Roll cages questions and cost for pick-ups?

[}{ead$hot Zod]

I know its a vague question. But its also a few hour drive to the nearest place to get an estimate. I was looking at the rulebook and I guess somebody missed it. Under /DT is still mentions "roll bars". I'll assume that they mean roll cage. And it obviously needs to be installed in the cab.

Now from what I've seen from pics on the web and on page 23 of the 2006 rulebook its a 4 or 5 point cage in the cab and two extensions into the bed. Does anybody have a very rough estimate of what one of these things may cost to have installed.

[RichFox]

I don't know what it will cost but I do know that last year Wayn Phillips called Speedway for a cage for his Jeep that runs in C/M/MP. They custom bent one to his dimensions, similar to whats in their catalog, for the cartilage price. Wayn is very happy with it and it passed tech first time.

[terry russell]

I called Joe T.@ Delaware chassis works for mine.With the cost of added supports (i got local) less than $500.00.

[}{ead$hot Zod]

Actually thats were I'd be going. I just had absolutely no idea how much they cost. $500-$1,000 would be great.

[SPDRACR]

Headshot, You might ring up Rick White at AUTO POWER Ind.(619) 297-3300
He is in the rule book also they might all ready have a prebent weld in or boltin in stock,they used to build for off road trucks . Give him a call

[}{ead$hot Zod]

Thank-you all very much. A bolt in would be great.

[Crazydawg]

Jegs list roll cages for some pickups try there web site. I happen to know this because I'm in the process of building a truck.
Hope this helps

[Tom Simon]

Steel prices have recently gone up, and freight is a big cost driver when buying either the tube or a kit. If you have a shop that will build a cage from scratch for you, figure 2-3 days labor plus the cost of the pipe. Out west in NorCal we have Chris Alton's in Sacramento, most guys try to save money and pick up what they need, kit or tubing from the plant. Some friends on the eastcoast have used kits from S&W racecars for drag racing cages and have been very satisfied. If I had to guess what you'd pay for someone to do it for you, I'd say $600 for the kit and $800 for the labor. More if you want a swing-out door bar, window net, seat and belt mounts (a real good idea to all of these at the same time, since seat choice and driver location has an effect on cage tube placement). More still if your fabricator starts from scratch and does one 100% custom.

I did a quick search and they offer two kits for your truck

http://www.swracecars.com/app_listing.asp#mopartruck

If you want to do it yourself and you've never bought a roll cage kit before, I'll just caution you that when they say "some assemble required" they ain't a-kiddin'. Even if you can weld, fitting the tubes takes 80% of the time. With any NHRA leagl "kit" I've seen, you get a sketch, some 1/8" thk 6"x6" floor plates, the make and model specific main hoop pre-bent, a halo bar or A-pillar legs pre-bent, the rest is a just enough straight tubing to do the rest of the job. Everything is longer than it needs to be and none of the tubing has been fish-mouthed or fitted.

[hotrod]

The kits are basically cost of materials. If you go to a serious fabrication shop that specializes in building race cars, plan on them charging at an hourly rate of about $75/hour and 30+ hours to fabricate a custom cage for a race car.

Obviously a full NASCAR spec cage will be on the high end of that 30+ hours and a simple hoop 4 -6 point cage where access is easy could be a 10-15 hour job. It all depends on how good a fit you want and any special fitting needed.

For me it will be cheaper to buy a good bender and do the bars my self, and bring in a certified welder to do the welds when I get everything fitted and tacked in place.

Then I can sell the bender if I do not plan on another cage anytime soon.

Larry