New to me savage, homeade roll bar install. 56K Warning!!!

[olds97_lss]

Well, considering I busted a head fin breaking in my engine last weekend, I thought it best to avoid any more damage in the future.

So, as some of you have come to depend on, I made my own roll bar. But, I was able to make this one and keep the body mostly intact, so no half body needed.

Mock up:

In progress:

Installed:

Body On:

My hands are freaking killing me. Took me the better part of 3 hours to make it and the mounting plate for the rear. Hopefully it will warm up a bit tomorrow so I can go take it for a spin.

By the way, the roll bar and plate added 16.4 ounces... not sure what the entire truck weighs, but it does also have HB extended tvp's on it that feel thicker than my old 21 chassis savage. Can't imagine it's light!

 

[h8z2luze]

Dude thats SICK!!! Much better than the stock roll bar! Great job!

 

[HeartBreak]

Not bad.. At first I thought it looked thinner than your previous bar. But that one looks pretty nice and stout. Are you going to put a finish on it, or leave it raw?

 

[olds97_lss]

Thanks guys.

Same stock as what I've used in the past, 5/16" steel rod. Just short of 3 whole feet of it. I only cut off about an inch off both of the down bars that mount to the center roll bar. A buddy of mine used 1/4 inch cold rolled steel to mike a nice one for his savage (my old savage), but he had access to a welder.

I don't plan on coating it with paint or anything. Raw steel allows it to slide on impacts with concrete and paint grinds off then looks like poo anyway. So, I intend to run it just as it is.

 

[BOUTCH]

Now that look nice and solid, nothing is going to touch the engine now. Great job!!!