Cabriolets at HPDE Events

[cockerpunk]

986 is sorely lacking in the aftermarket roll bar department. keeps me from buying one for sure.

[Jeff Higgins]

Yeah, I never really had occasion to look into the 986 roll bar situation until now. I'm surprised at the lack of aftermarket support, at least with regards to an HPDE suitable solution. It appears to be either this b.s. little decorative part from Brey Krause, or full on roll cages for Spec Boxster racing. Nothing in-between.

I guess that's fine, at least for me. This is kind of an "accidental" car for me, one I never intended to keep. I bought it from my son when he bought his 996 turbo and when my 911 was completely disassembled for paint and rust repair. I was going to sell it the day I finished the 911.

But, well, my wife fell in love with it. After our big wreck on the Harley in 2013, she has lost some of her enthusiasm for riding on the back of it. She still will, absolutely, but I can tell she is far more comfortable in the Boxster. So, eight or nine years on, I still haven't sold the Boxster.

It will never be my "track car". I have the 911 for that. It would be nice to have that option, but it isn't necessary. With all of the Boxsters that I do see being used as "track cars", I'm a bit surprised that this has not been adequately addressed. I think the PCA will always allow them, and for now the rest of our local clubs do as well (short of the Alfa club). Maybe that's why no one has really gone after a solution.

[A930Rocket]

I’ve seen a few cars roll over at the track. One was at Road Atlanta, at turn seven, he went off into the sand or the wall and rolled it. I saw him later on that day on the track minus one windshield.

Another was at VIR with a Cobra. He went off at the end of the back straight and rolled it. He was back out on the track minus one windshield/frame, and a fender taped up.

One more. Some guy rented a full-size sedan at Road Atlanta and spun after going under the bridge. He went off to the inside and rolled up against the dirt embankment, crushing the left side of his car and roof. He was back on the track later, after he got two or three tires filled back up with air. I hate to think what happened when he turned it in to the rental place. 😂

[Jeff Higgins]

I've seen two cars that rolled at our local track over the years. The first was an Acura NSX. A coupe. The driver's arm flopped out the open window, the car rolled onto it, and he lost use of that arm. He was a surgeon. Now he's a teacher. Hell of a nice guy.

The other was, ironically, a Boxster. Two guys in it, neither had a scratch on them. Car didn't look so great though, went home on a flatbed. The stock roll hoops seemed to do their job. Ironically, this was with our Alfa club.

[deanp]

Can you run a factory hardtop to skirt the aftermarket roll boar rule?

[Jeff Higgins]

I think you can run a factory hard top.

I had a chance to buy one a few years ago and passed it up. I very, very rarely drive this car with the top up as it is, even in our Pacific Northwest winters. I just pull on my heavy coat, gloves, and Mad Bomber hat (which does a pretty good job of embarrassing my wife). The hard top just seemed like more bother than it is worth. I certainly would never buy one just so I could track the car. If all one has is a Boxster, though, I can see where it would be an attractive alternative.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I've seen two cars that rolled at our local track over the years. The first was an Acura NSX. A coupe. The driver's arm flopped out the open window, the car rolled onto it, and he lost use of that arm. He was a surgeon. Now he's a teacher. Hell of a nice guy.

The other was, ironically, a Boxster. Two guys in it, neither had a scratch on them. Car didn't look so great though, went home on a flatbed. The stock roll hoops seemed to do their job. Ironically, this was with our Alfa club.

I was at that event with the surgeon. That was ugly. Arm restraints would have saved that arm.

I'm surprised this is coming up with the Alpha folks. I remember them generally being a bit more flexible with things. This included non instructors being able to have passengers in the car. At least "back in the day". PCA wouldn't allow that.

[deanp]

I think you can run a factory hard top.

I had a chance to buy one a few years ago and passed it up. I very, very rarely drive this car with the top up as it is, even in our Pacific Northwest winters. I just pull on my heavy coat, gloves, and Mad Bomber hat (which does a pretty good job of embarrassing my wife). The hard top just seemed like more bother than it is worth. I certainly would never buy one just so I could track the car. If all one has is a Boxster, though, I can see where it would be an attractive alternative.

We had a factory hard top on our Boxster. I could remove it, and put it back on, by myself in literally 2 minutes. Unhook the front clamp, release the two rear clamps, and lift off. Seems the solution is to run the 911 at the Alfa events.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I've seen two cars that rolled ....... ironically, a Boxster. ...........this was with our Alfa club.

Someone at the Alfa club has decided Boxsters are prone to rollovers or are driven by people who might have tendencies to put the Boxster on it's lid, I guess.

Speaking of Alfa rollovers:

[cockerpunk]

factory hardtop isnt going to do anything in a roll over though.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

I was at that event with the surgeon. That was ugly. Arm restraints would have saved that arm.

I'm surprised this is coming up with the Alpha folks. I remember them generally being a bit more flexible with things. This included non instructors being able to have passengers in the car. At least "back in the day". PCA wouldn't allow that.

The Alfa club still very much has that reputation. They still let any A group driver take a passenger, with permission from event staff. No one else does that.

Originally Posted by deanp

We had a factory hard top on our Boxster. I could remove it, and put it back on, by myself in literally 2 minutes. Unhook the front clamp, release the two rear clamps, and lift off. Seems the solution is to run the 911 at the Alfa events.

I just read Wayne's 101 Projects for your Boxster write up on this. I was amazed at how easy it is to remove and replace. I thought it would be much more complicated.

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

factory hardtop isnt going to do anything in a roll over though.

Are they fiberglass, or some sort of composite? I would be surprised if they are steel. In the event that they are some sort of composite, there is no way I would want one over my head if the car went over. I can just see getting skewered by a broken shard. I know most Spec Boxsters run them, so maybe that isn't a valid concern. Or maybe they feel as though all of the cross bracing in the cage over their heads protects them from that.

[deanp]

Pretty sure the factory hardtop we had was aluminum. I think the weight was in the neighborhood of 60lbs, give or take.

[mistertate]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

986 is sorely lacking in the aftermarket roll bar department. keeps me from buying one for sure.

Sometimes I think of making one, I used to do custom roll cages 20 years ago. Buy a used 986 roll bar, trace it out about 2” taller, a little wider and use the existing bolt locations. 1.5x0.120 DOM, pretty sure the top would still go right over it. Down here in AZ I just don’t see that many 986 boxsters on the street or at the track anymore.

Jeff, I’m with you on that Brey Krauts abortion, kind of blows the credibility of the company for me.

I ran with NASA a few months ago and grid guy told me I had to go with the top down !?!? I complied for that and the next session then noticed in TT a Miata, mr2 and mini cooper all running with the top up so that was the end of that.

NSXTC rollover, I remember that one. Forgot the guys name, super hot wife.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by deanp

Pretty sure the factory hardtop we had was aluminum. I think the weight was in the neighborhood of 60lbs, give or take.

That's good news. I would feel far more comfortable under that than anything composite.

Originally Posted by mistertate

Sometimes I think of making one, I used to do custom roll cages 20 years ago. Buy a used 986 roll bar, trace it out about 2” taller, a little wider and use the existing bolt locations. 1.5x0.120 DOM, pretty sure the top would still go right over it. Down here in AZ I just don’t see that many 986 boxsters on the street or at the track anymore.

I honestly thought I saw one years ago. It looked just like the factory roll hoops insofar as everything below your shoulders, and had a slightly taller roll bar rather than the individual hoops from there.

Originally Posted by mistertate

Jeff, I’m with you on that Brey Krauts abortion, kind of blows the credibility of the company for me.

It looks like no more than a "rules beater" to me. I cannot see where it could remain attached when striking the ground with the car still moving in a forward or rearward direction, or even at any kind of an angle. It would likely snap right off, in the worst case imparting damage to the real roll hoops underneath, causing them to fail as well.

Originally Posted by mistertate

I ran with NASA a few months ago and grid guy told me I had to go with the top down !?!? I complied for that and the next session then noticed in TT a Miata, mr2 and mini cooper all running with the top up so that was the end of that.

NSXTC rollover, I remember that one. Forgot the guys name, super hot wife.

Wow - "had to"?? That's a new twist.

God bless all of the volunteers that make all of this possible for us, but I honestly think they make up much of this as they go.