I have an autopower cage I planned to install and eventually upgrade but for the time being is the autopower cage legal and does it need to be supplemented with extra bars?

I saw some accident pictures (not pretty) with a modified autopower cage and someone said the cage can be grandfathered in??

Any clarification would be nice, and BTW I have read and reread the regs on this site.

Take a look at the NASA CCR www.nasaproracing.com/rules/ccr.pdf

That is the document that details cage regulations. Our sponsor, Hanksville Hot Rods, builds very nice mail order cages that you weld locally. The roll cage is not a place to skimp on money.

Autopower cage is legal. It must have 2 door bars on driver side.
I used one all last season in Texas and at the Nationals in Ohio.
If it does not have 2 door bars on driver side it is not a hard mod
to get done or do your self

Post some pics if you can. There may be more than one style of Autopower cage out there, and there have been concerns with some of them.

I would strongly urge you to consider a Hanksville cage as above - they car a really great value, and having personally crash-tesed one, can vouch for their quality. A good cage makes you car safer, and stiffer.

I believe the issue is related to tube material on some autopower cages. ERW tubing vs DOM tubing. I don't believe the design has changed much. ERW is cheaper method making tubing as was used in cages for many years both in Autopower and in custom cages. DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) is more expenisve process that evens out the interal seam in the tubing. It is strong and therefore can be as good with a thinner wall making it lighter.

Anyway the santioning bodies used to allow ERW in thicker tubing, but have gone away from that. I believe that is issue with some autopower units.

As for design... It is a one size fits all bolt togther cage designed to fit cars with a full interior. So compromises are there. Hanks' cages are cages in box as well, but each created by hand to fit the 944 without interior like glove. So the design and fit are better suited to the 944 racrer. They however must be welded together. This and advantage for strength, but an increased hassle. Personally I run a custom weld in cage installed by a local race shop.

Cage design can be a very personal thing and the biggest edge on having it custom done it to make it fit to your needs. Some taller guys really need a custom cage to ensure it works for them. A good cage will increase the value of a race car. A bolt in will detract to some degree, but is easily replaced. A cage welded in that is not quite right will cost good money to cut out and replace.

I got the cage as part of a deal that also supplied most of the components for the spec suspension. I will install it and add an extra door bar.

The Hanksville cage is nice and I will eventually install that or something similar but for now price is part of the equation. Either race with the modified autopower cage or dont race at all...

One last question, cuz I am lazy, can you move the batery location to the rear wheel well, that was another benny of the spare car I bought and It has the kill switch wiring set up for that???