Astra H VXR Sprint

Continuing on with the track day theme for the car I decided that a roll cage was in order. The roll cage was required to not only add to the track day theme of the car but also to compliment the Recaro Pole Position seats and Sabelt harnesses, because I needed somewhere to safely secure the shoulder straps to but also to help stiffen the shell for track use. With regards to safely fitting harnesses, I certainly wasn’t prepared to risk mounting harnesses to the original seatbelt mounting points as is often the case for road cars, as this is highly dangerous especially if the harnesses are called into use (which I obviously hope they aren’t!)

After looking around I felt a rear 4 point or half cage was in keeping with a track day car, rather than a full 6 point cage. The cage bolts into the car at 4 points, at the base of the B pillars and into the suspension turrets. Brackets which are supplied with the cage are welded into the vehicle’s floorpan and then the cage is bolted in securely. The Safety Devices Rear Roll Cage ticked all the boxes for what I needed.

So the cage arrived direct from Safety Devices:

Roll Cage Arrives

And was quickly unwrapped!

Being Unpacked

As this was a track day car, and not a fully stripped out race car, I was fitting the cage into the car and retaining the factory interior trim. However to fit the cage all the interior trim had to be removed from both sides and also the centre console. This has to be done to get all the interior time out of the way for welding. It allowed the brackets to be offered up into the car along with the roll cage. Once the cage was strapped down the required holes were drilled. Once sure on the fitment the cage was removed and then the brackets were tacked into place into the car.

Roll Cage Mounting Brackets

The cage was then be offered up and checked for fit to be 100% sure.

Once the fit was established as good, the cage was then removed and the mounting brackets were then fully welded into the car, and then seam sealed and painted.

The interior side trim panels were then put back into the car

The cage was then put back into the car and then bolted home:

Roll Cage Trial Fit

Then the protective plastic was removed.

Roll Cage

Roll Cage

Roll Cage

Roll Cage

Roll Cage fitted with Recaro Seats and Sabelt Harnesses:

Roll Cage Fitted with Seats and Harnesses

Roll Cage Fitted with Seats and Harnesses