Wanted- Taller roll bar for Birkin S3.

[JB455]

I'd like to do some track events in my recently acquired 2000ish Birkin S3. Being 6'1" there is no way I'm going to pass the broomstick test with the standard bar on there. Just throwing this out there to see if anyone has anything that might work for me before I buy new or have one made. Preferably in the northeast as shipping could get expensive! 

 

On a related note- how do they do a broomstick test if you're running an aero screen or something similar? 

Edited October 14 by JB455

[EdWills]

Not sure if this will be helpful and save you a bit of cash, but many years ago a company in the U.K. - John Aley - used to manufacture custom roll bars for many British saloon  and open cockpit racing cars.  For taller drivers, he would add a curved bar on top of the 'standard'** shape type of roll bar, to cover the driver's head and helmet.  I have searched the web, but cannot find any photos of this or any in my collection unfortunately (apparently Aley closed after the death of John Aley - although Rimmer U.K. carry a couple of his examples).  The radius of the additional tubing was quite large and not a hoop as such more a 'bump' added on to the existing bar top.  

 

Not sure how the roll bar fitted to the Seven shown below passed scrutiny, but in the 60s and 70s from other photos available, roll (over) bars hardly ever protected the top of a driver's head and helmet, often ending  below the top of the helmet (even F1, F2 and F3, etc.). W

 

Apologies for the rather crude addition to the drawing, but this is how Aley modified some custom bars.

 

 

Edited October 14 by EdWills

[wemtd]

JB:

I currently have the tall Birkin roll bar on my car if you want to test fit for size?

caveat is Tillett driver seat with bespoke mounting bracket.

[pethier]

3 hours ago, EdWills said:

Not sure if this will be helpful and save you a bit of cash, but many years ago a company in the U.K. - John Aley - used to manufacture custom roll bars for many British saloon  and open cockpit racing cars.  For taller drivers, he would add a curved bar on top of the 'standard'** shape type of roll bar, to cover the driver's head and helmet.  I have searched the web, but cannot find any photos of this or any in my collection unfortunately (apparently Aley closed after the death of John Aley - although Rimmer U.K. carry a couple of his examples).  The radius of the additional tubing was quite large and not a hoop as such more a 'bump' added on to the existing bar top.  

 

Not sure how the roll bar fitted to the Seven shown below passed scrutiny, but in the 60s and 70s from other photos available, roll (over) bars hardly ever protected the top of a driver's head and helmet, often ending  below the top of the helmet (even F1, F2 and F3, etc.). W

 

Apologies for the rather crude addition to the drawing, but this is how Aley modified some custom bars.

 

 

I have seen such additions on many race cars over the years.  One such supported a Dymo label alleging that all technical inspectors engage in an unnatural act I will not describe here.

[Christopher smith]

Back in the 1960-70s the tech inspectors at Watkins Glen used to keep a damaged Lotus roll bar to show drivers how not to do it. I always wondered how some of the attachment points worked  in any substantial roll over given the geometry and what looks like fragile tubing for supporting rear points. Best to keep it upright unless you have a well designed unit. 

[11Budlite]

You could check with GMT racing in Newtown. I'm sure they could fabricate something that would work well, but I'm sure it wouldn't be cheap. 

 

[11Budlite]

19 hours ago, JB455 said:

On a related note- how do they do a broomstick test if you're running an aero screen or something similar? 

 

They run the broomstick to a structural steel tube at the front of the space frame, which would be near the nose cone. I think that's done even when you're running a windscreen because the windscreen doesn't provide any rollover protection.

[JB455]

7 minutes ago, 11Budlite said:

You could check with GMT racing in Newtown. I'm sure they could fabricate something that would work well, but I'm sure it wouldn't be cheap. 

 

GMT is only a few miles from my house- I wouldn't have thought to check with them, but since they're so close.... There are a few other shop around me that do roll bars/cages that would probably be more cost effective if I have to have one built. 

[JB455]

16 hours ago, wemtd said:

JB:

I currently have the tall Birkin roll bar on my car if you want to test fit for size?

caveat is Tillett driver seat with bespoke mounting bracket.

We'll have to meet up sometime for a drive. 

 

There is a Litchfield Lotus Group drive this Sunday morning starting in Granby. 

Edited October 15 by JB455

[EdWills]

7 hours ago, Christopher smith said:

 Best to keep it upright unless you have a well designed unit. 

Hello Christopher.  Apologies, but perhaps this ties in with @pethier's unnatural act above?

[CBuff]

On 10/15/2025 at 9:54 AM, JB455 said:

GMT is only a few miles from my house- I wouldn't have thought to check with them, but since they're so close.... There are a few other shop around me that do roll bars/cages that would probably be more cost effective if I have to have one built. 

I think @cobra8214 had a cage put in by gmt. And think he has a connection with them.  I also think he is still waiting to get it back. Geoff is also on the what’s app group. 

[pethier]

On 10/15/2025 at 1:39 PM, EdWills said:

Hello Christopher.  Apologies, but perhaps this ties in with @pethier's unnatural act above?

It does not.  It was just the best insult that the driver (who may or may not have been Jack Baker) could think of for tech inspectors for making him add to his roll bar. 

[Christopher smith]

17 minutes ago, pethier said:

It does not.  It was just the best insult that the driver (who may or may not have been Jack Baker) could think of for tech inspectors for making him add to his roll bar. 

Not sure what this is about and am not aware of the names involved. Sorry if I got things confused but thought we all should consider safety as important. However there was a genuine and severe accident at The Glen back in the 1960s that involved a collapsed roll bar in a Lotus and a paralyzed driver resulted according to the story I heard at the tech inspection area. Not sure it actually had anything to do with roll bar height. Perhaps it lead to the detailed recommendations in the GCR ( General Competition Rules SCCA handbook)

[pethier]

55 minutes ago, Christopher smith said:

Not sure what this is about and am not aware of the names involved. Sorry if I got things confused but thought we all should consider safety as important. However there was a genuine and severe accident at The Glen back in the 1960s that involved a collapsed roll bar in a Lotus and a paralyzed driver resulted according to the story I heard at the tech inspection area. Not sure it actually had anything to do with roll bar height. Perhaps it lead to the detailed recommendations in the GCR ( General Competition Rules SCCA handbook)

I am certainly not saying the driver was correct insulting the tech inspectors who were trying to protect him.  His attitude was not productive, but it was certainly representative of some of the culture then in SCCA racing.