A little more progress on the Prius Gas Coupe, today. We've fitted up the main hoops, crossbars, floor bars, etc. The rockers are drilled and we dropped the cage through to see how access will be for welding. Here's some pics of the basic arrangement; you can see the tubes sticking through the bottom, under the rockers (these will end up sitting on 1/4" thick 2x3 angle iron, that welds and bolts to the rockers with backing plates under the car)..
The notches in the center tunnel (one is hidden under the steering wheel, if you look closely) are for 1 5/8" cross tubes. There will be fore-aft tubes joining the front down tubes to the main hoop down tubes, just above rocker level. The cross tubes are designed to provide full cage through the bottom of the car (front wheel drive cars are VERY lightly built through the floor pan). Diagnonals, rear supports, etc. still have to be made up. We'll also add a full horizontal hoop ahead of the driver's feet, across the front of the foot wells....again because of the very light build of these modern cars.
I threw in a pic of the Rear Engine Modified Roadster project, hanging over the Prius. It looks short, but it's about 156" wheelbase. It has all 1 5/8" tube framework around the perimeter of the cockpit (top and bottom) to open up as much space as possible.
Busy day in Long Beach!
More to come,
Regards, JimL