CC/Rambler If you go too fast at the dragstrip, you're gonna get booted. We've been racing the CC/Rambler for a couple of years now with that notion in the back of our minds, tiptoeing on the brake pedal or simply lifting in the lights to stay above the e.t. cutoff. Ya see, the '09 NHRA rules say you must have a rollbar if your car runs faster than 11.49 (or 135 mph) and the CC/Rambler ran a string of 11.60s on the motor. With the extra 2 seconds on tap from our NOS Fogger, a 10-second run was definite if we opened the big blue bottle. There is no way we'd get away with that without the proper safety gear, and we really wouldn't want to. To catch you up, the CC/Rambler is about five years old as a CC project car. It was built originally using parts from a wrecked AMC Gremlin and an '85 Jeep Cherokee. With a mild JMS Racing-built 360 with Edelbrock heads, a Richmond five-speed, and 3.55:1 gears in a Moser-prepped M20, the car runs consistantly at the strip and is completely streetable, even for long road trips. After we realized the car was getting too fast, we took it to Westside Performance in Los Angeles, California to get a rollbar installed. Watch and learn. Here is a good side shot of the car after the rollbar was installed. The main hoop is hidden behind the B-pillar and the down bars run near the headliner so they can't be seen.Here is a good side shot of the car after the rollbar was installed. The main hoop is hidd The rollbar was installed by George Diagne from Westside Performance in Los Angeles. Rollbars can be made from either 4130 chromoly or mild steel. Mild steel is less expensive and can be MIG-welded together, but it adds weight. Chromoly is stronger and therefore lighter because a thinner wall can be used, but it needs to be TIG-welded adding cost and complexity. We chose to use mild steel with a requirement of 1 3/4-inch od x 0.118-inch thickness.The rollbar was installed by George Diagne from Westside Performance in Los Angeles. Rollb The differences between a rollbar and a rollcage are the number of connections or points between the structure and the vehicle and the ability of the bar or 'cage to protect you from additional crash angles. Generally, the 'cage will have 8 to 10 or more points and the bar can have as few as 5. The 'cage will usually have a forward hoop that runs from the main hoop to two forward down bars. 'Cages might also have sill bars and dash bars and will need to be SFI certified and stickered every three years. For most classes, if your car runs faster than 9.99, you will need a 'cage. This NHRA illustration represents a typical rollbar designed for a car that has a stock firewall and floor and runs between 10.00 and 10.99. This is the bar that is going into the CC/Rambler.The differences between a rollbar and a rollcage are the number of connections or points b The main hoop must be within a certain distance of the driver's helmet and shoulders. Eric Solomon at Westside helped us measure for the location of the main hoop.The main hoop must be within a certain distance of the driver's helmet and shoulders. Eric Since this is a Unitbody car, the main hoop does not need to connect to the frame or frame connectors. Because of this, there are only two points where the main hoop connects to the car using 6-inch by 6-inch x 0.125-inch steel plates that are welded to the floor. Full frame cars usually use four points that include two that angle inward slightly to connect to the frame. Add that to the two rear braces and two door bars, and you have an eight-point roll bar. You can also bolt the bar down by sandwiching the floor between two plates. The wood is there so the bar can be dropped down and fully welded while in the car.Since this is a Unitbody car, the main hoop does not need to connect to the frame or frame We saved the back seat by running the rear braces over the side-window glass and through the package tray. The braces need to be made of the same material and be the same thickness as the main hoop.We saved the back seat by running the rear braces over the side-window glass and through t You have to know what you are doing to weld a rollbar together. The welds cannot have slag and porosity, and you can't grind the welds to cover your mistakes.You have to know what you are doing to weld a rollbar together. The welds cannot have slag The crossbar also has to secure the shoulder harnesses. The rules state that the harness must limit the driver's travel up and forward, and can't be bolted to the car through the webbing.The crossbar also has to secure the shoulder harnesses. The rules state that the harness m Diagne uses a tubing notcher made by JD Squared to fit the tubing together. You can use the tool to get matching angles on the top and the bottom of the tube to avoid filling huge gaps with weld.Diagne uses a tubing notcher made by JD Squared to fit the tubing together. You can use th The main hoop needs to be a maximum of 6 inches from the back of your helmet and must have SFI-approved padding anywhere the helmet may touch.The main hoop needs to be a maximum of 6 inches from the back of your helmet and must have The main hoop must also be no more than 5 inches from the top of your helmet. The idea here is to create a triangle between the front of the car and the top of the bar so if you roll over, your head isn't holding the car off the ground.The main hoop must also be no more than 5 inches from the top of your helmet. The idea her Westside used a clevis and pin to attach the door bar to the main hoop. It can swing out or be removed entirely for street use.Westside used a clevis and pin to attach the door bar to the main hoop. It can swing out o The door bar must pass midway between the shoulder and the elbow and on cars slower than 8.50 and also be made of the same material and be the same thickness as the main hoop.The door bar must pass midway between the shoulder and the elbow and on cars slower than 8 Westside went the extra mile with the attachment point for the hinge on the sidebar. Diagne chose to weld the plates to the floor with a firewall plate for extra strength.Westside went the extra mile with the attachment point for the hinge on the sidebar. Diagn Even though most prefabbed rollbar kits come with a door bar on both the driver and passenger side, it is not required.Even though most prefabbed rollbar kits come with a door bar on both the driver and passen The crossbar should be attached to the main hoop and provide support for the seat back and a place for the shoulder harness attachment point. It also needs to be no more than 4 inches below the driver's shoulders.The crossbar should be attached to the main hoop and provide support for the seat back and This is the only angle where you can really see the rollbar. We're thinking we should leave it bare metal and paint it with a clearcoat.This is the only angle where you can really see the rollbar. We're thinking we should leav Any car that requires a rollbar must have a quick-release, 3-inch driver restraint system with a 2-inch crotch strap. The belts have to be clearly labeled as meeting SFI Spec 16.1 and be replaced every two years. If you have an aftermarket seat, the crotch strap must be threaded through it. If you have a stock seat, the strap can go around the front. We are going to anchor ours to the floor with a 3/8-inch bolt, nut, and washer once it comes in the mail.Any car that requires a rollbar must have a quick-release, 3-inch driver restraint system Another safety requirement is a driveshaft loop located within 6 inches of the front U-joint. All cars using slicks require one, but we prefer to run a loop on any car that we run on the dragstrip. It's cheap insurance. Eddie Kartek in Los Angeles moved the exhaust and added the crossover tube.Another safety requirement is a driveshaft loop located within 6 inches of the front U-joi Besides having too many holes in our firewall, we've been turned away at tracks for not having all five lug nuts. Instead of cobbling together a bunch of used stuff, we used a set of shank-style lugs from McGard on the 15x4-inch Wheel Vintiques 02 Gasser Alloys.Besides having too many holes in our firewall, we've been turned away at tracks for not ha We tossed the stock six-cylinder fuel tank years ago because it leaked and hit the V-8 differential. Diagne welded this cool brace on the bottom side of the Rambler to keep the cell from bending the flimsy trunk floor.We tossed the stock six-cylinder fuel tank years ago because it leaked and hit the V-8 dif Diagne also welded us a new crossmember for the Richmond five-speed. Originally we'd used a modified version from a Matador that was functional and ugly.Diagne also welded us a new crossmember for the Richmond five-speed. Originally we'd used If you are running a fuel cell like this one from Summit Racing, you'll need a firewall between the trunk and the passenger compartment. To save weight, we've seen them made from aluminum and the rules allow it. The fuel lines must be metallic, steel braided, or NHRA-approved woven to get through inspection. And a maximum of 12 inches of rubber are allowed for connection anywhere in the system.If you are running a fuel cell like this one from Summit Racing, you'll need a firewall be If you leave the battery in the stock location using stock hold-downs, you're good. If you move it to the trunk like we did, it needs to either be in an NHRA-approved sealed box (like this one from Moroso) or the firewall between the trunk and the interior must be made of 0.24-inch steel or 0.32-inch aluminum and include a piece sealing the package tray. You'll also need a master electrical cutoff (or kill switch) that can be reached from outside the car.If you leave the battery in the stock location using stock hold-downs, you're good. If you For days when we are serious, we use a Simpson Bandit. It is Snell SA 2005 approved, so it is good until the year 2017. We prefer these helmets because they are lighter and cooler than standard motorcycle helmets.For days when we are serious, we use a Simpson Bandit. It is Snell SA 2005 approved, so it The final piece to passing the safety inspection is clothing. You'll need a helmet for any car faster than 13.99, and if you are running nitrous, the tech inspector may ask to see a flame retardant jacket and gloves. We just like the boots, so we wear them too.The final piece to passing the safety inspection is clothing. You'll need a helmet for any Parts Description PN Source Price* Swing-out door bar kit 018900 Applied Racing Technologies $65.95*** Safety harness 11094A Crow Safety Gear $82.95** Boots 22100BK Crow Safety Gear $66.98** Standard gloves 11724 Crow Safety Gear $42.95** Battery-disconnect switch 74102 Moroso $61.88 Battery cable kit 74055 Moroso $104.25 Battery box 74050 Moroso $96.25 Driveshaft safety loop SUM-G7900 Summit Racing $23.95 Bandit helmet SIM-1200032 Summit Racing $424.95 16-gallon fuel cell RCI-1162C Summit Racing $195.95 02 Gasser alloy wheels 02-54212218 Wheel Vintiques $365.95 each *All prices quoted from Summit Racing unless otherwise noted **Price quoted from Crow Enterprizes ***Price quoted from Applied Racing Technologies SOURCES Summit Racing Equipment PO Box 909 Akron OH 44398 800-230-3030 330-630-0240 www.summitracing.com NHRA Glendora CA 626-914-4761 www.nhra.com Crow Enterprizes Anaheim CA 888-869-2769 www.crowenterprizes.com JMS Racing Engines El Monte CA 626-579-4567 www.jmsracing.com Westside Performance Los Angeles CA 310-820-4718 www.westsideperformance.org XRP 5630 Imperial Hwy South Gate CA 90280 562-861-4765 www.xrp.com Kartek Off-Road 2871 Ragle Way Corona CA 92879 951-737-9682 http://www.kartek.com/ By Douglas R. Glad Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
