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Hello Mike.
I wish I could just help you out and make one! It's the kind of thing I enjoy doing.
It is aggrivating that I can't right now. All my tools are in storage and I am living with family until late August while I wait for my new house to be built.
However, to answer your question... it is a personal decision on your part whether you want to weld it in or bolt it in. For the most part, I 'd guess a bolt in would appeal most. Should you ever decide to redo some interior stuff it will be that much eaier to get it out and work around it.
My concept for a simple bolt in roll bar would allow you to use the stock roll hoop mounting but I would *definitely* upgrade the bolt-in points for the rearward bracing.
The stock roll-hoop mounting points employ a single bolt (per leg of the hoop) coming up through the top of the bulkhead behind the seats and screwing into the bottoms of the legs of the bar. If you want to use the stock mounting points...
Have a roll hoop bent to the same shape as the original.
Weld the two tabs for the roof mounted trunk glass hinges to the bar.
Bend a 3/16" piece of steel in an upside down "U" shape so that it sits over top of the bulkhead/roll bar mounting holes and the legs of the upside down "U" extend over and down the sides of the bulkhead an inch or two, *tightly*. Drill a hole in that piece where the bolt will come up through. Weld a heavy duty nut over the hole. That's your new mounting plate. The reason I say to have the plate bent so that it extends down over the edges of the bulkhead is that way... should you NEED the roll bar, and give it a glancing hit, the bent bracket will share the sheer forces with the single mounting bolt. Of course, you could always add mounting bolts and that's an even better solution.
Bolt the mounting plates into place. Place the roll hoop over top of the welded on nuts and make sure that the tabs at the top for the hinges are aligned. Weld the bar into place on the mounting plate... those welded on nuts are now hidden within the tube!
Pick a spot on the chassis near the rear spring perch. Cut, bend, shape mounting plates with at least three mounting holes in them to fit that spot. Drill the holes and bolt them into place.
Cut and fit the two rear brace tubes to fit from the top of the roll hoop down to the mounting plates... weld them in.
Cut and fit a bar between the two legs of the roll hoop. Place it about an inch up on the legs from the bottom. Weld it into place. This is your harness bar.
DONE!
Remove it, clean it, paint it whatever color you fancy, reinstall it, install your harness belts and DRIVE!
This is just ONE way to do it, there are quite a few variations that will work equally well or better, but that would make a REALLY long post... wouldn't it?
A drawing would make it clearer still, I'm sure.
-STEFAN
posted by 12.111.209...
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