Halo or Traditional "A" Pillar set up ?

[Cajun Kid]

I am wondering which  is best, stronger, safer etc..for my 53 Stude Coupe?

Using 1 3/4 DOM .120  in a 12 point full cage design. is the traditional bars from the main hoop forward across the doors, to the windshield, down the "A" pillar and then to the chassis a better set up, or using the Halo bar with down legs that contour with the "A" pillar, down the doors to the chassis rail...

I am not asking which is the "easiest" to build or design, I am asking is one stronger/ safer than the other with all materials and workmanship being the same. ?

(I may also add the funny car cage addition, rather than the full containment seat, but like to know thoughts on the above question first)

Thanks

Charles

[robfrey]

I can't imagine there would be much difference. I'm sort of partial to the "A" piller bars because I imagine that if the car was sliding up side down and the roof got ripped off, I think it would dig into the salt less but that's really grasping at straws.

[Peter Jack]

Providing the engineering is equivalent in each I don't think there should be any appreciable difference. The weld count should be about the same. I'd use the design that appears to fit the best. As a matter of fact, and this is dating myself a little, when I built my '57 Chev stock car I used front and rear hoops because of the vertical front windshield pillars. The person who bought it from me the following year tested the cage substantially and it held just fine.

Pete

[RICK]

I prefer the HALO style. only because I like to mock it all up,,,tack the halo to the main roll bar,,,and then lean it forward, So that I get COMPLETE penatration all the way around the tube.The front legs come up from the bottom,,, and you can see all the way around the joint,,,,,so you can weld it. I'm not crazy about the ol' Hail Mary method. Ive run my finger across many a 'traditional' bars and couldn't fell the weld on top,,,,between the bar and roof. Truthfully,,,,I've always said the best way to do it is to cut the roof off the car. But most of my clients prefer the halo/lean it method.

   Good Luck,   Rick

[Jerry O]

Charles.. Since you are in the early stages of the body mounting and roll cage construction, I would not attach the body permanently until the cage is in place and ready to do final welding . That way you can lift the body enough to weld the top portion of the bars. Do not let anyone not do a complete weld  of the bars. I too have seen this done and it is asking for big trouble. JMO.....JerryO

[Peter Jack]

On the stock cars I always cut the roof off with a hacksaw. The roof would go back perfectly and the roll cage welds were always complete. With the Studebaker, as long as the body was left loose until the upper part of the cage was complete, the welds could all be completed without any challenge.

Pete

[robfrey]

Just cut holes in the floor and drop the whole cage thru so you have plenty of room to work. Then slide 1/8 thick plates underneath when you are all done. Unless of course you are going right to the frame then you must lift the body off the frame to allow the cage to drop thu so you can do a great job on the welds.

[Cajun Kid]

The entire body comes off the frame... We plan on making sure the cage is "FULLY" welded before the body is lowered for the final time.  Once the body is back in place we will then build the entire floor system.

The only flaw in this thought is the bars that go through the firewall to attach to the front frame area...
They have to be welded in after the body is on.. Not sure how needed these are with the big frame we have.. but to make the body removable,,, we may have to bolt those 2 bars in for future ability to remove body.

The Vicky has a straight vertical windshield/A Pillar,,, so we did the Halo as discussed in the replies,,, since the Stude has a very raked windshield/A Pillar  we are leaning towards the alternate approach, (well gusseted)

Jerry,  Thanks for the Funny Car Cage pics.. hope to incorporate that design into the 12 point cage. (looks like that may be better fit for me to get in and out of comparred to containment seat ??   Not sure but looks better.

Charles