Another question;
I've seen some Miata Convertibles with nice looking chrome Roll Bars installed just behind the seats, and have also seen bars behind a few other cars like the Cobra.
Has anyone ever considered one of these installed in an XJS Convertible before? -Were they ever available?

 

I am in the process of doing one now, unfortunately, work comes first so it might be a while. I can tell you though that the main hoop from my 73 Nova full chassis car will fit nicely. I measure it since it was what was in the shop & then called Summit Racing & ordered another one along with a straight piece which I will cut in half & use as the rear down bars.
There are 2 triangular openings in the floor (one on each side) that I will fab up brackets so the main hoop will sit down inside of. The rear I will use 2 halves of a piece of square tube bolted to the area where the verticle meets horizontal above the gas tank.
I will do some pictures but, it will be a while.
Bill

 

Good timing in my question, obviously. I hope you post some photos of your work, even in the early stages, then when chromed of course. I can see this looking quite nice if done properly with the braces done to look like a factory option.
Thanks

 

There were a handful in the 89-91 model years with a roll bar that looked nice enough. It was a high performance limited run car. I'm sure it was fabbed just for those few.

 

Hi Greg,


I'm wondering if you ever got anywhere installing a rollbar on your XJS.


I have recently inherited a nice XJS, and that is one concern I have. I realize that there are risks to everything, but no reason not to mitigate any risks when possible.


It looks to me that there is room for a rollbar mounting plate on each side of the storage locker. And possible the plate could make a 90 degree bend down the front of that platform. And if the bar was welded at the front of the plate, a small triangulating bar or gusset could go to the rear of the plate.


But I don't know what is under that part of the platform, nor how solid it is.


Thanks,
Greg (by the way, gregh is the name I usually use also )

 

My brother runs a spec Miata with a proper roll bar.
The thing to watch for is, the cheap ones that fit with the soft top, are too low and not race legal.
The legal ones that actually work, will not fit with the soft top. Must use the hard top.
Intelligently done, its a great safety device, poorly done, its a Hazzard. Use caution.
Pete

 

Im fabricating one out of plumbing pipe (abs) to find right shape and size. When done I will bring to fabricator to bend and weld. ABS pipe is cheap and easy to work with.
This weekend is long weekend in Canada and I hope to have completed. I can post pictures of plastic mock up if you want.
I think rollbar will really add to the look of my RatJag

 

I would be interested in seeing your mockup.
I just received my service manual DVD yesterday. Looking at how to remove and replace the storage box, I suspect it isn't sturdy enough to mount a rollbar directly to it. But I haven't physically looked at it yet. I'm out of town this weekend, so its going to be several days before I can get to it.
Thanks,
Greg

 

You may be right about fitting inside the convertible top, and not being useful. It looks like I can get one in that will be taller than the head rests, but I haven't observed the clearances when the top is retracting.

 

Im installing mine for show. I dont expect to roll the car therefor a functional roll bar not necessary.

 

I have an 89 coupe and have thought about one just for show also, I had one in my 240Z and it looked sharp but was non functional....made up of exhaust pipe and chromed.
Dick C.

 

Perhaps with the long weekend coming up, I'll take out the rear storage compartment and side panels to get a look at the structure and possibilities. It may be that there simply isn't any structure to mount a bar to.


I've been driving for 50 years and hundred's of thousands of miles, and have never had an accident of any significance. But I like to eliminate significant safety liabilities when I can. It enhances the enjoyment of the drive.


I think it's possible to have a rollover in this car and survive, but be trapped. So a roll bar would improve the survivability and the ability to exit the vehicle if it remains inverted.

 

I agree, I would like to have a functional roll bar. If you can figure one out please let me know, I'm only about a hundred miles from you....I could come and take a look! I don't plan on having anyone in my back sets so a roll bar would be nice.
Thanks,
Dick C.

 

Dick,
I haven't completely explored the area surrounding the storage compartment. But I had to re-attach the carpet to the rear wall of the compartment (had to glue on some new Velcro to the wall), so I got a pretty good look at the compartment.


On one side is a hydraulic pump and equipment for the convertible top. And I think there is rear quarter panel window retraction mechanisms on both sides. It doesn't look like the platform on either side of the storage box is substantial enough to support a roll bar mounting plate. I think the box would give easily.


After taking out the carpet at the bottom of the box, it looks like that exposes the bottom of the body of the car. Possibly a bar mounting plate of sufficient size could be attached there.


I can envision the possibilities of installing a bar, but it would require the fabrication of a new storage box assembly. The box access door would have to be shortened to fit between the vertical tubes of the bar on each side. Those tubes would have to go down to the bottom inboard of where the top actuator and window actuator components are now. It would be a fairly substantial modification, but may be possible.


It sounds like your vehicle has rear seats. I've never looked at one of those, so have no idea of the possibilities. If you are willing to remove the back seats, it may be that a bar could be installed in a similar fashion. And possibly you would be able to "gain" as downsized storage box at the same size.


I'm going to continue to think about this. It might be a product that I could develop and sell. Others might be willing to sacrifice some (or perhaps all) of the storage box space in favor of a roll bar. And maybe the same is true for those that have rear seats.


Cheers,
Greg

 

Here is a picture of my XKR with a roll bar fitted. I purchased it from Safety Devices in the UK. The floor pan on the XJS & XKR are similar so this may bolt in.

 

Thats a nice roll bar. I was going to mock up roll bar 2 convertible but I bought a 2nd xjs coupe and that takes my time now. 89 not running so no rush

 

As mine is a coupe, I envision a roll bar would have to be a bolt-in affair, made in several pieces and bolted/fastened together as welding in there would probably mess things up for sure. Let me know what you come up with.
Dick C.

 

Thanks for the pic. It looks like the configuration on the XJS conv. would be similar if the storage box was completely removed. I'm not familiar enough with the vehicle yet to know for sure. I suspect that it might not accommodate the brace tubes going rearward. As I recall, the top (hood) sits on a deck just to the rear of the storage box when it is lowered.


Thanks,
Greg

 

I was thinking that the bar might need to have removable pieces just to facilitate access to the hood hydraulics and rear window mechanisms even on the convertible.


In a coupe you don't have the hydraulic pack and hood retract mechanism to work around. So your mounting foot print area might be bigger.

 

Nice


I will look at mine...