hey guys i found a rollcage for a datsun 1200 and was wondering what everyone thought and if anyone had heard any feedback from the company.

http://www.ioportracing.com/Merchant2 ... 1550&Category_Code=AP6550

thats the website of the rollcage.

would this increase the safety and handling of my 1200. and would it be worth it too get one made up like it.

i wanted to keep inteeior panels untouched and also be able to access the back seats also

cheers frank

If the rollbar in fact looks exactly like the one in the link, it should keep your interior intact with the exception of where the rollbar mounts are at, you will also keep full access to the back seat with that one. Usually there's a cross brace that goes diagonal from the top bar to one of the side bars, this limits your backseat from coming down without unbolting it first and also keeps at least one of the front seats from reclining all the way.

I HIGHLY recommend a roll bar for any Datsun because only a couple have an actual frame. The 1200 has two separate unibody type frames if you look closely underneath. There isn't any solid metal that connects the front unibody to the rear, basically right under the rear seat floor pans there's nothing but thin sheet metal....no channeled or boxed steel, so I would also recommend welded some boxed steel here. Also many welds on the 1200 are really cheap/weak welds, just going through and welding stuff up a little better will help with the structural integrity of your 1200. The roll bar WILL stiffen up the chassis and provide a much more stable platform. It will also help your car live longer with less stress and it will hold up better and possibly save your life in an accident. Lets face it there isn't much protection in a 1200 so I will take whatever extra protection I can get.

So yes you should get a rollbar in your 1200. I was actually going to buy one from that company when I return to the US if I can't find a nice one here in Japan.

Yeah but these bolt in types are more for looks. They rarely bolt to a structural part of the car... so they don't end up doing much. They might add to the saftey in an accident, but then again, mounting them to just the floor (like the ones here in Japan) might actually injur you more in an accident under the right conditions.

yea i was thinking of something similar but welded in and professonally made.

cheers frank

That would be the go.

The bolt in types are better than nothing I think. Most of the Japanese ones I've seen ARE a joke and really improperly designed, more look that anything. You can easily modify them to bolt to structural portions of the car and actually "work". Just take some more metal and a welder to it. I'm gonna go with one of those and do that to mine. At least it's something to start with.

As with any rollcage, be it bolt in or weld in, make sure it is mounted correctly. If it is bolted to nothing then it does nothing!!
I have seen cages placed in a car and then the underfloor sandwich plate tightened until the floor is deformed up to the rollcage. . Make sure the floor is sound,the mounting surface level, and the load is spread over appropriate sized mounting feet. To get any real stiffening benefit, you will need a welded cage that is tagged to both A and B pillars. A bolt in will give you some roll over protection but little in the way of rigidity. A lot of movement in Datto front ends comes from the strut towers, the brace inside the front guards and the underfloor chassis rails at the front. Your biggest noticeable gain will be in this area I think.
Good luck with the project.
Cheers