We have a 1976 88" Series III, and want to make it safer, especially for back seat occupants.
Does anyone have experience with either of the following?
1. Installing a chassis mounted internal roll cage in an 88" (or if that is impossible, internal in the rear, external for the front seat)?
2. Installing a forward facing two or three person bench seat in an 88"? I've heard it's been done with Exmoor Trim, Jeep, racing seats, etc., but am hoping to talk to someone who has done it.
Thanks!
unless you roll it at freeway speeds i doubt a roll cage is necessary, they are pretty light rigs to start with. mine has been upside down a couple times but you can't tell it.......... (unless you really scrutinize things!!
That's good to hear although I'm surprised-- a series? My goal is to feel safe enough to take the kids around locally, and I've seen so many pictures of series and defenders collapsed like tin cans after turning over, not necessarily at high speeds. I don't like the way roll cages look or the space they take up, and I know even with it any series iii will never be all that safe, but in our case its worth it. So we're looking for the least bad roll cage (chassis mounted for sure). Any advice welcome.
Some twenty years ago I purchased a roll bar that bolts to the body just behind the doors with extensions that bolt to the body cappings at the rear of the vehicle. It looks like it would keep necks from being broken during a slow trail ride type roll over. Only used it a few times since I preferred driving with the hard top to going topless. It's been gathering dust in my basement for years. If you're anywhere near North Georgia and are interested in buying it cheap let me know and I'll drag it out and take a photo.
Unfortunately we're nowhere near and we have a hard top too! But I appreciate the offer.
I did this whole think in 2008 when I bought my 1969 Series 2a ECR rebuild which had a pickup cab and a soft top and front roll bar with diagonal braces to the back with angled braces through the wheel wells to the frame front seat/shoulder mounts and came with a forward facing rear seat just laying in the bed loose. I got a full hard top which wouldn’t fit over the ECR roll bar. So I took it off.
I had a four post square box roll bar made from 2” sch. 40 steel pipe with four 90 degree elbows and four tees that mounted to the angled braces to the frame. This all fitted inside of the hardtop and had flat triangular gusset plates with holes in them welded into the pipes for stiffening and for seat/shoulder belt mounting.
I had the front facing rear seat mounted in the bed with bolts to the frame with the seat shoulder belts mounted to the roll bar and floor.
It all works great but it’s a pain to get into the rear seat in which you have to climb in over the top of the rear seat or the front seats and under the roll bar without hitting your head. So the final use of it is not optimal.
PM me for photos and more info.