Installing a Cage - Weld or Boltin!!

F

flatout

Member
Right, I’ve been thinking of installing a cage in the Z4MC and after seeing a few threads on Zpost, i think I'm going to take the plunge :? :?

I can either go for a Bolt-in one which gives me flexibility to remove if I ever decide to sell. The downside is that this option it doesn't give the same structural strength as a welded version hence somewhat defeating the whole idea.

Whilst the welding is reversible (only partially I believe), I’m just wondering if i will one day regret doing this esp. when it comes to finally selling. Let's say I sell in 3 years time, what's the likelihood that I'm able to sell the car as is without having to make any changes - i know it narrows my potential buyers but does it make the car impossible to sell private??
 
Weld it in. By the time you sell in three years I'll buy it off you as a track slag! Seriously though, in three years time I don't suspect they'll be holding much value (if things are anything to go by now) and yours isn't the most (shall we say) "cosmetically" tidy example on the market Rich :oops: so you'd be better of selling it as a complete package to someone who wants a track-ready dedicated car. For which there is probably none greater I should add :D
 
i assume the cage is for track use, so my question would be have you ever known or seen a zed roll?
 
My Jeep cages (internal and external) are bolted so I can remove if I ever need to for work, repair, service.
Check the regs of any Motorsport class in case you need to be one way or the other.
 
playalistic said:
Weld it in. By the time you sell in three years I'll buy it off you as a track slag!
Click to expand...

Or maybe stick a V10 lump in - was speaking to someone else with a Z4MC and it turns out the V10 only weights 25kg more than our S54 lump, so not much more. The engine can be had for £5-7k and the e92 g/box for £2k max, this may well be less in 3 years time :D :D Labour cost is a ? though....

Anyway back to the cage, i think I'm gonna go with the weld in option.... As you say these cars wont fetch much in another 3 yrs so if it's worth say £10k with all this APs, R/ seats, plus cage then i'll be a happy man :driving: .
 
I could see a caged MC sell OK depending on the buyer and whether the Z4M gains a better reputation as a track day car.

As for the V10, well, it has been done a couple of times but it'd be far more trouble than it's worth. It'd be cheaper to slap on an ESS supercharger, not to mention you'd make more power as well.

Good luck whatever you do mate! :thumbsup:
 
having previously installed a full weld-in cage in my e36, i would deter someone from going down the weld-in route unless you have future racing intentions etc.
if you go weld-in, you really need to do the job properly. this means full turret locations, diff, rear x, overhead, a-pillar to behind dash etc.
custom cages did my e36 and they required the interior to be fully stripped - including all wiring, dash out, fuse box moved, fuel tank removed, doors removed, front / rear screens removed -- it's a big job!
as for bolt-in cages, i don't think they add much dynamically, but useful for safety's sake if you want added roll-over protection.
 
Isleofthorns said:
having previously installed a full weld-in cage in my e36, i would deter someone from going down the weld-in route unless you have future racing intentions etc.
if you go weld-in, you really need to do the job properly. this means full turret locations, diff, rear x, overhead, a-pillar to behind dash etc.
custom cages did my e36 and they required the interior to be fully stripped - including all wiring, dash out, fuse box moved, fuel tank removed, doors removed, front / rear screens removed -- it's a big job!
as for bolt-in cages, i don't think they add much dynamically, but useful for safety's sake if you want added roll-over protection.
Click to expand...

The interior will have to come out if you would like to install a bolt-in cage as well - so if you gonna go 8/10, may as well go 10/10 and get a welded in job. Bear in mind, you will have to get the glass out and you will have to cut the dash in order to feed in the A-pillars...
 
Thanks for all the comments, was only thinking of installing a half cage so didn't think the dash had to come oout - i may be mistaken though..

Since posting this up, i've made some inquiries and let's say most of the comments suggesting this as being a pretty big job are reflected in the total cost. Most of which is labour i must say, so obviously a fairly time consuming process (30-40 hrs labour alone). Still want to do this as i'm pretty sure my next car will most probably have a OEM cage anyway... so i'm why not take this one as far as i can go then move on in 3 years time.

Watch the space or not as the case may be...

Cheburator - see you sold the MC then :o
 
playalistic said:
Weld it in. By the time you sell in three years I'll buy it off you as a track slag! Seriously though, in three years time I don't suspect they'll be holding much value (if things are anything to go by now) and yours isn't the most (shall we say) "cosmetically" tidy example on the market Rich :oops: so you'd be better of selling it as a complete package to someone who wants a track-ready dedicated car. For which there is probably none greater I should add :D
Click to expand...

Makes sense. Do you have to do it for FIA regulations in races you compete in or just for safety reasons? It seems a bit extreme :?
 
flatout said:
playalistic said:
Weld it in. By the time you sell in three years I'll buy it off you as a track slag!
Click to expand...

Or maybe stick a V10 lump in - was speaking to someone else with a Z4MC and it turns out the V10 only weights 25kg more than our S54 lump, so not much more. The engine can be had for £5-7k and the e92 g/box for £2k max, this may well be less in 3 years time :D :D Labour cost is a ? though....

Anyway back to the cage, i think I'm gonna go with the weld in option.... As you say these cars wont fetch much in another 3 yrs so if it's worth say £10k with all this APs, R/ seats, plus cage then i'll be a happy man :driving: .
Click to expand...

HO about the E92 M3's V8 - it weighs less that our iron straight 6 block...
 
ChawenHalo said:
HO about the E92 M3's V8 - it weighs less that our iron straight 6 block...
Click to expand...

because some is good, but more is better and it terms of better, the S85 is just on another planet...

Yes, Rich, I bought a big house, needs must and all that, so the Z4MC went... Since my stag do, I think I drove it 6 times... Zero point in having it just sat there... The more I think about, the more "liberated" I feel...

For your cage needs - I would recommend "Fabricadge" in Cambridgeshire. He did my race car and I was most impressed...
 
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