Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Hey everyone,

As I’m waiting for a few parts to show up I’ve been browsing the local classifieds. I found a guy selling a roll bar, and I’m hoping to get some info on this and some opinions.

Main reason for it is safety, plus a few others.

Does anyone know, or can even tell me any info on the roll bar shown? For $100 is seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Mike

I believe that roll bar is more for looks than safety.

Looks similar to the one I have. Mine came with the car when I bought it but I don’t know if it’s ever been installed in any car. I think shipping it anywhere would cost more than the bar.

The Roadster Rollbars I saw were listed at $300. He has two, one really tall one and one like pictured. He has a LOT of Datsun parts and some interesting cars. He bought some of my parts a while ago, nice guy. If they include the lower plates and hardware its a great deal at $100. If not, it might not do much to help. I hated drilling holes in the body, but its obviously necessary.

I had planned to weld extensions from the lower plates to the frame to make it functionally safe. Otherwise, I wouldnt trust those to save my life in a rollover.

2mAn wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:15 am The Roadster Rollbars I saw were listed at $300. He has two, one really tall one and one like pictured. He has a LOT of Datsun parts and some interesting cars. He bought some of my parts a while ago, nice guy. If they include the lower plates and hardware its a great deal at $100. If not, it might not do much to help. I hated drilling holes in the body, but its obviously necessary.

I had planned to weld extensions from the lower plates to the frame to make it functionally safe. Otherwise, I wouldnt trust those to save my life in a rollover.

You’re local in Denver? I’d like to take a look at what he has and go from there.

Is the consensus that this roll bar is not for safety but for looks or does that depend on other factors?

Looks like mine except what are the 4 in sections at the frt. Base
It would help 1000% in a low speed 25 mph roll over, to not get crushed and a big improvement Tbone wise, but I'd
Think you would have to have a helmet on or you very easily could crack your skull banging against the bar
The car is miles behind in safety compaired with even mid 80s ( the new steel formula ) crush zone. Cars

The Neck wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:18 am Hey everyone,

As I’m waiting for a few parts to show up I’ve been browsing the local classifieds. I found a guy selling a roll bar, and I’m hoping to get some info on this and some opinions.

Main reason for it is safety, plus a few others.

Does anyone know, or can even tell me any info on the roll bar shown? For $100 is seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Mike

From the picture/listing it's hard to tell if the roll bar is for a high or low windshield car. That should be your first question to ask the seller, then you can proceed.

While the “bolt to the body“ roll bars Are certainly nowhere as safe as a frame mounted bar, I have to think that they are way better than nothing. That wimpy A pillar that holds your windshield is going to fold like a piece of cardboard in a rollover. Adding a large plate under each mounting point should be mandatory. The headrests should keep you from hitting your head on the bar. The roll bar also gives you a proper mount for 3 point seat belts. Best of all, it gives you a great place to mount a third brake light!

The Neck wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:33 am You’re local in Denver? I’d like to take a look at what he has and go from there.

Is the consensus that this roll bar is not for safety but for looks or does that depend on other factors?

Sorry, the ad looked identical to one locally here to me. Disregard everything I said about the seller...

Its certainly better than no bar at all, but again I wouldnt trust it to save my life as-is because with enough force the bar will simply push through the body which is why its recommended to be welded to the frame

Oh no worries.

I'll see what height it is for and go from there. I have a friend that's a welder who will help me make sure it's mounted and reinforced better as well.

theunz wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:22 pm While the “bolt to the body“ roll bars Are certainly nowhere as safe as a frame mounted bar, I have to think that they are way better than nothing. That wimpy A pillar that holds your windshield is going to fold like a piece of cardboard in a rollover. Adding a large plate under each mounting point should be mandatory. The headrests should keep you from hitting your head on the bar. The roll bar also gives you a proper mount for 3 point seat belts. Best of all, it gives you a great place to mount a third brake light!

Its a nice idea, but they scare the crap out of me. Just to start, driver headrest is behind the bar. Its not going to stop contact with the bar. Using it as a high mount will rip it out of the package tray in any real front end hit, and again, head contact with steel tube.

Its definitely the right spot for a high mount brake light.

I never like driving my street car with it in though. I'm just waiting for a head hit..

The Roadster is not all that safe to begin with and nobody really seems to like to mention it. It kind of throws cold water on the hobby. But, no air bags, crumple zones, safety bumpers, small size etc and you know the roll bar, which was on when I bought it, is a minimal factor. I think you have to drive like you are on a motorcycle, very defensively. That is why country road driving for me is so much better than crazy city driving. All the texting going on is scary.
Anyway, still love the car but try to be aware.....
Linda

I'm going with a rollbar mainly for the light, and I'm building a frame mount from underneath to secure. My first Datsun I restored in the 80's after it had been sitting in the barn for a decade after my brother wrecked it. He and a buddy were driving too fast on a gravel road, the car slid in the gravel on a curve, hit a culvert piece sticking up and flipped and landed in the ditch upside down. Fortunately, the curve of the ditch had the doors/body resting on that and while the windshield was ruined, they were both able to crawl out thru the rear window and the passenger only had a cut on his arm--didn't even need stitches. Yes, God was merciful! Nevertheless that's why I'll have a rollbar--if not for that being in a ditch they would both be dead.

The earlier cars are less safe than later cars. In 68, they started reinforcing the frame at the lower bend, and drilling the front rails to cause them to crumple. Plus the collapsing steering column.

RCMike wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2020 2:47 am

theunz wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:22 pm While the “bolt to the body“ roll bars Are certainly nowhere as safe as a frame mounted bar, I have to think that they are way better than nothing. That wimpy A pillar that holds your windshield is going to fold like a piece of cardboard in a rollover. Adding a large plate under each mounting point should be mandatory. The headrests should keep you from hitting your head on the bar. The roll bar also gives you a proper mount for 3 point seat belts. Best of all, it gives you a great place to mount a third brake light!

Its a nice idea, but they scare the crap out of me. Just to start, driver headrest is behind the bar. Its not going to stop contact with the bar. Using it as a high mount will rip it out of the package tray in any real front end hit, and again, head contact with steel tube.

Its definitely the right spot for a high mount brake light.

I never like driving my street car with it in though. I'm just waiting for a head hit..

If you look at my picture you can clearly see that the headrests are in front of the bar. My bar is an autopower and the roadster is a high windshield model, perhaps other bars are different. Some complain about the bar blocking the rear view mirror, but I find little interference from it. I have never had my head come in contact with the bar, but if in a rear end hit or a hard roll over I suppose it could fold over on you, but your unlikely to survive those anyway. Like Linda says if your in a serious wreck you can, well kiss your a** goodbye . With the best selling type of vehicles being pickups and SUV’s with weights ranging from 4,000 to over 8,000lbs. vs our 2,200lbs. We are just a bug waiting to be squashed.
I have no illusions that my bar will save my life and actually feel that my third brake light (lights ) actually offer more protection. I do think that in a lite roll over it could help and I do like the look.

PS. I have been known to run with scissors, but I point the tips away from me