[Kit Carson]

If I were buying a Miata I would add a rollbar, of which there's more than one choice. Roll bar on a Miata might make it look better, but seems like a roll bar on Solstice would not fit in and would be unattractive.

Maybe someone could add a rollbar to one of the custom paint jobs on Solstice so we could see what it looked like.

 

[Fformula88]

If I were buying a Miata I would add a rollbar, of which there's more than one choice. Roll bar on a Miata might make it look better, but seems like a roll bar on Solstice would not fit in and would be unattractive.

Maybe someone could add a rollbar to one of the custom paint jobs on Solstice so we could see what it looked like.

Welcome on board!

Sorry, I have no photoshop skills, but I was thinking a roll bar might look ok if it was a hoop style rollbar that went over the seat headrests. I'm not sure what the logistice would look like to be able to install it however.

 

[2KWK4U]

Careful there. There's a big difference between a roll bar and a "style bar." I was seriously considering a style bar for my Miata when I had one. But then I learned that it would add practically zero extra protection in an actual rollover. I thought about getting one anyway, because I liked the look. But then all my friends in the Miata club (mostly autocrossers) wouldn't have let me live it down. The actual rollbars that a few companies make for Miatas (like hard dog) are less attractive, to say the least.

 

[piippor]

Rollbar or stylebar, I think you are talking about something like this.

 

[2KWK4U]

haha! I knew piippor would come through for us. Nice rendering! I'll take mine without though, thank you.

 

[SolsticeMan]

I actually prefer a leg that goes forward for fore/aft support... that's half a roll cage and if made of decent enough material will do well for support.

 

[Kit Carson]

Careful there. There's a big difference between a roll bar and a "style bar." ..... The actual rollbars that a few companies make for Miatas (like hard dog) are less attractive, to say the least.

I thought the <real> rollbars, i.e. HardDog looked O.K., at least in the catalog. Maybe after couple of years someone will figure out way to integrate rollbar with the Solstice.

 

[Fformula88]

Just because a particular roll bar from the Miata is not pretty to look at doesn't mean someone couldn't fabricate a useful roll bar that integrated well into the styling of the vehicle.

Maybe Solstice owners will demand better styling from their functional roll bars than Miata owners... we are demanding better styling from the car as a whole! :yesnod

 

[waiting]

Maybe a pair of bars, one over each headrest would look best. But either way, if you roll it and the surface you are on is any softer than asphalt they will just stick in the ground. And if you are on a hard surface, won't the windsheild and tail section keep it just about the same height off the ground as the short bar photoshoped above? If you think you might roll it, wear a helmet.

 

[DreamerDave]

This is a little off topic but, on hard pavement, is it even possible to roll a modern car? I know once your off the hard and in the grass, its a whole 'nother story. My son flipped our pick-up at less than 20MPH driving sideways through a neighbors rose garden. But I've seen autocrosses set up in huge parking lots, with no grass in sight. And you had to have a roll bar to compete. I can understand a helmet 'cuz there's lots of things to bounce you noggin on.

Hollywood has to go to great lengths with hidden cannons in the trunk, pointed to the pavement or bar ramps hidden behind a stratigically placed parked car to get a car on its roof. Of course, I'm not talking about SUV's or my mom's old '52 Pontiac.

But that "style bar" sure looks good although I think I'd perfer a couple of hoops to accentuate the rear deck shape.

 

[Kit Carson]

Long as you stay on flat, hard pavement, you're O.K.
Maybe roll bar doesn't add that much protection compared to other risks in driving, but I just feel better in convertible with roll bar. - Kit

This is a little off topic but, on hard pavement, is it even possible to roll a modern car?
.

 

[brentil]

If you're on the track and someone bumps you just right you can roll over fairly easily. Also while on the track if you go a little to far off into the dirt you can start sliding hard enough that if your tires hit something just right you'll roll too.

 

[Rik]

I hope someone from GM has a plan. The Solstice is only going to be auto crossed if no serious roll over protection is available. It seems a waste of what could be a great track car. Only the most lenient tracks would allow the Solstice on the course and then only for open track days, no racing allowed. As individuals we could add cages on our own, but then the car is no longer safe for the street (a cage becomes more of a danger than a safety device when the occupants are not wearing helmets). I still am hoping to have a street car that can be tracked, but I may have to choose between street and track. A hard top option like the Miata and S2000 seems the best option. That could also explain why GM doen't seem interested in building a coupe.

 

[DreamerDave]

So are you saying that the rules say you can autocross with a bolt on fiberglass hardtop like what's on a Miata or S2000? Doesn't seem like much of a structural improvement. But I'm sure that if GM doesn't make one, someone else will.

 

[2KWK4U]

You can still run Solo II without a rollbar. If you're serious about wheel-to-wheel racing, any race shop worth their salt can fabricate a good cage for ya. To that cage, you can add some padding, and VOILA it becomes again safe for street driving.

 

[SolsticeMan]

Solo II can be run without rollover protection. If you are a Club Racer, roll cages are not just a suggestion - they are ABSOLUTELY required, as well as roll bar padding, 5-point harness, and fire suppression.

I have heard there are some folks who rent tracks for "track days", but there are none I've been to here in MI, IL, IN, or OH that allow anyone with a convertible to run without at MINIMUM a hardtop with a strong suggestion of a roll hoop.

 

[Rik]

You can still run Solo II without a rollbar. If you're serious about wheel-to-wheel racing, any race shop worth their salt can fabricate a good cage for ya. To that cage, you can add some padding, and VOILA it becomes again safe for street driving.

Dude, the padding will keep the cage from breaking the helmet in an accident, but if you hit your bare head against the padded bar it is going to hurt BAD. I wasn't in an accident, I was just working inside my car and hit my head. I thought I was going to passout from the pain.

 

[2KWK4U]

Dude, the padding will keep the cage from breaking the helmet in an accident, but if you hit your bare head against the padded bar it is going to hurt BAD. I wasn't in an accident, I was just working inside my car and hit my head. I thought I was going to passout from the pain.

Sounds like maybe you need thicker padding. My father had a dune buggy when I was growing up (still has it, actually). The bars around the "passanger compartment" are all padded. I probably bashed my little head on them hundreds of times, and never thought twice about it. Maybe I just have a thick skull. This padding was at least 3/4" thick.

 

[DreamerDave]

I probably bashed my little head on them hundreds of times, and never thought twice about it. Maybe I just have a thick skull.

Ahh....now it's becoming clear

 

[SolsticeMan]

The padding is regulated to be a minimum density and thickness. Besides, it's better to whack a padded bar than bare steel.