Single or Dual Roll Bars

[gthompson]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

+1 (and I'm sure untold others). Anyone that's ever owned an original, but it a 289 or 427 car, has a special memory that the rest of us, even "continuation" owners, can only dream about. I'm living a GT40 vicariously with my Ford GT, but it would be so way cool to have one of them.

After driving a continuation car for a few years, it seems that the continuation car drives and feels just like the original Cobra's
Well, with one exception, the continuation cars don't breakdown as much
Lol

[tkb289]

CSX3183

Sorry to hear about your health issues, sincere best wishes for the future.

tkb289

[Al G]

Originally Posted by dr evil

You are much safer on the street without a roll bar.

I'd really like to hear the logic behind this statement.

[kevins2]

Originally Posted by Al G

I'd really like to hear the logic behind this statement.

I think this comes from the volumes written in previous threads. On the street, you are much more likely to get in a rearend collision than a rollover. There are stories of guys bashing their heads on the rollbar and getting severe concussions or even dying from it. Of course, this doesn't address what would have happened with no rollbar. Having your head snap back with nothing there isn't good either. No clear answer to this one unless you're willing to compromise the look for some sort of padded head restraint.

Kevin

[DanEC]

My ERA Street Roadster replica (no roll bar) is the first convertible/roadster I've owned. I try not to fret too much over the lack of a roll bar because I plan on street driving only, the cars have a low center of gravity, and there are millions and millions of other convertibles out there that never had roll bars also. I do worry about the prospect of a rear ending - but no more than in my 66 Corvette or 67 GTX, both of which have low back seats and no head restraint. I would also worry about having a naked piece of hard steel pipe behind my head running around on the street with all the crazies out there. I would have to put some high density padding on it if it were me. Might make the difference between a concussion and bashed in skull. Everything has risks. It's hard to mitigate all of them.

[AL427SBF]

The downside of no rollbar, notwithstanding which is better between whiplash or concussion, is that if you are broadsided and rollover - chances are you will be dead with a broken neck.

[kevins2]

If you're broadsided hard enough to roll you over, chances are you're dead anyway. These are all good points, but there really isn't a good answer other than to recognize that these cars are, as has been said many times before, like motorcycles regarding safety (except they won't fall over).

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Everything has risks. It's hard to mitigate all of them.

Exactly. Whatever makes you happy.

[AL427SBF]

Originally Posted by kevins2

... (except they won't fall over).

VIR Cobra Flip - YouTube
Can happen anywhere, lose it in a curve, hit a pot hole or curb? This guy rolled his on nothing but smooth pavement. Owner/driver's decision, upside is that you'll only have about 1 sec to realize maybe it was the wrong one.

[Large Arbor]

I bought ERA 714 which has 2 roll bars. I like the look of one better, but when I consider how much I care for my passengers (daughters and wife), my preference is two. Not to say that the outcome of a rolled accident would be different, but in my life I have rolled two vehicles in attempts to avoid more serious accidents. Rolls can happen quite easily. If you hardly ever have passengers, than perhaps one is for you, but if you have passengers and have decided to go with one, and you lose someone as a result of it, I would not want that on my consience.

Large Arbor

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

If you hardly ever have passengers, than perhaps one is for you, but if you have passengers and have decided to go with one, and you lose someone as a result of it, I would not want that on my consience.
Large Arbor

Well, if someone was truly, I mean, REALLY concerned about safety, then I'd advise them to eschew driving the Cobra with any passengers, and choose one of the cars from the IIHS list of safest cars on the road today:

News releases

And I'd also advise taking a safe driving course as well, possibly one of the courses taught at tracks around the US.

[Tutosnake]

S*#%, after reading this thread I'm all depressed. Anyone wants to buy my car, with an unpadded, full-width, roll bar? WAIT! Don't answer that one, or I will not stop crying

Cheers!
Hector

[CSX3183]

I thank you and the others for your thoughts. It's been a tough 5 years. Go for another CT scan tomorrow, have had 4 clean ones already, knock on wood, it continues.

Originally Posted by patrickt

Well I am certainly sorry to hear all of that... and I wish you all the best in the future. My heart definitely goes out to you.

[AL427SBF]

Originally Posted by Tutosnake

S*#%, after reading this thread I'm all depressed. Anyone wants to buy my car, with an unpadded, full-width, roll bar? WAIT! Don't answer that one, or I will not stop crying

Cheers!
Hector

Occupant(s) are covered with the full width roll bar, padding is no more than a trip to the hardware store for some rubber foam pipe insulation - and it's already black no less

... as for the rest of this "period correct" hyperbole about 1 roll bar, I say YES! - but please raise your hand with car's parts list so we can see the rest of the components you have common with a 60's original

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

You might want to talk this guy ^^^, if you buy your Cobra from ERA, since Tim and ERA designed a multiplicity of roll bar setups for his ERA.

Don't have much to add to the discussion that has not already been said, other than for those that have one, the roll bar is one feature of a Cobra no one wants to test, be it one roll bar or two.

When I was planning my ERA FIA build, I too could not decide which way to go. So I asked Peter if they could fabricate two different roll bar set ups, turns out they could and they did a great job. This was the first FIA like this they have done.

For me it works well, swapping things around takes about 30 minutes. There is an extra hole in the body, but I am OK with that. I prefer the classic single hoop look and that is the way the car is configured most of the time. The full width roll bar is nice to have as an option, but it does look a bit out of place, as it's not very common. I really like the no roll bar, street car look.


------------------------


Single hoop Traditional FIA roll bar set up.




Full width roll bar.

Note: There is precedence of this configuration as some early racing Cobras had full width roll bars similar to this. In Trevor Legate's book, COBRA The First 40 Years, there are photos of this kind of set up (see pages 53, 73, 88, 89 & 91).



This view shows the metal cap that fits into the grommet. The cap could be painted black or body color to make it less noticeable.




No roll bar offers more of a street car look, but with the FIA body. Again, if the caps are black or body color, they will not stand out as much.

[ERA Chas]

^^^Beautiful example of an ERA either way.

[Large Arbor]

Rodnock,

I don't disagree with you one bit. I however don't see the Cobra as being the safety issue. Some cars carry similar risks as Cobras. I would not drive a Prius on a freeway, but thats just me. Yes, there are safer cars, but I would also venture that many of the accidents with Cobra's are caused by other drivers. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here. Some places are a greater risk to drive than others. I don't like the look of the two bar. I wish I could simply remove it easily when I did not have passengers. This is all just my opinion.

Large Arbor

[emberglo66]

xxxxx

[itstock]

Originally Posted by emberglo66

My car had a single roll bar, but we had it changed.

I had a full length roll bar fabricated with a drop support attached to the frame on the passenger side of the transmission tunnel. Works for us and now the passenger has an Oh Sh*t handle! Would do the same again!!

That is an incredibly dangerous setup for driving without a helmet. I'd definitely consider wrapping the bars in at least some high density foam padding.

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by CSX3183

I thank you and the others for your thoughts. It's been a tough 5 years. Go for another CT scan tomorrow, have had 4 clean ones already, knock on wood, it continues.

Knock! Knock! Knock...!
Best wishes to you