping ends) an unfortunate contact with a curb is all it would take to turn it over, with predictable consequences.

One side note...when it is in the garage and I need to move it, the roll bar is the thing to grab onto...easy to transfer the power to the chassis and easy to use to stop it before it hits something else....no need to get handprint smudges on the paint , right?

Cheers!

Dugly

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by kevins2

I would say that's a nice looking car, but then I'd get flamed for "feeding the Patrick"...

Kevin

I agree - I even think the color looks especially attractive in that photo. Nice stance and nice without the noggin bumpers.

Dan

[legenmetals]

If you put shoulder belts in your car make sure you have a roll over bar that is taller than your head. My Contemporary isn't but it will be. I think that more drivers are hurt from a front or rear hit without the shoulder belts. If it's from the side your toast. I rolled a MG Midget with lap belts, the lap belts saved my life. Only sustained ten stiches to the temple from the windshield shearing off on the way over. I only race my cup cars now and drive the cobras like they were motorcycles.

[chucks1]

Anyone ever try these Aussie SPF seats - with or without rollbars?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by chucks1

Anyone ever try these Aussie SPF seats - with or without rollbars?

They kind of look like a dentist's chair.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

They kind of look like a dentist's chair.

Making friends the world over...

[tkb289]

lippy,

Congratulations on getting your chassis number … 797 promises to be a beauty, along with Kevin's 795 !

Build it the way you see fit, as you should … as requested here are some opinions:

- The street look is very cool, especially since there are a lot fewer 'street' replicas than S/C replicas. No hood scoop, just the clean lines of the body in a dark blue … very nice. Using the FIA wheels is a great touch, might consider having the wheel webs power coated black with a polished lip.

- Since you are considering under car exhaust all the way to back bumper, the optional ERA rear suspension is out. Having the turn out before the rear tire is a good setup and no worries of getting snake bit.

- Would a roll bar do any good, depends on a lot of factors. I don't plan on testing mine, but the ERA setup looks very substantial in it's design and implementation. The frame will be fabricated with the roll bar supports built in. I would suggest having ERA build a roll bar for 797, but ask them not to install it or cut holes in the body. That way you will have it and know it will fit just right if you ever decide to run with a roll bar sometime in the future. Or you could have the holes in the body cut and plugs made and painted body color.

A lot of the details you are considering are changeable in the future, but the basic body configuration and color are two that you need to get right the first time.

Another .02 worth ...

Look forward to following your build thread.

[chucks1]

I figured a wisecrack was coming my way for asking such a foolish question, but I don't think those seats look too bad and I bet the headrest could be yanked right out of the seat if a person wanted them out for some reason.

My wife already smacked her head on the body once - it was the dog's fault, not a result of my poor driving. I suggested she wear a stylish styrofoam bicycle helmet, but did not get a printable response to that suggestion.

[DriveLikeAGirl]

Darwin

[cscobra]

I'm building ERA #766 as a street model ("streetcars" can be found in San Francisco!)--no hood scoop, no rollover bar, no side exhaust, no racing stripes, but with "loop" bumpers front and rear, the body-color grille splitter with chrome trim at the front edge (like the original), undercar exhausts with rear exits, and 15 x 7.5" wheels front and rear (along with 235/60R-15s all around), along with the street dash (regular speedometer). I'm after both the original appearance and the original driving experience. This is the way the vast majority of original Cobra 427s left Shelby American (likely fewer than 50 racecars and SCs were actually built).

ERAs from at least #758 do have a degree of "crush zone" designed into the frame both front and rear. The doors also have substantial steel reinforcements inside (the fiberglass is completely unstressed) and the door hinges and latches bolt to the steel frame, not to fiberglass. Weakest point: the MG T-series door latches (like my TD, although they are stronger than they look if adjusted properly).

If you don't try to bend/break the laws of physics, then you won't miss the rollover bar. Like a motorcycle, this car will only do something stupid if the driver directs it to do so (even inadvertantly), so control of your own car is completely up to you as you already know. Speaking as a motorcyclist, we must drive our cars as if we are invisible to others just as good motorcyclists must do in order to reduce as much as possible the risks and the consequences of poor driving decisions by others.

So build your street model as you wish, enjoy it, drive it well and responsibly, and don't be concerned about the absence of the rollover bar. You've already done well simply by choosing superior engineering by ERA.