Mazda Protege rollcages?
- Thread starter Biggins
- Start date
I was hoping for a thin chrome roll bar one that I can still use the back seat, mainly for showz...Rogue said:
I had a crazy idea that this platform might fit well into SCCA ITA in a couple years, and maybe the NASA TT/PT classes right now. I remember a bunch of Proteges running in Speed WC and various other racing series a few years ago, so are there any cage examples left? I was originally just going to pick up a Civic and run Honda Challenge/ITA, but I always like to be different. I guess the cage design wouldn't be too different from a Civic???
I want a reliable, lower hp powered car to keep improving my driving. My BMW will remain my daily driver and autocross car, but I don't want to have to risk it at the track for another year. I see the prices of 99-00 Proteges have really dropped and the consumables shouldn't cost near what they do on my BMW. I assume with a good LSD, 15" wheels/RA-1s, and a GC race setup would make for a decent, reliable track car?
Biggins said:
Add an Accusump to that list if you need reliable. I wouldn't trust the stock oil system on a road course. I was also thinking about the move to ITA.
Here is a good page with one of AWR's Proteges being built.
http://www.awrracing.com/pages/gistwc/wcmain1.html
GhostMercury
Member
- :
- MazdaSpeed 3 08.5
crossover auto has one
all the way at the bottom
http://www.*************.com/mazdaspeed.htm
$450
all the way at the bottom
http://www.*************.com/mazdaspeed.htm
$450
Autopower has three different options from a street style rollbar up to a full bolt in cage.
http://www.autopowerindustries.com/applicationlist.asp
http://www.autopowerindustries.com/applicationlist.asp
The Protege is a good car for TT/PT. I run my Mazdaspeed in TTE.
There are a couple pictures of my autopower bar in this thread; http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106465&highlight=autopower
If you have a roll-bar, you won't be able to use your back seat anymore. There is too much chance of the rear passengers hitting their heads in an accident. Pretty much the same reason I wouldn't want a full cage in a street car. Without the helmet, the cage is too dangerous.
There are a couple pictures of my autopower bar in this thread; http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106465&highlight=autopower
If you have a roll-bar, you won't be able to use your back seat anymore. There is too much chance of the rear passengers hitting their heads in an accident. Pretty much the same reason I wouldn't want a full cage in a street car. Without the helmet, the cage is too dangerous.
*subs* I'm thinking about doing the same route but I'm still not sure what to do...
I might dump my 1500 into either :
A) custom built 8 pt. roll cage
or
B) -buy the last parts(new gauges, fuel pump, and plugs) to my turbo kit and install it.
-get new discs, pads, clutch + brake lines, baffled oil pan, and AWR side mm inserts
or
c) -buy a miata as a dedicated track car + start reverting my car back to stock to give more $ to the miata
I might dump my 1500 into either :
A) custom built 8 pt. roll cage
or
B) -buy the last parts(new gauges, fuel pump, and plugs) to my turbo kit and install it.
-get new discs, pads, clutch + brake lines, baffled oil pan, and AWR side mm inserts
or
c) -buy a miata as a dedicated track car + start reverting my car back to stock to give more $ to the miata
Not completly because I really want to start racing at Road Atlanta this year...SenorCorwin said:
and I'm OK with the stock (besides I/H/E) engine at the moment so there's no rush for me to toss the turbo on asap.
I can either have a slow safe real road track car...
or a boosted autox ready car...(the autox runs feel way too short so I'd most likely skip the autox's and start saving up for the cage)
justanotheradikt
Member
- :
- 03 protege dx 5spd
def love those pics from AWR.... anyone notice the 4 lug rear disc? wonder how much that setup would cost.
To expand on what sm76 started on:
A rollcage does not belong in a street car. A roll bar should only be used w/ fixed back seats and 5+pt harnesses. With that setup, street driving is acceptable, but still not ideal.
A rollcage/bar is a safety item that is easily very dangerous if the rest of the safety system is not compatible. I would like to someday use my MSP as a track only car and invest in a good safety system, but I'm not going to spend $2500+ on a street car to replace a well designed OEM system.
A rollcage does not belong in a street car. A roll bar should only be used w/ fixed back seats and 5+pt harnesses. With that setup, street driving is acceptable, but still not ideal.
A rollcage/bar is a safety item that is easily very dangerous if the rest of the safety system is not compatible. I would like to someday use my MSP as a track only car and invest in a good safety system, but I'm not going to spend $2500+ on a street car to replace a well designed OEM system.
Prodigy said:
winnAr! there's a lot to be said for having a reliable street car and an uncompromised track car (as opposed to having one car that's not particularly good at either). plus, nothing worse than having your daily driver break down (or worse) at the track.
and remember what they say about tracking cars: if you can't afford to wreck it, you can't afford it.
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Holy crap this thread exploded! Thank you guys much for your help! I was being sarcastic about the part of having passengers in the back with a rollcage/bar.
I guess I'm accustomed to the high prices of BMW parts which is why I don't want to track mine, but I'd likely opt for a custom cage at a local fab shop. I like Miatas and have autocrossed a couple, but I also like to be different, so no Miata for me. A cage similar to the AWR ones is exactly what I was looking for.
sm76: Thanks for the link to your thread. That rollbar would be perfect until I actually obtained my licensing and am ready to race. Can you still fit 4 wheels/tires in the car with the rollbar? I also think I saw your car or similar one in one of my recent GRM mags.
Any other potential headaches I could come across with a Protege as a track car (probably a non-MP3, non-MS)? Any years/models to avoid? I was looking at a couple 99-00 1.8L models.
I guess I'm accustomed to the high prices of BMW parts which is why I don't want to track mine, but I'd likely opt for a custom cage at a local fab shop. I like Miatas and have autocrossed a couple, but I also like to be different, so no Miata for me. A cage similar to the AWR ones is exactly what I was looking for.
sm76: Thanks for the link to your thread. That rollbar would be perfect until I actually obtained my licensing and am ready to race. Can you still fit 4 wheels/tires in the car with the rollbar? I also think I saw your car or similar one in one of my recent GRM mags.
Any other potential headaches I could come across with a Protege as a track car (probably a non-MP3, non-MS)? Any years/models to avoid? I was looking at a couple 99-00 1.8L models.
Biggins said:
If you are going to be racing wheel to wheel, I would agree a welded cage is the way to go. That was my car in GRM, from the NASA Nationals. I didn't have a truck this summer so I packed everything in the car. It is a little tight with the back seat in. I put the 4 tires on the back seat pointed side to side and all of my other stuff in the trunk. With the seat out I could fit the 4 pointed front to back and had room left for a couple boxes next to them. That cleared up more space in the trunk.
I didn't notice any drop in oil pressure in turns with my original oil pan, but I've read of some other cars with oil starvation in corners. I got the AWR baffled oil pan after my 2nd weekend mainly because it increases the oil capacity from 3.5 to 5.5 quarts, but it also makes me feel better about oil starvation.
Other than that, its a pretty good platform. Just check where the regular Protege will be classed in SCCA. In NASA the P5 is classed in TTG*, MP3 is TTG**, and the MSP is in TTF**. It lists the 2.0L as TTF, but that can't be right if the MP3 is TTG*. It looks like the earlier generation cars are classed higher because of lower weight: 1.8L is TTF, 1.6L is TTG. PT classing is the same as TT.
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