Cobra roll bar safety

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Hmmm, "mariachi flambé" -- you know, it has a ring to it.

That would be "mariachi flameado."

Originally Posted by Power Surge

It seems like some brands put more effort into mounting it fake, than it would take to just tie it into the chassis.

And its not just Cobras. I was out our local hot rod gathering this past weekend, marveling at how guys put $15k HP engines in powdercoated frames, adorned with $10k paint jobs, only to bolt the seatbelts to the floorpan.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Wait a minute, your gas cap did not look like this originally?

Mines (sic) is WAY better than that. It's got colors and everything.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

-- you do know that some guys jam a tennis ball in there instead.

And a few others things I hear.

[Paul F]

A nice dialog about how swell each brands roll bars are, but how about some hard evidence of actual rolls and the results for each manufacturer. Anybody have pictures of these unfortunate events and how well they held up?

[Randy Rosenberg]

In Oct 2000, I rolled coming out of turn 5 at Thunderhill in a 1999 SPF. I rolled 1-1/2 times, ending up sliding down the hill upside down on the weeds/gravel on driver's left.

I scraped my helmut and broke my thumb - that's it. Oh yeah, I also broke the car.





Note the condition of the roll bar! It did it's job! So, did the fuel cell with it's built in "check ball" that kept the fuel in the cell.

BTW, I really don't want to re-hash the story of what happened here. Unfortunately, the forum from that time seems to be gone, because there was quite a lengthy thread on my accident.

[Excaliber]

I'm not counting on my roll bar to save my a$$, there are two many other variables in an accident. With such limited protection in the first place, with a Cobra, I tend to think of the roll as little more than eye candy.

...but I'm glad I have one.

I recall one horrific Cobra accident (street racing thing, green Cobra as I recall) where the passenger was thrown clear and the driver was crushed (it looked like it anyway) by the telephone pole between the windshield and the roll bar. HE stayed with the car. As I recall the passenger was wearing the seat belts as well.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

...but I'm glad I have one.

You'd be even gladder with two. You know how they build NASCARs to "fly apart" for safety? Maybe that's a new way to mount roll bars.

[trularin]

N2VENOM, to your list, you can add LoneStar as functional.

[trularin]

Dang Pat, what happened to your car?

[Buzz]

One point that hasn't come up in this thread is that the type of roll bar we generally have on our Cobras is intended to work in conjunction with a crash helmet on a racetrack. If your head can come close to touching any part of your roll bar while you are belted in and you aren't wearing a helmet; your bar on the street is far more likely to deliver blunt force trauma to your cranium than to protect it in a rollover.

On the street, front, side and rear impacts not involving a rollover are by a huge margin the most common (and therefore likely) types of accidents. In any type of impact, the occupants' heads are thrown around violently first towards the direction of impact and then back the other way as the seatback and belts slingshot the torso back and forth.

Rear impacts are common in small, high horsepower, rear drive cars as the rear will often break loose and come around at speed, crashing arse-first into barriers, obstacles or other vehicles. Here, or when another car impacts you from behind, the Cobra occupant is almost certain to slam his/her head into the bar as an immediate reaction to the impact.

In a front end hit, your head initially shoots forward on impact, but if the seatbelts and seatback hold, you will snap backward in reaction to that initial motion. Either way, unless your skull is protected by a helmet, the roll bar you installed to give you peace of mind is very likely to destroy a piece of your mind instead.

Of course, if the roll bar is not there to stop your head from snapping all the way back, you may suffer a nasty case of whiplash, or worse - damage to your spinal cord. So take your pick - an injured neck or a blow to the back of your head with a heavy piece of pipe. Cobras are just not "safe" cars in terms of occupant proection.

Thick padding on the roll bars would help some I suppose (bystanders would be treated to hearing a more palatable "thud" as opposed to a sickening "crack"), and seats with good, properly mounted head restraints would be even better. Hell, throw in a padded dash and steering wheel too - but then the more the car is festooned with modern add on safety stuff, it starts to look and feel less like a Cobra and more like a mismatched, nerfed-out, watered down pose mobile. Which then begs the question - why not just buy a modern day convertible and hop it up with a set of vinyl racing stripes?

Me? Ive often toyed with the idea of removing my forward braced roll bar - which is even more dangerous on the street - but so far I haven't, and just make do with the padding. I also don't drive crazy fast on public roads much anymore - never with a passenger on board - and I do wear a helmet when doing any kind of racing.

What was the point of this post? Hell, I don't know - just rambling, I suppose. Do whatever makes you happy with your Cobra - it's yours after all - and just get home safe at the end of the day!

[tcrist]

I have a roll bar and head rests. Hope that I do not ever need to use them for anything other than looks. The question is, How would you install the rear down tube if the mounting bracket was welded onto the frame? The only way that I can install my down tube is from inside the fenderwell after the front hoop is installed and tightened down.

I guess everyones are different, so that is an individuals/manufactures own issue. I am sure there is a fairly easy way. I just need to figure it out.

The one thing that needs to be I guess is if you need to mount anything like that to the frame, make sure that you weld in a sleave through the frame so you do not start crushing the walls of the tubing when tightening the bolts.

Terry

[Cobra Lite]

You said it Buzz!

And you put it in a very clear way.
The roll bar is more dangerous to have, than not have...
In typical street driving without a helmet.

Padding and a proper seat with headrest, while not looking as good, will save your thinking ability in most mild accidents, not to mention paralysis from a broken neck.

I also ride bikes so we do our best, drive or ride as if we are invisible, and recognize the danger we are in at all times. And still enjoy it!

Hmmmm, there might be a market for a well designed (strong!) padded headrest that mounts to the rollbar securely but is easy to remove in seconds when the car is not actually being driven.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by trularin

Dang Pat, what happened to your car?

Don't worry, it'll buff right out....

Originally Posted by Cobra Lite

Padding ... while not looking as good, will save your thinking ability in most mild accidents, not to mention paralysis from a broken neck.

The only person who has ever made fun of my roll bar padding is ERAChas. And I think he's just jealous.

[patrickt]

BTW, if you've ever banged your head on a really sturdy roll bar it hurts like shi* and swells up. I've padded all my roll bars for over 30 years -- my head swells less as a result.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

BTW, if you've ever banged your head on a really sturdy roll bar it hurts like shi* and swells up. I've padded all my roll bars for over 30 years -- my head swells less as a result.

Are "roll bar" and "ego" euphemisms here?

Swells less? How self-deprecating of you.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Are "roll bar" and "ego" euphemisms here?

Swells less? How self-deprecating of you.

Dang, are you astute or what?

[patrickt]

No shortage of egos around here... it's like going to a cocktail party hosted jointly by the AMA and Trial Lawyers Association. No shortage of "Type A" personalities either....

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Dang, are you astute or what?

Rod beat me to it but your swelled head did not happen from hitting roll bars.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Rod beat me to it but your swelled head did not happen from hitting roll bars.

Free-floating hostility... classic "Type A" behavior.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Rod beat me to it but your swelled head did not happen from hitting roll bars.

I wouldn't be too sure of that. Patrick's "condition" may have been caused by one too many raps to the head.