F150 Roll cage

As you all know I have been working on my 92-96 F150 Lightning clone. I have been wanting to get the roll cage installed before I get any further on the the interior. (paint, carpet, electronics) I have looked around for pre-bent cages and the only manufacturer is S&W. Their cage goes around the dash and just sounds like a box for a cage. A couple of months ago I watched Chucks thread unfold where Bill built a new cage for his new ride. Being impressed with Bills work in being able to fit Chuck this really sat a fire in me to have Bill do the cage in my truck. The drive is going to be a little long (9-10hrs) but there doesn't seem to be anyone local in my area that can bend a cage from scratch or that I could manage to be taken seriously. (unless it's a Mustang or Chevy)

Does anyone have any suggestion for things I should look into having him do for me? As I think it will be money savings rather than buying the tools I need to build a cage only to learn and do it one time?

I'd love to have the rear 4-linked and some type of front suspension made! Help me think this out!

res0rli9 wrote:I'd love to have the rear 4-linked and some type of front suspension made! Help me think this out!


Well sounds like tube all the way

Don't have the money. Yet I rather spend a little extra now and be done. The engine build taught me that lesson. I was quoted 15,000 for a tube chassis.

Here is what I have been planning for the suspension.
Drop I-beams in the front.
Cal-trac, slapper bar or Rancho bar with the leaf springs in the rear.

dfree383 wrote:K.eep I.t S.imple S.tupid.............

Start-off with what you've got and add to it later when you know what it needs and where it want to be. No need to get you arse in front of your wallet.....

I learned from the engine build that I could have a A460, forged crankshaft, aluminum cylinder heads and built by now if I had just started building what I needed from the get go.

I know that if I am still living there will be a 1,000 hp engine in this truck. Right now it's only a 800hp with a snort of nitrous.

So ya'll believe I should just hold out on all the roll cage stuff untill I start racing the truck?

If you can't tell I am really having problems with the proper order things should be done in.

I would have had the engine finished by now when we first started planning this. (Christmas / Spring ??) If I hadn't sold everything! LOL

Guess I'll have to post pone the event.

What will it run ET wise?

At least stick a bar in there to be legal...

There was a thread on the bullet with some F150 cage pics in it. Not sure which thread though.

Cage it now so it will cert to 8.50 and be done with it and by all means give Bill a call, he is a straight shooter and will not sale you something you don't need...

jbozzelle wrote:What will it run ET wise?

At least stick a bar in there to be legal...

There was a thread on the bullet with some F150 cage pics in it. Not sure which thread though.

My goal has been to run low 10's streetable in the 1/4 and 9's if it was a full out race truck. 6.0 index 1/8 mile class. (Goal's)

Then cage it now. A good cage is worth it's weight in gold.

Just have Bill do something nice where the bars go through the window. Maybe go through the body above the window or have him trim the bar in sheetmetal and then notch the glass...

D. Sea wrote:Cage it now so it will cert to 8.50 and be done with it and by all means give Bill a call, he is a straight shooter and will not sale you something you don't need...

We have been emailing back and forth for some time now. He wanted me to make sure I couldn't find anyone around here. I have been to some local shops looking at work and talking to the owners. No one is skilled enough to do what I ask. I'll tell them I want a cage bent tight to the body, yet I want to keep the interior panels. I want it bent to fit me exactly so I will have al the room I need. Then by the time we are finished talking they are telling me how they will just order a pre-bent cage (which I wil pay for) and then charge me $1,200 to notch and install!

One guy even showed me a customers car that he was working on that he was waiting on to finish, while he could get paid for other work to buy the materials he needed to finish. Sad thing was the fit and finish was scarry bad!