e36 coupe bolt in cage options

[Tris-m3]

Does anyone know of any bolt in cage options? i can only find the sd one at nearly £1000 delivered!

The only other bolt in option i can find is the sparco one for the compact, anyone know if that will bolt into a coupe?? wishfull thinking i know!

[martine30rally]

I know its not cheap but for what its worth I would go for the SD cage. Its gonna be the only one which is truly 'bolt in' and I assume its not just a basic six point? comes powder coated already with door bar brackets fitted so much less hassle.

[GAJ1]

Has any of you had experience of fitting a sparco cage. I'm struggling to get mine in my Compact at the moment so any haelp would be appreciated. I can get the front bit in or the hoop, but not both together. Bit of a headache at present.

[ultegra]

Can you post some pics of where you have got it too?

[sg_frost]

I have a sparco cage in my compact, load of poo.
Wouldn't buy another.

[ultegra]

You could go for a Pleie Sport or a Weichers Sport cage. Both from Germany.

The new M3 GTS has a Pleie Sport half cage...............







But they do whole cages: heres one in a Golf:








I have contacted Pleie to see what they would want for the M3 GTS type bars for my compact. If I get a response I'll post it in here.

They are at: http://www.pleie-sport.de/kontakt.htm

[GAJ1]

I have a sparco cage in my compact, load of poo.
Wouldn't buy another.

Why do you say that? Is it poor fitting or poor quality? This one seems as good as our old SD cage in the Sunbeam. It's just i cant get it in together. I'm only marking the floor plate positions at the moment as the shell is in early build. Front and rear stay positions look good and go directly to the floor without the centre box under the main hoop stays i have seen on some other cars.

A friend of mine just got an OMP cage for his Corsa today and build quality was just as good.

[bruvs1]

best to put some pic's up george to save confusion, at least then we can hopefully see a fix

[ultegra]

I have contacted Pleie to see what they would want for the M3 GTS type bars for my compact. If I get a response I'll post it in here.

I emailed Alex at Pleie last night and got a fully detailed quote back this morning - good job I never bunked German at school (particularly the lesson about roll cage components). He did offer to quote in Englisch too, but I could tell what he was saying.

Anyway, I have taken the plunge and ordered a half cage for my compact with all the same elements as the M3 GTS. The quote in Euros goes like this:

1. Überrollbügel für BMW E36 Compact (Roll bar) 280,00
(nach den vorgaben des DMSB) (German MSA approved)
(ohne Schiebedach , ohne Rücksitzbank) (No sunroof, no back seats)
Material: Nahtloses kaltgezogenes Stahlrohr, St 35 DIN 2391-2/1994/ (Tube spec)
Rohrmaße: Hauptbügel 48x2,5 , Nebenstreben 42x2 (Tube dimensions)
+ Schrauben und Konterplatten (+Bolts and backing plates)
+ Gutachten (+ certification)
2. Kreuz in der Hinteren Abstützung (X in the back stays) 65,00
3. H-Strebe im Hauptbügel (Cross tube in the main hoop) 50,00
4. Gurtstrebe (Seat belt tube) 50,00
5. Fracht- und Verpackungskosten (Freight and packing to me in the UK) 62,00

Total : 507,00 Euros including MwSt.(VAT) (19%) : 80,94 €

I opted to order it unpainted to avoid the heartache of any damage in transit. In any case I know a local powder coater and will get a better price than the 140 Euros they wanted.

So I paid by PayPal.

Simples!

[sg_frost]

I find that the centre hoop could be tighter to the body and restricts how far back the seats can go. The front legs are quite far back and make it difficult to get in and out. If these were ever pushed back in a shunt they would make it harder to get out. Was really anoyed to have to weld in my own from roof bar, I bought a bolt in cage not a weldsomeofit cage!
Think this topic has been covered before.
I only bought it because of the price to be honest, I would rather have to cut the dash and move the front legs a bit. Been in alsorts of cars that are easier to get in and out of that mine.
Personal preference though.
As for fitting it, i ratchet strapped the main hoop legs together to drop them into the gulleys in the floor so allowing it to rotate into place. Have managed to break the headlamp switch and screen when I took it out to paint it

[GAJ1]

Oh. Right thanks for the reply. I had to base my purchase on cost and as its FIA approved i hope i should get something decent for my hard earned. I have had to cut the dash to allow the front legs to run true with the windscreen pillars. i can get the rear section in no problem ( well after sussing out how it goes in) and have marked the floor for the plates as it sits very well in my opinion. Now putting the front section in ive removed the steering wheel and centre console with stopped it going over the tunnel. Thats as far as i can get it as it hits fouls the rear hoop. I have even jacked one side of the car right up off the floor and it still doesn't give me enough swing to get in. Putting the top bit of the front section first means the leg hits the dash and heater ( which i wanted to leave in at this point). I will have another crack at it when i get the daylight and some time. I will try and get pics if i don't get round the problem. By the way i thought the material spec was EN10305-1 for roll cages in the blur book but i may be wrong.

[ultegra]

By the way i thought the material spec was EN10305-1 for roll cages in the blur book but i may be wrong.

Das Blau Buch ist nicht in ordnung!!

The Gerries use the DIN system to classify engineering standards, we use the BS-EN system. The metal's the same:

http://www.tenaris.com/Italy/en/files/ConfrontoEN10305.pdf

[GAJ1]

Yes, the blue book is naff ain't it.Should have looked at Din spec materials. But the problem is, who is to know once it's painted?

[pdl]

We do the cage for the compact, i am the only supplier for the s.d compact cage we developed it for the challenge it is a multipoint and coes forward of the dash, i presume you have contacted automack for the coupe cage, if you want an s.d coupe cage give me a ring and i'll se what i can do
phil
pdl 01246 240632

p.s we also do other stuff for the e36 as well

[GAJ1]

Had another go today. Looks like if i take the door off there might be enough swing to hoof it over the tranny tunnel and in. Not yet though. Sent an email to Sparco IT to see if they can help. Not holding my breath though.