Roll Cage Dashboard Mod

[kod81]

Hi,

So I have a roll cage for my E30 that penetrates the dashboard down the A pillar. The cage it's not with me yet so I have only seen the photos, but it's been given to me so it's mine. It's an OMP AB 100 17 model.

It's all new to me and I haven't done it before so the welding of plates (it's a bolt in cage) will be done by a garage but I'd like to prepare everything else myself like the dashboard modification.

I'm trying to get my head around it and hope that someone who has done it before can advise.
Do I need to get the dashboard out? (it's not a big issue, however I had it out about 6 months ago and then put it back in later. I'd rather not waste time on this to do this again)
Do I need to remove/modify the side vents and the headlamp, fog lamp switches - are these in the way?
If I leave the dash in place and just drill the holes will there be enough room to maneuver the cage inside that hole or will it just keep getting wedged on the car's roof?
On the other hand, if I remove the dash and install the cage to go through it, I won't be able to install it all at once as the dash needs to be "maneuvered" into its slots that hold it in place, will I?
How can I determinate where to drill the hole by the A pillar. It's not like I'd be able to try to fit it first if the cage won't be able to pass the dash.
If I put the cage too far in front/back in relation to the A pilar will that mess up the whole cage installation? For example I won't be able to put the rear bars as they won't reach or the B pillar bars won't be in the right place either.

Perhaps some has a documented procedure with photos?

I'm sorry if these questions appear to be silly but I am a novice, I admit, hence I am posting here for advise.
Thanks,

Regards,

[rix313]

I'm going to be doing this soon with my new cage but it won't be for a couple of weeks. Take the dash out it won't take you long to do and will just make life easier. Once the cage is in you should be a be to gauge where you need to cut the dash. Thing to do is take a small bit out and keep tweaking it until it fits nicely. As to what you do with vents and switches I can't comment. You will probs have to move the ECU too, the loom is quite long for it and its quite easy to mount onto the tranny tunnel.

HTH

[kod81]

Thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated.

I didn't think of the ECU to be honest.

I'm gonna follow your recommendation and take the dash out in order to pre-fit the cage in the car before I start cutting it. Thanks,

[Motorhole]

Yeah, you'll need to take the dash out. I used two pieces of cardboard, one shaped to each end of the dash and cut these with scissors until they fitted the roll cage. I then used these as templates to mark up and cut the dash. I havn't refit the dash yet, but I'd imagine some tweaking will be required. Also, the issues you will encounter with actually cutting the dash itself are:

1) The skeleton of the dash is mild steel. You will need some pretty meaty metal snips to cut out the shape. I used a combination of metal snips, a jigsaw and a file to tidy it up.

2) Remove the air vents from either side first, or you may inadvertently cut through the adjuster mech on them - as I did

3) The driver's side mounting point in the dash will most likely be very, very flimsy once you've finished cutting. You might need to reinforce this in some way.

Good luck!

[alan1272]

this is my OMP bolt in so it should give you a rough idea, although i have seen OMP cages that bend in front of the dash.
remove the dash, throw away the tubing to the outer vents as there's no chance it will fit. cut where needed using hacksaw/chain drilling.
i modified my ecu bracket so that it sits an inch or so inboard and clears the cage.

[kod81]

Thanks Guys.

The cardboard template is a brilliant idea and will definitely take it on board.

It's the right hand side bracket that holds the ECU and keeps the dash mounted to the car itself that worries me the most now after reading your replies. Hope it won't be too flimsy and will still do the work.

The OMP cage on the above photo looks very neat. I'd love to achieve that . Is that dash original? Its texture doesn't look like standard and the left hand side "pocket" is gone.

How did you guys managed to maneuver it back to the car?
Is it Dash goes first then a roll cage or sort of build the dash with cage outside the car and try to put it in as one element?

[Motorhole]

How did you guys managed to maneuver it back to the car? Is it Dash goes first then a roll cage or sort of build the dash with cage outside the car and try to put it in as one element?

Havn't gotten this far yet! Given that my cage is welded in with welded door bars, I hope it fits!

[alan1272]

The OMP cage on the above photo looks very neat. I'd love to achieve that . Is that dash original? Its texture doesn't look like standard and the left hand side "pocket" is gone.

the dash was in a bad way so i covered it with some felt to make it looked flocked. after about a week it looked gash so i ripped it all off.

strip all the interior out, when the cage is all in and bolted down then you can put the dash back in. it's not as hard as you think.

some more pics that might help.

[milescook]

Take a look at my build thread fella had some dash cage issues which scared crap out of me. Cage first without the dash then cut dash to fit.its a bill ache to get back in.

Oh and there's one handy bolt hole i think meant to hold the lower part of the dash to the tunnel.very handy as the ecu with one of its screws holds it there nicely within range of the loom

[kod81]

Thanks All for your valuable input

Alan: great photos, I find them very helpful. They let me imagine how mine should look like.

milescook: good build thread with plenty of photos and very informative. is that cage a custom build one? I see you have msar stickers. I thought they sell safety devices cages


I expect to have the cage early next week at mine so I shall be getting with the job within the two weeks or. I will try to document my attempt so others may, hopefully, benefit from it.

[milescook]

The rollcentre in st ives near Cambridge did mine from scratch.not cheap at £1700 in total

Msar are just a friendly helpful motorsport loving bunch so after I had mt second sticker from them thought what the hell