MX5 Plus new TALL BOY bar

015CAR · Postby **015CAR** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:50 am

Hi Guys,
Looks like I have done a lot of the research you are looking for.
The tall boy mx5plus bar is about 75mm further forward as was previously suggested, and that will see you loose at least two to three inches of rearward seat travel. Im 185cm- far to fat to be in an mx5 really, :oops:

and have stupidly long legs, so this bar didn't suit. As the OP seems to be getting to, the only answer once you are a certain size is to loose the roof when you are racing.
:!:

What has not been mentioned is that mx5plus have already designed and built a cams approved high bar. When I combined this with my Cobra Imola (W I D E edition with stripped foams) on the standard na runners I was 50mm or more below the bar and felt ready to race. I then screwed sail channel along the rear of the windscreen between the screen and the roof rubber and made myself a 'bikini' top skin that threaded into the sail channel and strapped back to the frankenstein bolts with d's. With the addition of a shaped PVC centre bar that was a simple press fit,and a velcroed flap to wrap around this sewed in, I had/ have a roof that is near silent at freeway speeds and a bar height that is cams approved. The rear parcel shelf will still get wet if it rains, but for a non daily - this is a great solution.

The torque tube in the plus bars are great for stiffening the chassis too btw...

Short story - Danny at plus is the answer here- as long as you have reached the point where you are ready to lose the roof.
I am in the process of selling my NA as I have upgraded to a turbo, so I may well be selling the mx5plus cam bar shortly... I have a spare bikini skin if anyone wants to buy it too...

Hope this clarifies some...
Cheers, Rich.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:49 am

015CAR wrote:Short story - Danny at plus is the answer here- as long as you have reached the point where you are ready to lose the roof.

Or, you buy this roof, built specifically for a tall bar :wink:

http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=52108

:mrgreen:

cooper1896 · Postby **cooper1896** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 12:55 pm

015CAR wrote:Hi Guys,
Looks like I have done a lot of the research you are looking for.
The tall boy mx5plus bar is about 75mm further forward as was previously suggested, and that will see you loose at least two to three inches of rearward seat travel. Im 185cm- far to fat to be in an mx5 really, and have stupidly long legs, so this bar didn't suit. As the OP seems to be getting to, the only answer once you are a certain size is to loose the roof when you are racing.

What has not been mentioned is that mx5plus have already designed and built a cams approved high bar. When I combined this with my Cobra Imola (W I D E edition with stripped foams) on the standard na runners I was 50mm or more below the bar and felt ready to race. I then screwed sail channel along the rear of the windscreen between the screen and the roof rubber and made myself a 'bikini' top skin that threaded into the sail channel and strapped back to the frankenstein bolts with d's. With the addition of a shaped PVC centre bar that was a simple press fit,and a velcroed flap to wrap around this sewed in, I had/ have a roof that is near silent at freeway speeds and a bar height that is cams approved. The rear parcel shelf will still get wet if it rains, but for a non daily - this is a great solution.

The torque tube in the plus bars are great for stiffening the chassis too btw...

Short story - Danny at plus is the answer here- as long as you have reached the point where you are ready to lose the roof.
I am in the process of selling my NA as I have upgraded to a turbo, so I may well be selling the mx5plus cam bar shortly... I have a spare bikini skin if anyone wants to buy it too...

Hope this clarifies some...
Cheers, Rich.

Thanks for the update Rich, usefull information for the taller people!

One question. Do you have any idea how much taller 'high bar' is when compared with the regular Single Hoop Roll Bar Mx5 plus make?

Postby **orx626** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:22 pm

cooper1896 wrote:One question. Do you have any idea how much taller 'high bar' is when compared with the regular Single Hoop Roll Bar Mx5 plus make?

The MX-5 Plus "Tall Boy" roll bar main hoop is 50mm taller than the Single Hoop "Torque Box" roll bar main hoop. The horizontal member on the "Tall Boy" roll bar that runs between the seat belt towers is 70mm further forward than the one on the "Torque Box" roll bar.

Cheers,
Danny

Redondo · Postby **Redondo** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:08 pm

i have 1 and it is a big difference

PM me if you want to know more

mitch_f1 · Postby **mitch_f1** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:26 pm

I wonder does anyone know of any cars which have had roll overs with an MX5 plus bar in them (tall boy or otherwise)??? May be a personal question, but I was just curious, as these bars have been flamed on my the US crew on CRnet http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=26232

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:51 pm

I would hazard a guess but as some of the MX5 Plus roll bars are CAMS approved then they would have to conform to a min design standard. The Tall Boy with the single diagonal brace is CAMS approved (this is in my car), the ones with 2 braces are classed as style bars and not CAMS approved.

I'm 175cm and have enough room and the seat can still be put back. Note I have sparco sprints installed so not sure if this will have something to do with how far the seat goes back.

Suspense · Postby **Suspense** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:40 pm

It doesn't look like anyone in that thread knew what they were talking about first hand. It was all based on what things "looked" like or what they "thought" might happen, with no basis or support for any conclusions.

I wouldn't give any weight to any of the discussion there.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:42 pm

I do love how the clubroadster guys will shitcan pretty much any rollbar that's not from the USA or Japan.

Hell, most of the Japanese ones aren't even welded together, most have bolt together hinged joins (which may or may not have high tensile bolts holding them)

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:16 pm

My view is that people tend to overestimate the forces involved in the rollover and/or underestimate the strength of things like the shelf.

imho, if a rollover is so hard that it's punching holes straight through metal and crushing seatbelt towers, the driver is going to be stuffed in any event.

I'd focus on the height of the bar v your nod and how well your seat belt v harness will hold you in while spinning around and upside down. These are issues that might actually matter and might actually have solutions.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:27 pm

True,

It would be rather difficult to say "the rollbar held up perfectly!" when you're either up a tree because you got thrown from the car, or the bar was too low and the top of your head is now flat.

mitch_f1 · Postby **mitch_f1** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:00 pm

Good points are being made! Thanks

deviant · Postby **deviant** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:32 pm

The CR thread is laughable, a lot of the posts are flat out just making things up about the mounting methods and location of mounts.

The same as any roll bar thread...Any bar you fit that is not welded in at multiple points and is designed around road use and fitting the standard trim is going to be a compromise in some form or other.

I just installed a tall boy, twin diagonal a few weeks back. It can not be CAMS approved because of the box section cross bar and the diagonals are not allowed on a CAMS approved bar.

I do go on track a lot in the car but went down this route as it is also a road car so I wanted the stealthier look when the roof is up and I liked the idea of being able to see out of the back of the car. The car is not log booked and is not going to be.

After talking to MX5+ the twin diagonal bars are no weaker than the CAMS single diagonal so that sealed the deal for me.

After rattle canning it black it basically took a day to install taking my time with it. I also had to undo everything at one point when one of the backing plates that is sikaflexed up behind the seat belt reel dropped off! Cutting the spacers that go on top of the seat belt towers was a bit annoying...turns out not all MX5's are made equal so MX5+ supply the spacers long so you have to cut them down.

It comes with a big bag of fittings of which only about half are used, I guess it is a kit to suit all cars.

The harness tabs did not have nuts welded in them but I happened to have some flat bar in the shed so cut some up to use as washers on harness eyes.

Drilling all the holes for the rear feet is tricky. I used an air powered drill as it is smaller and I also used a 90 degree adaptor / chuck in it so I could lay the drill down.

I guess the hardest thing about it all is just the space you are working in, much much easier to do if you take the seats out. You will be putting the roof up and down lots as well.

You lose a fair bit of seat travel with this bar to. My seats are now rubbing against the bar and squeak, I always planned to fit aftermarket seats anyway so I do not expect this to be a permanent problem.