I have my doors completely gutted.The inner fiberglass portion of the door that holds the handles,motor and such has been cut out to the rib that runs around the perimiter of the door. Leaving the side impact bars on the chopping block. That would be more weight off. Does anyone know if they help the door keep its shape and give it strength.

Both sides of car are getting Nascar style bars. To facilitate 2 persons/seats. Father son at times don't want to leave him out. And if hes gonna do this one day I sure wanna be in there with him yeah I do Or maybe a friend wants a ride whatever.

Would you just remove the bars and bring the door bars out to the skin or leave them?

Extra
Can someone tell me a good way to get spot welded brackets off w/o making holes in the panel it affixed to?

Tony

I cut out my driver's door impact bar. It weighed about 7 lbs. IIRC. It does not help hold the door skin at all. If you build your NASCAR door bars properly they'll protect you a LOT better than the stock door bar anyway.

I did not cut out my passenger door bar because I was told it would not be legal in AI.

My door functions as normal and is a little "loosy" ...so I left the stock bar in there...

Mike are you telling me that with nothing but skin, I can remove that and the door will function on stock hinges just fine?

Could be Mike I will call Ken and check about the passenger impact bar. Since yeah I understand 15.6.12 of CCR does state the pass. impact beam must remain,ALSO windows, inner panel no gutting.

Although 15.6.17 of CCR permits any additional reinforcing bars if installed strictly for safety. and favoring 15.6.2s intent.

There are going to be at least 2 door bars per side.And out to the skin. I feel that the removal of that pass. stock beam should be permitted because full extention Nascar style door bars are going to be present following 15.6.12 intent only on passenger side.
Verses being done to just drop weight and not replace the protection and totally ingnoring the spirit of the rule. Being done for the right reason.

Also as you know AI rules superceed the CCR in some cases.

AI rules 5.13 says we need at least 1 door bar per door. The door ( in this case could be driver or pass. since both are required ) may remove glass, operating mechanism,panel etc. The driver imact beam may not be removed unless true Nascar bars are used. Says Nascar style bars are strongly recommended.

I pretty much think this is a non issue but... Weelll cant hurt to check




I am a little concerned about the loosening up. The way the bar is at an angle makes me think it has dual purpose. But not saying it could not be replaced with something possibley thinner and lighter.

For the frame squarness(is that a word?)or keeping it from contorting or drooping or something. I can see it doesnt even touch the outer skin Mike





Tony

Mine are fully gutted with no reinforcements. little "loosey" when open

fine when closed

Yep thats what mine look like too.They feel like nothing weight wise,when opening and closing hmm weird

Mike looks like my interpretation is accurate. According to 2 NASA scrutineers (conversing)it is legal to do as I planned. You can removed anything in the door and the side impact beam left and right in a A.I. car when door bars are being used. Door bars are required for both sides regardless.

I'm gonna go ahead and remove them.Figure out a angular strap of sorts to fill the support need. With the added steel (not much really) in the cage the beams do gotta go to offset it somewhat.


You know I wanted to ask if anybody has any pics of bars forward and connected to the A piller bars. 7th&8th points going to the shock towers? Mostly the point it goes thru the firewall from inside cabin.Kinda like to see at the tower too. Coarse he has an idea,I just want to see others for a visual now.

Tony

That's good to hear that it's legal to have NASCAR bars on the passenger side too. I won't do it though. Currently I have one diagonal bar on that side. If I went with NASCAR bars it would weigh considerably more than my door bar and the one diagonal I have. Instead I plan to make my diagonal into a X before next season and call it a day.

I didn't cut my door as much as Tom. I kept the inside door handle to make it easier to open the door from the inside. It's all very lightweight fiberglass and possibly added some stiffness to my door but I doubt it. I noticed no change in stiffness when removing my door bar. I don't know if I'd climb out a closed door and sit on the door top though.

Here's my door as it looked last year:

Weight was a concern fro me but safety is too. And I'm not going to say No to the little dude that helped me build the sucka.

But as far as the weight I don't think the way we are going about it is gonna be much more in that pass. area or overall. But some you need to take into acount the X and its combined length verses the 3 door bars,1 bar nearly staight at the rocker 2 in door. Minus the absence of daigonal off main to the front right. But replaced w/ window bars and cripples. Alot of the bars found in other cages are just being located differently.I do have alot more of the interior removed also. Coarse there is gonna be added Xing in the rear staight bars too 80ft. of tubing what does that weigh you think?

About the climbing in though window port, yeah doesnt look like it would last long unless the upper bar could come up to the bottom edge of the top piece that gets left in. Whats the use of it anyway? I THINK I remember something about the outer door opening mechanism needing to remain?

My car is going in this Wed. for the cage the long wait is over I have had so many tenative dates get screwed by mishaps/issues on the other end I was wondering if it were ever gonna happen! Cant wait to have this done and outa the way,the seat in,I can finish the interior(paint and such) get the fire system in,reveiw,camera mount,guages etc. so much has been put off till now.
But before that the motor gets ripped out and sent in right after the return from the cage guy. Then the above sorry.

Got this one covered... sorry nobody knew but in case you are interested.
http://frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?act=ST&f=10&t=2847

Tony