FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: Nightmist66 on July 08, 2020, 06:21:36 PM
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Finally time to get a set of monkey bars in my car. Been looking around for a 6-8pt kit in chromoly for 66-67 Fairlane. I have it narrowed down to these two.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rhc-13-1110-cm/make/ford/model/fairlane
https://swracecars.com/product/1966-1967-ford-fairlane-mercury-comet-8-point-roll-bar-cm/
Anyone have experience with either one? Will need to decide very shortly. TIA....
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I put the SW 8 point bar in 66 comet and it took very little trimming to fit well. Min
e was mild steel. Jim
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+2 on SW.
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FWIW, I've used a pre-made 'kit' twice and I've had custom cages done for me twice. There's all the difference in the world between a kit and having a job custom-fitted. The pre-made ones have areas where you can put your fist between the tube and the closest point of the car. The custom-bent ones leave about room for a finger---maybe a finger-and-a-half. Makes a giant difference.
KS
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SW mild steel 1-3/4 tube in my race car. Done many years ago. CrMo welding is more challenging than mild steel. Have to be very careful on the welds near the headliner.
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+3 on SW. I used their 8 point bar kit in my '61 Starliner. Fit exceptionally well and the two rear down bars had extra length that let me trim to where I wanted to connect. Very helpful for a long car like the '61 Ford.
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I got the SW kit for my Mach 1. Unfortunately, this year has not cooperated in the least, and I have yet to get around to fitting it in the car, so I can't tell how it's going to work. Hope that helps...lol ::)
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Thank you guys. I have heard good things about the S&W stuff. I will prolly end up getting that kit. I have an experienced guy helping with the fab work. Welding chromoly should be no issue for him.
David, I even peeked at your cage last time there, and can't remember where the front down bars end up. I was hoping they don't extend too far, because I want to keep the dimmer switch working on the floor and get to the parking brake easy enough. After all, it is a "street" car.
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Lets here it for dimmer switches. Not too long ago I happened to be out late with my '63 and had to drive home in the dark. I forgot how nice it was not having to grab the turn signal lever to dim the headlights and how well the quad lights lighted the road.
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S&W all the way. They even sent me a copy of the blueline drawing for the Fairlane bar setup so I could measure my Falcon for fit before purchase. Mine is a 4 door and they subbed the "package tray" style bars for the regular rear down bars. Good stuff. Used their cage on the wife's old race car - 70 Mustang. Nice fit.
(http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod/images/falcon/RollBarJ.jpg)
(http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod/images/falcon/RollBarH.jpg)
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I've been dealing with auto weld in building a full frame under my 67 mustang. They manufacture for a lot of the companies and they have in stock or will custom bend any round and mandrel bend square or rectangle tubing for you. Nice and helpful people. http://autoweldchassis.com/
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With a solid door bar it looks like it would be very hard to get in it, mine is hard enough with out a hard bar in the way, Leny Mason
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SW sells a swing out bar kit for that, Leny. It's just below the photo.
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David, I even peeked at your cage last time there, and can't remember where the front down bars end up. I was hoping they don't extend too far, because I want to keep the dimmer switch working on the floor and get to the parking brake easy enough. After all, it is a "street" car.
It wouldn't be hard to shorten them to your preferred length. Just remember though that a lot of stiffness comes from that bar extending to, or very near the front torque boxes.
As for my kit, I mocked it up out of the car and was impressed with how perfectly the crossbar fit between the main hoop. It was a light tap fit to get it horizontal, and the notches were perfect. Absolutely no fitting to make it work perfectly, so that gave me a good feel about the kit.
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With a solid door bar it looks like it would be very hard to get in it, mine is hard enough with out a hard bar in the way, Leny Mason
My wheel is on a quick release, and that makes it an easy in/out. I'm considering cutting in a swing out kit just because. Getting a little harder to roll in and out. But - not near like humping 215 lbs up out of the dragster.
On the S&W kits I've used, the front down bars are long so they can be trimmed to land where needed. Mine go all the way to the edge of the kick panel and clear the dimmer switch easily. Same with the regular back bars - a bit of trimming required depending on where you land them.
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S&W all the way. They even sent me a copy of the blueline drawing for the Fairlane bar setup so I could measure my Falcon for fit before purchase. Mine is a 4 door and they subbed the "package tray" style bars for the regular rear down bars. Good stuff. Used their cage on the wife's old race car - 70 Mustang. Nice fit.
(http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod/images/falcon/RollBarJ.jpg)
(http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod/images/falcon/RollBarH.jpg)
Thanks for the pictures. Looks like parking brake and dimmer are not an issue. I may ask them if I can get the rear down bars to go through the package tray instead of the seat. I want to keep the seat intact.
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Here is the SW street/down bars in my 66 Comet. It is tight but I can still get the back seat in. Jim