gbduo Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 I think Mark's one has a full, triangulated jobby, there is a strut that comes from the roll bar to the front passenger well, so good roll bar, which is awesome. I am definitely investing in a helmet, but my mate is a biker and he has like 3 so I will just borrow one of his lids till I get my own G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Helmet is a good idea you have no idea how much a bee hurts at 60! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjnsharp Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Is there anyone who has actually rolled a westfield on the road. I can see why you might want to fit an advanced roll bar for the track. There was a big thing about mk1 mx-5's rolling and they have nothing apart from the windscreen, which is pretty flimsy. I don't see any of those with any form of roll bar, apart from the show ones. Don't be a wimp. As long as you protect your eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbduo Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ummm, I might be a wimp while I am learning, then get more manly as I get used to the car. But, sometimes being a wimp is goooood! If I have a helmet available to me, I may as well wear it. Welcome to the new generation of safety conscious young people, nurtured by the Nanny State! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazpowerslide Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Yes, Westies have been rolled on the road, and with a standard roll bar the results are not pretty. TBH it's unlikely that you'll roll one but you only need to be unlucky enough clip a curb in the wrong way and it could go horribly wrong for you. I personally think that the RAC/MSA style roll bar is about the minimum you'd want but then it's all about personal preference, available funds ect, ect. It was certainly high on my priority list when I first built my car but not everybody sees it so. The standard roll bars are pertty lightweight bits of kit and IMHO are probhably more cosmetic than saftey orentated. Chaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Why has nobody made some brace bars for the standard roll bar? Surely it would be a good compromise for some people (like me ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Why has nobody made some brace bars for the standard roll bar? Because it is made of cheese... Handbrake on hard, grab the roll bar, and wobble - I guarantee you can't do this with the RAC bar, and it's not the braces that matter, it's the main hoop really. moomin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I thought it was made of butter not cheese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ive had westi's for years too many to count! o.k I am getting old and I have never had a RAC rollbar fitted. It is very rare that a Westi is rolled and tends to be more about bad luck and the wrong set of circumstances than anything else. sure theres always a posabiity of it happening (never say never!) but my car does 5000 miles a year it hardly ever goes on track and the compromises for a RAC roll bar are too many IMO for a road going car. But bottom line if it makes YOU feel safer then do it, or the cheaper option is dont drive like a complete t*t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbduo Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Yes, Westies have been rolled on the road, and with a standard roll bar the results are not pretty. TBH it's unlikely that you'll roll one but you only need to be unlucky enough clip a curb in the wrong way and it could go horribly wrong for you. I personally think that the RAC/MSA style roll bar is about the minimum you'd want but then it's all about personal preference, available funds ect, ect. It was certainly high on my priority list when I first built my car but not everybody sees it so. The standard roll bars are pertty lightweight bits of kit and IMHO are probhably more cosmetic than saftey orentated. Chaz. Well after rolling my car when I was 18 and surviving because I did not hit a tree 2 inches away, it makes sense to protect yourself as much as possible. I am only here because I was in a brand new car, literally 6 months old. And, the roll was not caused by excessive speed or whatever new government propaganda is out this week, rather the Highways Agency had just laid a new kerbstone, it was raining hard, this kerbstone got washed away and basically sat in pothole. My car went through the pothole (with water in, so the kerbstone was submerged), the kerbstone bent my wishbone back to the wheel arches on the passenger side, que major skid and snake, rear wheel hits the kerb and I am over in the hedge. I was doing 30mph! I was following a learner when it happened! So yeh after that, rollcages FTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FW500 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ive had westi's for years too many to count! o.k I am getting old and I have never had a RAC rollbar fitted. It is very rare that a Westi is rolled and tends to be more about bad luck and the wrong set of circumstances than anything else. sure theres always a posabiity of it happening (never say never!) but my car does 5000 miles a year it hardly ever goes on track and the compromises for a RAC roll bar are too many IMO for a road going car. But bottom line if it makes YOU feel safer then do it, or the cheaper option is dont drive like a complete t*t To be fair you could say 'the wrong set of circumstances' are to blame for ALL accidents. I know a guy who rolled his Westfield - he was lucky and just lost an ear but it could have been a lot lot worse. You can say an RAC roll bar isn't needed just as much as a set of harnesses or a seatbelt isn't until you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 you could also argue that an RAC roll bar doesn't offer that much more protection that the standard bar in a low speed accident... there are so many different scenarios for when you are upside with all the different obstacles that you may hit So if safety is your only concern then get a full cage, or don't buy this type of car at all We have all had this topic many times before and I have only been in here a few months... If I had the cash I would be upgrading to a full roll bar, I am not too bothered about how it looks, although others would say it totally spoils the look of the car ... I suppose you have to ask yourself are you a cruiser or a rocket ship blaster likely to go into warp drive at every opportunity, if the answer is the second option then it is fairly obvious what to go for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjnsharp Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ive had westi's for years too many to count! o.k I am getting old and I have never had a RAC rollbar fitted. It is very rare that a Westi is rolled and tends to be more about bad luck and the wrong set of circumstances than anything else. sure theres always a posabiity of it happening (never say never!) but my car does 5000 miles a year it hardly ever goes on track and the compromises for a RAC roll bar are too many IMO for a road going car. But bottom line if it makes YOU feel safer then do it, or the cheaper option is dont drive like a complete t*t To be fair you could say 'the wrong set of circumstances' are to blame for ALL accidents. I know a guy who rolled his Westfield - he was lucky and just lost an ear but it could have been a lot lot worse. You can say an RAC roll bar isn't needed just as much as a set of harnesses or a seatbelt isn't until you need it. Difference is virtually all accidents, a seatbelt,/harness will reduce injurys or save your life. Wheras a roll bar will save you in those 1 in a million accidents. If we applied that logic to life, people would live in underground bunkers and never come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhutch Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ive only been skiming the last few two. - But if your in Grantham and bored (?) done forget your welcome to pop over to loughborough at anytime as well and i'll show you what a £3750 car with a CVH in it can do. - Im also spending money on seats/wheels/tyres/rollbar having bought it. Nice pair of GRP seats can be had for £200 from anywhere (mk/playskool/jk comp/triton) wheels £30 for a set of ford lasers, and then proberbly a custom made caged rac/msa hoop for about £400 inc vat. Ive just look at the price for an new air filter, that was £77 on its own! Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perksy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ive had westi's for years too many to count! o.k I am getting old and I have never had a RAC rollbar fitted.It is very rare that a Westi is rolled and tends to be more about bad luck and the wrong set of circumstances than anything else. sure theres always a posabiity of it happening (never say never!) but my car does 5000 miles a year it hardly ever goes on track and the compromises for a RAC roll bar are too many IMO for a road going car. But bottom line if it makes YOU feel safer then do it, or the cheaper option is dont drive like a complete t*t Errr What Compromises You Don't need to be "on Track" to Roll a Westfield (Seen several now that have 'gone over' on the road) It *might* be rare for a Westy to roll, but once is too much imho Having seen what does happen to the standard bar when the car rolls an RAC bar would always be my first upgrade Tis your head though and your choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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