masha Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 My FIA bar will shortly be surplus to requirement because I'm having a road-going R500 bar fitted following a paint job 22Feb. Its in excellent condition (never used! - on a road-going/garaged car) asking price will be about half of the Caterham new price, get in touch if you're in a position to leave a £50 deposit to hold it for you, and if an early March delivery is acceptable (I'm in Kent so if not in SE please take carriage into consideration, otherwise I will deliver the Kent/Surrey/Sussex/Essex addresses). ms81@cant.ac.uk (may be able to supply a boot cover with matcing black poppers as well at extra cost) new prices from Caterham: - FIA bar £185+VAT (£218) - boot cover £48+VAT=£56.40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Masha, You are bonkers. Keep the FIA bar. Fat Arn The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrem Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Yes please Masha!! I'll take it/them off your hands. Could you please call me on 0118 921 5657. Cheers, Lionel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masha Posted February 8, 2002 Author Share Posted February 8, 2002 Thanks Lionel you have first refusal, where abouts are you located, I'll call you at the weekend. Arnie - you may be right - but the R500 bar is just a temporary easily removable cosmetic solution for 2002, when I've got the car to full VHPD spec. by summer 03 I'll probably go full cage and do some track work - that's the plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Just curious to know the price of a road going R500 bar. Is there a need to also change the standard boot cover? Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 I agree with Arnie (first time ever!), why on earth change from FIA to R500 bar??? Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 The first and possibly only case of downgraditis teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 Well, I would consider also upgrading my standard non R500 roll bar to a road-going R500 roll bar because FIA diagonals are not compulsory for track days in France (at least at Folembray). The diagonal probably brings some incomfort (you can hurt your head) and leads to using a different boot cover (I figure that the standard one can be slighty modified for a few quids to allow the larger diameter bars). The diagonal must also induce more drag. The road-going R500 roll bar looks better than the standard one, and although the steel spec must be identical, the additional 1 cm of diameter of the loop must bring additional security. Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 I think that the R500 is only cosmetically different from the standard bar. Any increase in safety will be marginal in my view especially as it hasen't got a diagonal and isn't bolted up from underneath. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 And a roll bar most definitely isn't there to look pretty. There are some things I personally don't think you should compromise on and this is one of them. Strategic use of foam sorts out any concerns about hitting your head on diagonals... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardtail Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 if this deal falls through i'll have them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Piper Posted February 11, 2002 Share Posted February 11, 2002 I found that my FIA bar obstructed the view in my rear view mirror. Having taken advice from my local Caterham specialist, Bowplanet, I made two parallel cuts, 8 inches apart in the diagonal tube and hey presto! a perfect view. I too find that I bash my helmet blush.gif on the diagonal tube and my next mod will involve taking a further section of the bar out behind the driver's seat. I also find that the petty strut is ideal for sliding over the end of the wheel brace to get those wheel nuts really tight.... Masha, I have a mint condition standard rollover bar plus boot cover that I'd be delighted to swap for your FIA bar, just let me know..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StewartG Posted February 11, 2002 Share Posted February 11, 2002 I will have an FIA bar for sale in about a week. If anyones interested e-mail me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masha Posted February 13, 2002 Author Share Posted February 13, 2002 Thanks for all your feedback - bar & boot cover has gone to LionelR. I see all your points of view but to clarify reasons for parting with it are: a) I'm not doing any track days 2002 b) ie the car is essentially a road-going 7 only, and access to the boot is not good with it with the hood up c) the diagonal strut gets in the way of my rear view and I find this compromises safety anyway e) the sale of it partly re-imburses me towards a big paint job next week f) I like the appearance of the R500 bar compared to the FIA and its inkeeping with my Superlight - so yep its cosmetic too f) if/when I get the car upto spec to do some track work in 2003/4 I want full cage and petty bars anyway. Apart from that lot I fully understand why people have FIA bars - from a safety perspective due to way its fitted and built, for the flexibility to do track days on the spur of the moment, and even cosmetically to give the cars a mean race look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted February 13, 2002 Share Posted February 13, 2002 Masha, Please, how much does a road-going R500 roll bar cost and do you need to replace the boot cover? Cheers, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masha Posted February 14, 2002 Author Share Posted February 14, 2002 Pierre you've got mail to answer this one so as not to stir any more controversy/responses - topic closed, QED - in short: you will need a new boot cover which puts the price up and makes this 'downgrade' not really worth doing unless you source the parts 2nd hand - which I'm not about to recommend with any sort of safety equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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