Hey fellow buggy-ers and baja-ers,

I put my buggy through for rego check today and one of the major things I got knocked back for was for my exhaust setup and lack of a cage over the engine.

I am pretty cheesed off as my engineer certified that I only needed a cover over the 'moving parts' and I put a new pulley cover on to satisfy this. RTA disagreed and stated that I need a full cage over engine AND exhaust.

Their reasoning is that :

- people can trip over my tailpipes (standard beetle exhaust)
- people can place their hands on hot engine components, etc if they are walking past. When I stated about the pulley cover, etc, they said even that wasn't right as there are 'moving parts' in the generator hole and that isn't covered, so in theory someone could stick their finger in my generator while its going!

The whole experience aggrivated me but I couldn't do anything about it.

Anyway, I now have to :

- probably change my exhaust to something more compact at the back
- add a cage over the lot

As I am going to be working on a limited budget, can someone please give me ideas on basic 'compact, non-protruding' exhausts. I also would like some advice on cage construction, and more importantly, where do you attach it to on your car? How do you make it so that it is easily removable for maintenance?

Would you believe that even though I have a standard engine (heads all redone, etc) and standard bug exhaust, they said my engine was too noisy?

Thanks....

Fuck your RTA down there must be pricks. Forget that they are, i remember what they were like at summernats now.

Anyways I think your only choice to get it passed for noise is to buy a thunder bird type exhaust, which are a 4 into one setup.
Contact VWFOOL he has one for sale.

AS for your cage, just go down to your local exhaust place and get them to make one up for you.
They will need your car for the day.
this is the cheapest option and the lightest option, Its no good if you ever want to put a tow bar on it or use it as a attach point for a snatch strap. But its nice and light and its a cage to get you through rego.
All you have to do then is put some mesh over the top of the cage and a fraction down the side and your engine is covered.
a mate has one on his turbo manx and it works well.

most people weld two plates to the torsion tube to mount the two bottom armes of the cage, and the two top armes get attatched to the rear shock towers how ever you want.

After losing most of the comments in this folder, I need to add something.....

I talked to the guy tonight who will probably be welding my cage for my buggy, he's fairly competent but never had to make anything like this before for a car. So he says to me 'can you show me some pictures of cages on similar cars?'

Argh! No, I can't!

I would appreciate it if anyone who has a buggy (or baja) and has pics of the cars 'bums' could please post pics up here, or email them to me alternatively. I'd be looking for shots from the rear and also maybe from the sides, so we can see how far they go up the side, etc. Even from the top, it if protrudes out?

I also told him we need to make it so its easy to remove for work, etc, he reckons we could hinge it on one side. Does this sound feasible? I've not heard of this before......how do the rest come off? Just unbolt?

Thanks guys....

A good way to mount it, if possible, is to the upper shock tower/shock mounts and to the frame horns/tranny cradle.
Something simple like a single tube running horizontally around the engine shock mount - shock mount and two tubes which run down underneath the engine and mount to the frame horns. would be good for mounting a skid plate to as well.
Have a look on The Samba for ideas, there should be a few pics in the offroad gallery, kit car gallery and do a search in the classifides.

.

Would I need to remove the engine to get access for welding / brackets etc for this cage addition? Ir should there be enough room as it stands?

I'd rather not get the engine pulled again if I can avoid it.

this'd have to be the 4th time i've put this up but i never get used to seeing it.

yes chewy, something like this. it connects top shok towers to roll bar rear stays and then under car to frame horns and torsion bar tube.

has no wheel coverage so i dont know how legat it all is for you guys.

Here's one on our old Manx

Mine works well for towing....nn[ Edited on 1-7-2005 by daz67 ]

Here's a good one.......:jesus

hey thats barrys car. (ancient bugger) where did u take that pic?

BLOODY ALCATRAZ ON THE BACK OF THAT THING...

That pic was taken at Dubs by the Pub a few years ago.

it has a cover that sits on top as well that stops fingers.....i am just waiting for it to come back from the powder coater and i will post a pic of it all off


steff..................

Phantom,

What state are u trying to rego it in????

I'm in NSW and it tough to rego a buggy here but mine is engineered and rego with absolutely no cage or anything around the engine at all. Only a pulley cover!!!!

Hope pic shows!!! Will try to find another.

Marty

different photos of mine & a bit of cross thread promotion

http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=41551 

Hi Marty 08, mine will be rego'd in ACT, am looking at cage ideas and setups now. Yes, I've found it a bit hard here too, in theory its all OK but you get a few stumbling blocks here and there....