Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) rollbar and easyfit hood

There have certainly been a couple of discussions here in the past about rollbars.

But what choices exist today for a Duratec +4 with easyfit hood?

I know the Librands bar fits, but I dont really feel I need anything more to polish. What other old-school bars are available - perhaps other than the Aero-racing scaffolding?

What I really want is something like a good old Saftey Devices bar with a removeable diagonal - but suspect the easyfit hood might rule it out?

cheers, Colin

Any rollbar that is likely to be functional rather than ornamental is unlikely to fit under a fully functional Morgan roof.

Best I've seen is an oldschool 9stud where the roof bars can be bunched around the rollbar with Velcro strips.

I've not seen anything for an easy-up.

You could get something made special (which is pretty reasonable cost wise) but it will not be to safety spec's.

Techniques might be able to help as could Satefy Devices directly.

In Novembers Miscellany Techniques have an advert for Roll Bars and it explicitly states that they will fit cars with the easy fit hood. I spoke to Techniques a few years ago and they said they may make a Roll Bar for the later cars but at that time they didn't which is why I had a Librands fitted.
contact is www.techniques.uk.com

If you consider the rollbar fitted in the new Plus8 Speedster, is it a functional or an ornamental item? OK, the speedster offers no roof, but this style of rollbar could fit under a roof. Will it also protect? If so I would perhaps go for this rollbar style for a Trad Mog as well.

I think the issue is the height of the roll bar. My Librands bar, in order to fit under the hood, would have been marginal in protecting my head if the car had actually rolled and a more traditional roll bar would have the same issue if it was at the same height. For competition use the roll bar needs to be taller which is why Librands offer a road and track option and companies like Techniques will custom make the bar to suit the height of the driver

My understanding is that no FIA Approved (or whatever the approval is) can fit under an easy up hood. I was told that a competition bar should be tall enough so that a line from the top of the bar to the next structural element clears the drivers head, wearing a helmet. As the Mog screen isn't structural this is taken to be the radiator cowl. So it has to be tall!

Librands bar is now available with a removable upper section, the standard lower version fits under the hood, the upper is an extra £500 and is Competition Approved. Changing needs a socket set and torque wrench but can be easily done.

Thanks guys. The MSA reg requires your head to be below a line drawn from the top of the bar to whatever is the supporting structure to the front - as Peter J suggests.

However, there is no requirement to have a rollbar at all in Production classes at MSA speed event (sprints/hillclimbs). Hence the height does not matter for what I do.

What the bar does is significantly strengthen the back of the car, and you'd be surprised how flexible your body can be in an impact, which is in any event unlikely to be a roll.

So my need is for something that 'stands up' even if it does not meet the MSA test. The Librands bar just involves too much metal, and is a bit shy on size (and too shiny) for me.

The former SD bars were just fine, but I dont think they have one for this car. Hence my search, and probable next call to Techniques for a chat.....

Anyone got a Techniques bar?

cheers, Colin

I believe Uncle Melvyn has the sole supply rights of the Safety Devices Bar.
Mine acts as the middle roof rail which it replaces on my 9 stud removable hood.
I have no idea whether or not they fit under an easy up hood.

I have a chromed Librands but a stud roof not easy up. I do have to use the swivel levers to set the roof supports to fully up to clear it when fitting the hood.
I have lowered my seat to give a touch more clearance. Gained approx 1" !
The standard bar can be replaced with full FIA but unbolting.
I suspect the Safety Products bar may also be too high for an easy up
It's likely you will need a custom bar.
I feel the extra safety in normal road driving is better than without, assuming car were to roll and not somersault at speed.
It has stiffened the car as well.

A
See MSA diagram 60 ii on page 190 - agree it adds a lot of strength

https://www.msauk.org/assets/153191commonregulationsforcompetitorssafetyk.pdf