anybody have any ideas how to build a roll cage, or even just a rollbar in a troopy while keeping the factory jump seats?
troopy roll cage with jump seats?
- Thread starter missipboy
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Give Mark at MetalTech a call. I'm sure he can hook you up
I have hopes of making one for my troop carrier that will consist of two full hoops, one in front of the jump seats behind the front seats, and one at the back behind the jump seats. The front hoop may require some engineering to mount it properly around the fuel filler hump, and where the factory jack sits on the other side, the rear should be straightforward. The two hoops would be linked with horizontals running above the windows on either side, and third half hoop would go up over the middle connecting the two horizontal pieces. The horizontals may be in the way of headroom for the jump seats. To top it off I'd like to make a bikini top that would run from the windshield all the way back to the rear hoop. If you have seen Kangaroo Jack, not that I recommend this for its entertainment value, in the middle of the movie is a Troopy that is set up this way. If you build it do a write up please! I did enjoy the pics of your SOA.
Regards
Regards
- Thread starter
- #4
i've thought about doing it that way, but question the strength. i have no info backing that up, of course.
I'd think you could build it like a 'family' cage just stretched and add a center hoop. You would need to split the back of the jump seat for the center tube if you wanted it to fit inside a hardtop though. Isn't the seat-back on a Troopy jump seat continuous? Or you could mount it on the bed-rail similar to this.
- Thread starter
- #6
yes, the seatback is continuous, but i'm not really excited about cutting it up. that rollcage mounted on the bedrail just doesn't seem like it would be strong enough to handle a rollover. i'll just have to start trying ideas- probably not many rollcages in a troopy running around.
If you did something similatr to that, added a cross bar front and back, it would be plenty strong...better than nothing for sure.
AFA cutting the seat back, you have to sacrifice something when you start to modify. It's just a vinyl/padded hunk of plywood. Not like it would be hard to fix it if you wanted to go back to stock configuration.
AFA cutting the seat back, you have to sacrifice something when you start to modify. It's just a vinyl/padded hunk of plywood. Not like it would be hard to fix it if you wanted to go back to stock configuration.
Not familiar with a troopy at all but could you use a spacing bracket to mount the seats forward enough for a roll bar to fit behind it? People do this on earlier 40's with the long jumpseats. I would hate to cut something you couldnt eaisly replace.
The seat backs are made of plywood from the factory, they can be replaced easily. They are one continous piece as Dan mentioned. I'm thinking I'll have a front cage and a single braced hoop at the back for my troopied cage. Tied into the frame. Mine is even more difficult as it's a soft top and I have to contend with the soft top bows.
- Thread starter
- #10
hmmmm, i thought the seatback had a tube frame, but now that i know it doesn't(it's buried in the shop and i haven't looked at it in a while) i suppose i could split the seatback in half so a hoop could go there in the middle. then, one in the back-one behind the front seats and one in front. sounds do-able to me.
