Safety cage for a , "4 DOOR " 1965 airflow Mk 1 Cortina.

[limjamrace]

Having a setback in progressing with my Hillclimb & Sprint Mk1 Cortina "4 DOOR" build in that i cannot get verification as to the Safety cages that will fit ..

As we all know the products are usually installed into "2 DOOR" examples.

I don`t want to purchase a product in compliance to the regulations only to find i cannot get the ,say main hoop through the smaller doors..Or it will not be located as the (?) 2 DOOR run of the mill item.

No one at the manufacturers can give a 100% cert that it is possible so i am stumped..
A bespoke installation could be installed at Custom Cages but the cost is way over my head!!

I did see a four door Mk ! on Ebay some time ago fitted with a 6 point safety cage but the vendor said it was fitted before the owner had the vehicle and was unaware of its origin..

[GORDON STREETER]

Joe might be able to answer this, no doubt he will be on later.

[zefarelly]

Floor pan of a 4 door is the same, so installation is the same as is structure

Lots of 4 doors racing in Aus.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Floor pan of a 4 door is the same, so installation is the same as is structure

Lots of 4 doors racing in Aus.

Was going to say I raced a few 4 door GTs in Aus (The GT here was only really available as a 4 door although a few 2 doors appeared). They all had a full roll cage in and from memory the GT 4 door cage was the same as a Lotus Cortina 2 door cage.

[zefarelly]

Exactly, the B post is in a different place, but it doesn't come into it. The Main hoop feet are on a fabricated box which mets up with the start of the rear chassis, under the floor, which is what the step is under the rear seat.

[limjamrace]

Many thanks for the information..

Strange how no supply factors knew of this..

Hope that the narrower door gap doesn`t hinder the main hoop access.

All i have to do now is save up for the Custom Cages "Lotus Cortina" specification kit and find someone to Tig weld the T45 material together.

Or maybe just a bolt in cage from other sources at half the price.
I do like the idea of custom welded in for stiffness chassis wise though..
No idea of ever parting with the Cortina as i was 13 when my late father bought it new in 1965..So it will never be reverted to standard after this revamp.

[FastDB2s]

new paint or original paint ?

[zefarelly]

Looks like its been resprayed.

If I ever do another cortina, I'll go bespoke cage. Look up Nick Garret.

Cortinas are not that strong in the middle where you sit . . .

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by limjamrace

I do like the idea of custom welded in for stiffness chassis wise though..

I'm not too sure but if you wanted to use it for say "FIA meetings" then it probably wouldn't be allowed ? just saying.

[limjamrace]

I`ll have to post a history of MNO considering it has been in my hands for coming up to 56 years..
I do have a Facebook site "Llewellyn Imp Motorsport" which gives some throwback of its history though..
Gave it a serious attention in the early 1990`s before my Father passed away in 1996..
It went into storage after that as lots of things happened in my life ..
Some 10 years ago i gave it another go when i had a barn to work in as Llewellyn Imp Motorsport..
That premises packed up and i moved into a proper business centre unit where i was just content as having the Cortina as an ornament in storage..
Had to sell up that desiable premises due to financial reasons so now in rented housing accommodation as a state pensioner hence now working back to square one working in a driveway.
Due to being under a car cover for its second year the paintwork is now ruined so things are being done arse upwards in way of competition preparation.
As you can imagine i am restricted to some things now like painting it so that will be a problem unless i can find an affordable premises again..

In my lack of funding situation as of now and in the past it sports self made GRP rear wings and the flatter panel of the doors are aluminium skinned.
No show vehicle but due to being a home brew old school CCC reader i get by.
I have started from the rear making my way forwards and eventually will be doing the front suspension and brakes(if Burton Engineering forward my 4 pot calipers ordered last September).

Anyhow back to the safety cage.
I have ended up ordering a OMP bolt in 6 point safety cage from some shop called GSM performance who do like sending a multitude of emails of mainly lots of flannel but hopefully i will get the device in some 10 weeks time..
That is FIA rating should it be necessary for me to use it in that category.
It comes unpainted so i am thinking i can weld additions to it to strengthen the chassis like it would be done by Custom Cages.
So far the cage is £564.20 from GSM ,but i am going to collect from their distribution centre(?) in lancanshire as a £95 delivery charge is unacceptable to me.
Thanks to the contributions on here it was verified that there is no difference to a four door chassis to a two door so i asked Custom Cages for a price to install their "Lotus Cortina" stock weld in item
Again the costing is way above my head ..
I don`t have MIG or TIG facilities to weld T45 steel anyway so the substitute E45 steel is i understand possible to weld with E7018 welding sticks rather than my usual 6013 rods...

[limjamrace]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Looks like its been resprayed.

If I ever do another cortina, I'll go bespoke cage. Look up Nick Garret.

Cortinas are not that strong in the middle where you sit . . .

Cannot find any Nick Garrat..

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by limjamrace

Cannot find any Nick Garrat..

not too difficult to find with google....
https://www.facebook.com/Garrettracefabrication

although there's no contact details and the website link doesn't work so prob best send a fbook message