Roll cage install ...a few questions

[Fox Body]

Jeff (or whoever else can answer this ?),

I checked out your website (very helpful) on the roll cage tech article. I have 4-points successfully TIG welded in, but have the 2 side bars I need to cut and get welded. In your article it seems as if the 6x6x1/8" steel plates are welded to the floor. In the NHRA rulebook it shows the bars welded to the plates and the plates bolted to the floor with a plate on top and bottom of floor (bolted to each other with 4 3/8" bolts). Maybe these are 2 optional paths. The bolt method was the path I chose (I guess), but S&W only gave me 6 plates. If I have to do top and bottom at 6 points on teh floor, then obviously I need 12 plates. A friend of mine is cutting me some more plates to finish the job, but what do you think? I don't see any of this little details in the NHRA book.

So should the plates be welded to the floor (MIG or TIG, if yes). I think I would like to go ahead and get the other plates and continue bolting it all in. I just need some guidance here.

Also, I need to start painting the cage. I saw you used a certain time of frame paint, but did you use any primer and did you do any sanding prior to painting r did you just clean the cage of dirt and spray it?

Thanks.

[Jeff Chambers]

Either way is acceptable for all six base plates. If they are bolted, you need the top and bottom plates sandwiching the floor pan so that the bolts don't pull through the thin pan. Mine are all welded.

I didn't use any primer, but if I were doing it all over again, I would have primered it first. Clean the bars with brake and parts cleaner before any painting. You'll get a better finish if you hit the bars with some sand paper before primer/painting.

[Fox Body]

Thanks Jeff.