Hard Dog Ace?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Classic Motorsports

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March 9, 2009 1:21 p.m. Woody Dork

Has anybody got one of these?

http://www.bethania-garage.com/ace.htm

I'm still trying to decide which bar I want. I need full seat travel and hard top compatibility. It looks a little narrow, but I hated dealing with the seatbelts in my old caged car.
March 9, 2009 1:27 p.m. Keith SuperDork

It's too short to work as a real roll bar. In order to get the bar that far back, it has to be super-stumpy. I'd recommend a Sport to any GRM reader instead of the Ace.
March 9, 2009 1:36 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

I went with the Hard Top. I actually called Bethania for their recommendation for my needs. They recommended the sport or the hard top, and strongly suggested against the Ace.

The Sport is probably a better way to go. Although the tubing on the Hard Top meets the requirements for Solo-I, you'll be hard pressed to get the 2" minimum helmet clearance unless you're really short. So the sport will meet your needs just as well with a bit less weight, a bit less cost, and a bit more clearance on the street.

Do not attribute to malice, that which can be more readily explained by stupidity.
March 9, 2009 1:58 p.m. Keith SuperDork

The Hard Top is a Sport with slightly bigger tubing and a standard diagonal and harness bar. FYI.
March 9, 2009 1:58 p.m. Woody Dork

It's hard to judge the height from their angled photos.

When I ordered my cage from them, I mentioned that I really needed full seat travel. As I recall, they more or less custom built the cage based on the rear section of a Hard Core Hard Top.

I was planning on getting a HCHT, but then I stumbled upon the Ace, which I had never seen before.

I think that the Sport would put my melon in harms way on the street.

http://www.bethania-garage.com/images/hbswd.jpg

And a new champion walks among us.
March 9, 2009 2:09 p.m. Woody Dork

Keith wrote: The Hard Top is a Sport with slightly bigger tubing and a standard diagonal and harness bar. FYI.

Damn. Now I can't remember. Maybe my cage was based on a Sport. My receipt doesn't really give me any indication. I guess it's time for a phone call.

And a new champion walks among us.
March 9, 2009 3:35 p.m. Xceler8x HalfDork

I've got two with the soft top version of their bar in the car. I'm 5'10" on a good day and fit under the bar with the stock seat slightly leaned back. This is with a helmet on.

You are what you do, when it counts.
March 9, 2009 3:55 p.m. aeronca65t Reader

My '00 NB (below) has the HD Sport (with no diagonal).

It limits the seat travel a bit, but not enough to be a real problem for me. I'm 6'1" and about 200 lbs (and in my 50s).

The glass rear window ~just~ clears the bar as it folds down. SInce my car is a daily driver I did not opt for the diagonal....I need the space. I've only run a few tracks days at Lime Rock and Pocono and the bar does not quite make the 2" clearance of my helmet unless I swap the seat cushion, but that's not a big deal.......that's what the race car is for.

Enjoy Every Sandwich ~ W.Z.
March 9, 2009 4:17 p.m. Keith SuperDork

Woody wrote:
Keith wrote: The Hard Top is a Sport with slightly bigger tubing and a standard diagonal and harness bar. FYI.

Damn. Now I can't remember. Maybe my cage was based on a Sport. My receipt doesn't really give me any indication. I guess it's time for a phone call.

If the rear section was based on a Sport or a Hard Top, makes no difference. All that distinction says is how big the tubes are. I believe most of their cages use the Sport geometry in the rear actually. I'm pretty sure that's the case for my own cage, based on where the hardtop latches sit.