[Marcellus]

Marcellus, I wonder how you have the capacity to come up with such a power plant yet have no idea what chassis will handle it, not to mention basic NHRA rules that ANY BODY can obtain, especially those with deep enough pockets to have an engine like yours at there disposal. You spec a 5 speed so you can have overdrive, yet you spec a 3.89 rear gear. You spec a four link, is this a true drag race type 4 link or one of those rodder 4 links (I think they call it parallel arm suspension). You can't fit a drag race 4 link in that car without removing so much floor that it would require you to add at least a roll bar anyway. You state the vehicle has stock frame rails with a 9" and four link. Not saying it can't be done, just never seen such.
When you race your motorcycle you can feel when something is loose or not true. You know right where the fault is. That is because the chassis is tight with no flex. Still wonder about a cage?

Hmmm...where to start.

The 4-link is a Checkered 4-link with a minitubb. This has been done over and over without modifying the frame rails.There are no mods to frame rails with the TCI bolt in 4 -link either. That's why I am limited to a 275/60 as far as I can tell, the frame rails. I am surprised you have a hard time grasping this.

As far as the motor, I built it to have more power than I really "needed". I never said I plan to run 10's, I said I expect the car to run low 11's and the car will be mainly street driven. Bigger cubes means the same power as say a 500HP 383 but with a little milder cam, lower RPM power band and better streetability.All things I am looking for.

I don't understand your comment on the OD and 3.89 gears. That puts me at about 72MPH at 2200RPM with a 27" tire. Right were I want the car to cruise.

The question really was more about what is the best option for a cage (if necessary) that keeps as much of the look and functionality of the car as possible. This car is not a full time drag car. It will have full interior including a back seat.

I am not sure of the point of your post. I though the point of this place was to be a resource to ask questions and get help with answers. I built most of my car using ideas and information off this site.

I have the "capacity" to figure things out on my own but I also have the "capacity" to ask people who have already been down this road for advice and opinion prior to missing something. I have already spent plenty of time redoing things on my car because I didn't think of a possible problem that cropped up in the middle of the work.

This is my first time building anything of this magnitude. All things told I had it to do over I would have put a TCI front end on it rather than a mini subb kit. I would have built a procharged LSX motor rather than a 427. As it stands I am where I am and look forward to driving it. I just wanted some opinions before I went down the roll cage path.

:salute:

 

[Raymond]

It's just common sense:yes: You want to live? Correct??

 

[aron69nova]

i think the consensus is to put a roll cage in it. sounds like you'll be fine with the basic 6 point roll bar. main hoop going behind the drivers head from rocker panel to rocker panel with a bar connecting them, two struts going from the top of the hoop to the rear frame rails, hopefully through the package tray if you want to keep a back seat, and two diagonals that go to the floor from the main hoop to the rocker panel near the feet of the driver/passenger. i think it'll be difficult to make swing outs with a 6 point cage, but not impossible. if you add the two front struts from the main hoop that go up to the windshield then you'll have an easy place to mount your swing outs. I know this cage is in a 3rd gen, but hopefully you get the idea

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b235/aron71nova/Blue Car/

I can't get into the back seat very easily, but part of that is because of the seats not having tracks and the seat being far back. I would imagine the interior of a 1st gen car is a little more cramped.

The kit I used is a Chris Alston ChassisWorks kit. I added the rear struts, as I wanted them to go all the way to the back of the car, NOT straight down through the package tray. Look at the album and you can see that, for the most part, the cage is fairly hidden. Honestly it's not even a problem for me.

 

[Marcellus]

i think the consensus is to put a roll cage in it. sounds like you'll be fine with the basic 6 point roll bar. main hoop going behind the drivers head from rocker panel to rocker panel with a bar connecting them, two struts going from the top of the hoop to the rear frame rails, hopefully through the package tray if you want to keep a back seat, and two diagonals that go to the floor from the main hoop to the rocker panel near the feet of the driver/passenger. i think it'll be difficult to make swing outs with a 6 point cage, but not impossible. if you add the two front struts from the main hoop that go up to the windshield then you'll have an easy place to mount your swing outs. I know this cage is in a 3rd gen, but hopefully you get the idea

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b235/aron71nova/Blue Car/

I can't get into the back seat very easily, but part of that is because of the seats not having tracks and the seat being far back. I would imagine the interior of a 1st gen car is a little more cramped.

The kit I used is a Chris Alston ChassisWorks kit. I added the rear struts, as I wanted them to go all the way to the back of the car, NOT straight down through the package tray. Look at the album and you can see that, for the most part, the cage is fairly hidden. Honestly it's not even a problem for me.

Thanks. I think I will go with a 6 point. I will check into the Chris Alston kit.

 

[Hamar]

6pt cage

Here is the 6pt that I had done in my 67. I wanted an 8pt but the chassis shop said to go with the 6pt with the out riggers to the rockers....I had them make the door bars swing outs so I could get my fat @$$ in and out...LOL

CAGE IT !

 

[tbills66]

I personally would never put a cage in a car without the front hoop. I have seen too many cars without the hoop that rolled over to not put one in a car. Most chassis builders can tuck a cage in real tight without having clearance issues. Of course the rear seat is gonna be harder to get to, but that is the price of being safe.

 

[danthegeek]

I personally would never put a cage in a car without the front hoop. I have seen too many cars without the hoop that rolled over to not put one in a car. Most chassis builders can tuck a cage in real tight without having clearance issues. Of course the rear seat is gonna be harder to get to, but that is the price of being safe.

I havent used the rear seat since high school when there was no other place to hang out... wait. What were we talkin about? Oh, cage it!!

 

[youngin69nova]

427 CI
Dart Little M
Dart Pro 1 215CC Runner
Crower SS Roller Rockers
~10.5 to 1 CR
~.600 lift solid roller
Victor JR
Quick Fuel 900CFM
Ford 9" 3.89 gears
4-link rear suspension
Minitub with 275 50/15 ET Streets
Tremec TKO600 5 speed
1 7/8th headers 3" exhaust

is it just me but i feel that combonation should be well into the tens not low elevens?

 

[aron69nova]

it isn't just you. look at some of my posts. the reason this would not go tens is traction. he'd do low eleven with big mph. this car should be a blast to drive

 

[Marcellus]

it isn't just you. look at some of my posts. the reason this would not go tens is traction. he'd do low eleven with big mph. this car should be a blast to drive

I am trying to be realistic with the set up. I am confident the car should run in the mid to low 11's. If it doesn't I messed up somewhere. Will it do better depends on traction, my ability to drive a stick, the motor living up expectations etc.....I have never built a car to this level and I am sure to run into some issues here and there. I never needed a cage before and though I figured I needed one, I wasn't sure of the level of cage.

As Aron60nova pointed out and I hope he is correct because that's my goal, a car that is a blast to drive.:yes: And hopefully it will also be fairly streetable.

 

[chevyIIheavy]

I am trying to be realistic with the set up. I am confident the car should run in the mid to low 11's. If it doesn't I messed up somewhere. Will it do better depends on traction, my ability to drive a stick, the motor living up expectations etc.....I have never built a car to this level and I am sure to run into some issues here and there. I never needed a cage before and though I figured I needed one, I wasn't sure of the level of cage.

As Aron60nova pointed out and I hope he is correct because that's my goal, a car that is a blast to drive.:yes: And hopefully it will also be fairly streetable.

it will be streetable as long as you can baby the clutch and not get tempted to do any side steppin :yes: i had a 64 nova with a built 283 and let me tell you that thing sounded good around 8500 it was a stick car but i switched all that out and went to an auto the reason i got tired of stop and go traffic :no: and the parts i was going through :yes: i was young and doing my best warren johnson impressions :yes: eventually i ended up selling the hole car to my sister who has it in colorado

 

[aron69nova]

The 383 that was in my old car was a regular every day driver with the TKO, 4.11 gears and ran 11.60's. It was a blast to drive every day. That was with a flat tappet cam and out of the box heads that only flowed 259cfm. You should EASILY out perform that car. EASILY. You're lighter with more CID, better heads and bigger cam. How soon until this 'fun car' is on the road?

BTW, if you get one of those slipper clutches you can't beat up on it on the street as much. You'll goof up the disc pretty easily. If you are more about beating up on a car on the street the way to go is with a hard hitting and unforgiving organic clutch. You'll just spin the tires instead of burn up the clutch. Just an FYI.