As automotive enthusiasts we’ve all been subject to long nights in front of a computer searching for parts, creating wishlists (most which we only hope to be ale to afford one day), searching classifieds, dreaming of what we one day want our cars to be. This is one of great reasons us “car people” are able to gather together and chat for hours upon hours about the past, present, and future of our cars. I for one could never have imagined the car turning into what it has become four years ago when it was bone stock. As our interests change our goals quickly begin to evolve.

A little less than a year ago the car received a new 2 liter long rod setup mated to an AMS 750R turbo kit producing 500 whp at a conservative 24 lbs of boost. The jump in power alternatively meant higher speeds at the race track. With the car being able to achieve 120 mph+ pretty quickly with only a Sparco harness bar and Schrothe 4-point belts, there was a growing desire for more safety. After our February event at Buttonwillow the car sat in the shop for a while as I contemplated caging it, around the same time a fatality occurred at a local track. This was more than enough to give me the final push I needed in making the decision. The same week we began pulling out the interior, seats, dash, headliner, carpets, windshield, everything.

The next step was design; this step is one of the most crucial of the entire cage process. I always tell customers who are interested in building a cage to take some time, search the web, and bring by 20 or so examples of cages that they like. From the A pillar bars to the back stays, the more we know on how the customer wants to cage the better we can design it to their liking. This was the same exact process we took to this cage. We started by saving pictures from popular road racing EVO’s around the world. By no means did we copy their design; in most cases we modified examples together, improving them along the way to fit our specific application. In the end our goal was to build a full cage with maximum safety in mind while still keeping the OEM door panels and center console as to keep a clean, street-able look to the interior. The heater core, blower, A/C system, radio, and speakers were removed from the car.

The actual fabrication step was next, cutting, bending, and notching. Safety is always first thing to be considered when building a cage which must be able to withstand impact from any area. To keep the driver snug and focused on driving rather than sliding out of the seat a Corbeau Pro-Series race seat was used (FIA & SFI approved). The driver being is held in tight by a 6-point Scrothe Profi II. The next thing the driver needed was a steering wheel; in this case we used a Sparco 350 mm suede wheel attached to a Sparco Racing weld-on quick release. The quick release was then spaced out to the driver’s specifications using 1” D.O.M steel. The rest of the cage was then built specifically around the driver and seating position. Because the car was over 3,000 lbs rules specified that 1-3/4” .120 wall D.O.M steel with an “X” incorporated into the main hoop and back-stays. After prepping the chassis for the cage we quickly got to work on the front portion of the cage including the boxes, main hoop, a-pillar bars, dash bar, door bars (un-interrupted), harness bar, roof bars, and corner supports. Once  everything was tacked together we then cut holes into the front floor of the chassis and dropped the cage through so that Will could get to welding all the bars fully around. Once fully welded the front portion is pulled back up, boxes are then welded into their final location. We then installed foot protection bars, from the front bars to the firewall to protect the driver from a severe frontal impact. The next step involved creating the back-stays, the support bars from the main hoop to the rear strut towers. After cutting and welding an “x” into the back-stay bars we built bars from the bottom of the main hoop to the back-stays to further structural integrity. The last step was creating gussets for the door bars, A-pillars, B-pillars, and building mounts for the seat as well as tabs for the harnesses to mount to.

At this point it was a Tuesday and the next event was Sunday, only five days to clean, prep for paint, paint, and re-install the dash, wiring, seats, windshield, etc. Cutting it close to say the least. After scrubbing the cage with scotch-brite the car was ready to get taped up and painted. We chose a metallic silver that would go well with the OEM Graphite Grey and silver Wedsport TC105N wheels. After getting a few layers of paint on we left the car out in the sun to dry and cure. Thursday was when we installed the dash, cleaned up the wires, mounted the gauges, installed the seats, and got the car running again. The following day the windshield was re-installed, roll bar padding was cut and fit to protect the driver from impacting the cage in the event of a roll-over or impact.

On the day of the event, Auto Club Speedway with Speedventures the car ran great! Chassis felt incredibly rigid compared to before, there were quite a few areas on the track which felt different because of prior flex in the chassis. Seating position felt A LOT better, being somebody with long legs I was forced to choose either comfortable legs with arms stretched out, or comfortable arms and knees slammed into the dash. With the seating position low and pushed back and steering wheel all custom fit to me the driving experience was very good. Although the car isn’t the most pleasant to drive on the street because of road noise it is still very street-able as long as you have an MP3 player and some ear buds. Would recommend a cage, whether it be full or rear, to anybody who races their car semi-frequently. The safety factor alone out weighs the inconvenience.

*For more information or questions on getting a cage of your own contact us in person, over the phone, or by e-mail at 4040 Calle Platino Suite#123, (760) 295-6257, saemotorsportinc@gmail.com

When it comes to safety equipment your life is in your own hands, the amount of quality, properly installed safety equipment you have in your vehicle determines if your walking away unharmed, seriously injured, paralyzed, or in the worst case dead. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, club racer, or professional the most important thing to protect is your head and neck, harnesses keep your body from moving in an accident however your head will continue to move forward, in a serious accident this movement will cause your head to separate from your spine. The development of head and neck restraints has DRASTICALLY reduced the fatality and injury rate in auto racing. Most track day organizers only require the bare minimum which in many cases is only a helmet; unfortunately just recently there was a fatality at a local track day with an organization that only required a helmet.

Safety is key and not an area to be skimped on, we all like to think we will never go off and a bad accident can’t happen to us. Unfortunately this is not the reality, fluids spill on the track, tires blow out, brakes fail, and cars flip over. Keep yourself as safe as possible with the proper safety equipment including; 3” 5-6 point ASM (anti submarining mechanism), up to spec SA rated helmet, roll bar, head & neck device, SFI rated gloves, shoes, suit, and underwear. With the proper safety equipment a dangerous sport like auto racing becomes significantly safer than many physical contact field sports such as football. Professional racers walk away from incidents at 100MPH+ because they have all the proper safety equipment.

Don’t overlook safety when you’re deciding where to spend your money next. If your the person who is always looking for more power and doesn’t spend money on safety sit down and analyze how important your life, health, and well-being are to you. A car is replaceable your life isn’t. Obviously most safety equipment is really only going to be worn at the track, but even small things can be done to increase your safety on the streets!

San Diego- As a Motorsport shop who strives to support the car community we’d like to be able to offer and suggest venues for those of you who take pride and enjoy what youdrive to really be able to push the limits of your car, most importantly, in a controlled environment. Many people don’t realize how close and affordable many options really are. We guarantee these events will open up a whole new line of interests you may have never thought of before. In the end events such as auto-x, drag, drift and track will not only benefit you in terms of how fun and exciting they are, but also make you a better driver and help to understand how your car really handles, as well as burn off a little steam! Not to mention competing against friends whether it be in track times, wheel-to-wheel, or in 1/4, 1/8th mile times is a great way to see who’s really faster.

Autocross is a great cheap affordable way to begin, most are held at Qualcomm stadium, and races range usually from $60-$80 per event depending on who’s holding the event. BMW CCA San Diego Chapter and SCCA are two great places to start, they typically hold events once a month. Adams Motorsport Park is another great place, although tight track, they hold events every Tuesday night.

Drag racing can also be found down at Qualcomm, every other week RaceLegal runs a 1/8th mile, all you need is a helmet, which can also be rented. There is also a strip by Barona, 1/8 mile, off of wild cat canyon road. Pomona also has a 1/4 mile strip, the closest 1/4 to San Diego.

Drift typically you will have to drive a little further, Adam’s Motorsport park in riverside, holds drift events every Thursday night at their track. Most track day people such as speed ventures and extreme speed, also hold drift days  at bigger tracks. These events are a great place to really learn how to drift, especially in a safe controlled environment with other drifters. Areas are chosen on the track where the is a safe amount of run off for those who go off track. People out at the events are usually friendly and willing to help with any issues or questions. Expect to go through a lot of tires! Make sure to bring at least two or three extra sets of rear tires.

Track days usually range from $90-$200 depending on if it’s a one or two day event and who you go with.  All the tracks will be anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 hours away. Here you can race your car around large road courses at high speeds wheel to wheel with other cars. All organizers offer a variety of run groups depending on your skill level. If your not comfortable with open passing, you may want to start with a beginner group with point by passing only.  These events are more expensive than autocross but have a lot to offer including lots of driving experience, car control, and a ton of fun!

There are many misconceptions about participating in these events, mostly that you need a dedicated race car, trailer, truck, and a lot of money. YOU DON’T. Most people out at these events are driving their daily driver on the same set of tires they drive on every day, although a set of track/ auto-x tires is nice to have it’s not a requirement. You don’t need a fully built expensive car either; we’ve seen stock corollas both at the track and autocross lot! It’s an investment that in the end you will be glad you tried at least once!

For those interested in more information don’t hesitate to come stop by the shop!

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