first cage pics

[jonasd]

Thought I'd share a couple pictures of the cage I started. Wife and kids were out of town so I took monday and tuesday off of work and spent 4 days and a little over 50 hours. This is my first cage so don't be too harsh. Everything is tacked in place and I need to finish the seat mounts, add the grab handles and misc, pull the dash off, remove the cage, finish weld and paint. I wanted to do something a little different, wasn't so sure about the rear of the cage at first but I think it's growing on me, we'll see once it's all finished

[Efibroncoman]

Re: first cage pics

Looks good! Definitely different but I like different, I'm not really into the 70's looking bronco cages. I would definitely add some gussets to all four corners just for added strength but it looks like it's coming along nice...

[jonasd]

Re: first cage pics

Thanks, I'm open to constructive criticism and can handle straight criticism. Went through the dash, which was a pain to get right with using a hoop for the a pillar but well worth the leg room and being able to suck it up close to the dash. Was hoping joining three tubes together at the corners would help add rigidity to the junction. Will look at putting gussets in the rear and possibly in the center and hoping the grab handles on the A pillar will act as a gusset of sorts

[old69bronco]

Re: first cage pics

Nice!

[jonasd]

Re: first cage pics

I've also been thinking about making some metal speaker enclosures and using them as gussets. Has anyone made metal speaker enclosures? Do they sound tinny, and any better with packing?

[Efibroncoman]

Re: first cage pics

WFO sells them for 6.5" round speakers. They look really nice. I have some made from MDF and fiberglass that sound good.

[jonasd]

Re: first cage pics

there seems to be various different lengths and thicknesses of gussets from what looks like 18ga or so to 3/16" or 1/4" or tube gussets. I would think that anything you put in there as long as installed correctly would be a benefit, but I was thinking about on the four corners where the three tubes meet maybe taking some 1/8" or so and form it creating like a spiderweb tying the tubes together and I would think it would be enough as long as it extended out away from the joint enough-was thinking around 5" or so......man I need some dimple dies. The cans are pretty slick and could be welded to the back side of the B pillar acting as a gusset. gotta see if we have any large diameter pipe at work

[jonasd]

Re: first cage pics

cage going through the dash, will throw some gussets on the windshield bar as well

[Bronco Brian]

Re: first cage pics

Very nice, my next cage I want to go thru the dash also.

[slvregl]

Re: first cage pics

Look good! Do you have plenty of head room with that X bar over your head though? The bars going threw the dash looks great...you can tell you really took your time there. Coming together nice...keep up the good work.

[jonasd]

Re: first cage pics

I've got about 3.5"-4" above my head but I am relatively short at 5'8". Now that the family is back in town progress has slowed, I've got seat mounts done on one side and working on the other. Next is going to be gussets, grab handles, and the harness mounts which I'm still trying to decide on considering I want to access the back seat still. I was thinking I may try to rig up a vertical bar with 2 or 3 tabs so I can adjust the harness to suit the driver and passenger although I'm sure it wouldn't be changed often except maybe for wheeling trips. We'll see what I come up with, gotta get it going soon though so I can make up some miles for the last few years it's been sitting around