Agricultural ROPS (tractor roll bars or roll cages) often utilize a hinge to allow orchard work, as getting under tree limbs is important. These units use a hinge structure that is extremely strong. In fact, the entire ROPS standard exceeds all the racing standards I know of by a huge margin. So duplicating their hinge structure will certainly be more then strong enough for a mere Spitfire.
A sliding tube roll bar could be made quite strongly utilizing ball release pins. This is much like how typical sliding tube jack stands position. You could also utilize aircraft grade press locks for an even cleaner setup. Do be aware that no racing sanctioning body that I am aware of will sanction such an adjustable roll bar. SCCA and NHRA certainly will not. You may even have problems at an SCCA autocross as a result of having such a roll bar, depending on how sensitive the tech inspectors are. When you build the cage or bar, don't neglect the distance you will rise out of the seat when inverted. A bar that is only an inch above your head will be inadequate, allowing the top several inches of your brain to be scraped off in an inverted slide. Loss of several inches of brain negates the perceived advantages of having a roll bar. Having witnessed many flips rolls and slides and studied many more footages of same, I can confidently state that under no conditions are you ever going to be able to hunker down and hold on. You will flail around to the maximum extent allowed by the harness, so design accordingly. The GRMS roto-Spit has a modified convertible top designed to fit over the higher rear hoop of a racing roll cage. The fabric is extended several inches on the side. You can do a similar modification to your Spitfire, eliminating the attempts at a raising roll bar. The appearance is of a 70's era custom dune buggy top. ----------------------------------------------------- The information contained in this communication may be confidential, is intended only for the use of the recipient named above, and may be legally privileged. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication, or any of its contents, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please re-send this communication to the sender and delete the original message and any copy of it from your computer system. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------- <<<<GWIASIG 0.07>>>> *** http://www.team.net/the-local *** Your messages not reaching the list? Check out http://www.team.net/posting.html *** unsubscribe/change address requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or try *** http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool *** http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo *** Archives at http://www.team.net/archive *** Edit your replies!
