Front roll cage hoop. v1.2

After getting back into shape to do manual labor again, I decided to get the roll cage completed, at least started to be completed.



Due to the dash design of the commando, I had to come up with a place to put the roll bar.
It is made with 3/16" with 1/4" side plate ( here unfinished)
The outer windshield bolt between the soft dash and the window bolts through
the  lower plate- thus hopefully giving some surface area/ support
the upper edges are what the roll bar pad will mount on then bolted through the back.
I'm planning on bolting the 1/4" through the side of the dash and put a leg  down to the floorboard.




And here's the product-  My friends $14,000 tubing bender didn't like the 1 5/ 8" diameter a500 tubing the rest of the
cage was made from, so I bought some of his 1 3/4" dom and he bent it for me pretty accurately.
The lower outer arms are 51" outer to outer, and since its set at about 60* like the windshield the height is 16"
The lower cross bar is the 1 5/8" tubing.

If you'll note the mounting feet that go onto the dash supports with the holes the bolts go through.
The edges of the feet have a double bracket that captures the 1/4" side plate

            And the final product...  It doesn't block the window much, and the top can still be bolted on.
I'm going to play with a couple designs for the rear cage to the front.

10-31-13

Since the roll cage is "tight" to start with inside the top, I decided to go with a opening to keep it as easy as possible to get to the back seat and into the front seats. It came out easier to get into than I expected considering I'm over 6-1. There will be gussets added from the
front hoop to side bars

To keep everything looking the same- I made a 30* bend  and shaved it to fit on both sides.
If nothing else- it looks good.



With padding installed

February 2014 update...
It still runs- Got the flat fixed, Getting ready for megarun again.
Finally got a scout 2 parking brake cable & hoping to get it road legal sometime.
I got a nice rear seat for it, now I'm looking at some mid-high front seats
(like a CJ7 style).