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Did Brown Davis used to make light weight aluminium roll bars for the NA/NB vehicles that weighted in around 5-6kg? Are these no longer made due to reg chances making these not CAMS compliant?

twr7cx wrote:Did Brown Davis used to make light weight aluminium roll bars for the NA/NB vehicles that weighted in around 5-6kg? Are these no longer made due to reg chances making these not CAMS compliant?

Yes.
They have not been able to be Cams aproved for a good 15 years. Probably longer. Rules changed.
Unsure if he still makes them.

Mania used to sell them.
Or you could call them directly.

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I do vaguely remember them from 20 yrs ago. Polished up they look nice but I guess offer insufficient protection.

bruce wrote:I do vaguely remember them from 20 yrs ago. Polished up they look nice but I guess offer insufficient protection.

Id much rather have that than nothing....
currently I have nothing...

StanTheMan wrote:

bruce wrote:I do vaguely remember them from 20 yrs ago. Polished up they look nice but I guess offer insufficient protection.

Id much rather have that than nothing....
currently I have nothing...

I'd rather nothing than a sheared off aluminium spear through the chest.




As far as the safety, it's as simple as aluminium being weaker than steel. And while you probably could make a roll cage from alu, that's as strong as steel, you'd probably have to use such thick walled pipe that it would probably weigh the same as steel anyway.


The alloy BD bar is likely best looked at as a decorative bar, rather than any actual rollover protection.

(hell, i've seen rolled utes with the tray mounted alloy bars. The bar just folds up without issue)

simple solution- contact Brown Davis and hear it from the manufacturer.

Many moons ago I purchased an aluminium half cage for my 67 Mini. Main function was to look snazzy as I hand polished it (lots of repetitive hand motion).

I had one of these on the GM. I think the nay-sayers may be overstating the case somewhat, but no question the steel ones are stronger. If a car was logbooked with the ali bar it would be legal still, but maybe not so smart to still be using it.

To put it in perspective, certainly an improvement on the aluminium or steel mousetraps that people still buy ...

I sold/swapped mine for a steel one (can't remember which) probably around 2004-5 when I started to get serious about going fast in an MX5 (relatively speaking), and it is now in its third chassis!

twr7cx wrote:Did Brown Davis used to make light weight aluminium roll bars for the NA/NB vehicles that weighted in around 5-6kg?

Yep & IIRC, BD were making them up until at least late 2000s, & they were more expensive than the steel BD, even used.

twr7cx wrote:Are these no longer made due to reg chances making these not CAMS compliant?

Don't know if/when they stopped making them, but yes eventually they became no longer CAMS certifiable.

Daniel Deckers told me he had the rights to produce BD bars about 6 years ago, and the he could supply and fit both steel and aluminium. They are made to order.

I would start by giving him a call.