Is it required that you run the 2 rear bars from the main hoop to the rear frame? I`m thinking about building up my 68 chevy p/u and don`t plan on going any faster than 11`s but I don`t want to run the bars through my cherry cab. I remember seeing a 65 elcamino in a mag a few yrs back running in the 9`s and there was a bed shot and nothing was coming through. It was Chuck Samuel`s car when he was running in fastest street car class I think. I know it was his car. Some of you may not know him but he is a engine guy from Chicago area I think. Anyway, if he was doing it, why can`t I? Thanks.

YES you must have rear kickers even on a truck if its going to run faster than 11.49 Most I've seen have the bars going through the "window" and have the glass replaced with Lexan/Plexi glass with cutouts to fit around the pipes.

I have a bar in my 67 LWB.(PITA) I had to go through the cab. I have a small window so I went through the metal. Big window..just pull the glass and swap for lexan. The door bars are a pain.

I was afraid of that. I wasn`t wanting to do that. Thanks guys.

Anthony, if you post pictures of the truck from these points i can help:

Side, Door Open, one aiming ahead of the seat, one aiming behind the seat.

Side, aiming at the headliner

back of the truck

floor behind the seat.

Two guys I know (one with an El Camino, the other with a old truck (make/year unknown)) have bars that do not go through the rear of the cab. If you take a look at most of the bar kits, you will notice they have diagonal bars behind the seat that go to the trans hump. This is what both have and both eliminated the back bars. Both run at various venues in the west and get through NHRA tech without any problems. I wish I had known about doing this way since my bar goes through the rear window. There is a picture of my bar linked in my sig.

A swing out side bar is a good idea in a pickup since there is limited room for getting in and out.

Do a search for Bomber67 on this site. His El Camino is setup this way. He can tell you more.

Well, I don't remember all the details, but here is the gist of how mine was done keeping everything inside the cab to the satisfaction of NHRA. Nines have't happened yet, but the car still needs sorting before nitrous is installed.

1) Chromoly tubing - sorry, I don't have the specs, but I could measure if you like.

2) The cab halo perimeter is triangulated in the corners, with tubing not just flat stock.

3) Non-removeable side bars.

4) Must have lower side bar (that makes two side bars total).

Other than normal requirements that the cage be welded to the frame and such, those are the highlights that I remember.

Contact NHRA with a design plan, don't just call them up and ask how to build the cage. They will work with you, probably helps to be doing this through a cage builder whose work they are familiar with. Mine was done at D.T. Performance in Costa Mesa Ca - he is now retired and closed shop. If you run into a tech inspector who is unsure, be friendly and let it go through NHRA review. Note that "general guidelines" in their tech manual means that suitable alternatives will be considered.

Thomas

Bomber`67, I would like to know what size tubing you used. I thought it could be done but everyone I talked to either did`nt know or said I needed rear bars. I was planning to just run a Alston cage kit and probably install it myself. I have`nt installed one before but a few of my friends have so I can get help if needed. Would this style cage certify for 9 seconds? I don`t plan to ever get the truck going that fast but you never know.

I`ve got plenty of time to figure it out because it only has a stock 396/402 in it now but I got a 454 that is just begging for a 8-71 blower.

Is that Alston kit chromoly? Seems to me that was part of the deal. Also, nobody makes a cage halo triangulated this way, strictly custom build.

Okay, I just measured the tubing, it is 1-3/4" OD. I'm not sure what thickness.

Have you only been talking to other racers, or cage builders or NHRA tech?

NHRA was told that this car would see nines.

Thomas

I have`nt looked into the Alston kit yet but I know they make them for these year trucks. I was just going to eliminate the rear bars. I guess I could take the rear bars and cut them up and use them elsewhere in the cage. I`ve just asked a few of my buddys who race but they race cars, not trucks. I did`nt plan to race this one either. It was just suppost to be a driver but both of my friends have blown bigblocks. One of the guys lives across the street from me and everytime he starts it up, I just wish I had one. His in in a 48 Ford p/u and he is building a cage for it right now but I don`t like the way he is doing it. He is only welding the cage to plates welded to his floor and then he is running the rear bars through his cab and bed but it is under the bed line. This truck is just a street driver but I want it safe and legal if I decide to take it to the track. I guess I should start talking to some cage builders and see what they say. Could you send me some pictures of your set up so I can get a idea of what I need to do? My email is chopperhead2@juno.com

Thanks.

CM is .083" wall and MS is .135" wall. Roll bars need to be 1-3/4" OD and cages can be 1-5/8" OD. General Regulations 4:10-4:11. Don't count on bar/cage builders knowing the rules. I went to a couple that didn't know diddly before I found a sharp guy.

BTW, if you put a bar in (1-3/4" OD) then later up it to a cage, the rest of the cage has to be 1-3/4" also. No changing the size of the tubing.

There is an advantage in using the back bars. They help tie the frame together and make it more rigid.

Thanks for the cage tubing info. I know the rear bars help the frame be more ridgid but I don`t want to cut my glass or my cab to run them. Like I said before, this is mainly going to be a street driver but I do want it to be safe and legal. I eventualy plan to find a good candidate for a race only car but right now all I have is the truck and it`s a street driver.

It's hard to keep the bar through the window from leaking.

Link to pics of cage in my '72. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php3?t=64228&page=1&pp=10

Thanks for the link. I remember your truck from the site. I belong to that board. I`m going to have to talk to a bunch of people I guess. I will not run the rear bars so if that is what it takes to be legal, I won`t be racing my truck at the track. In fact I`ll be rethinking my whole plan for the motor to keep from having to run the rear bars. I know I can go up to 11.50 or so without a cage but I really did`nt plan to go much faster than that but you never know. Thanks.