Hi, seeking opinions on "windscreen & hoop vs integrated windscreen & roll-cage"...

I'm still very much in the build phase but just planning ahead. I'm erring towards integrated with roll-cage as I'm not too keen on having the roll-cage running up the inside of the windscreen.

Obviously never planning on rolling it and I know you can't put a value on safety but just wondered what the general consensus was - is the roll-cage essential?

Cheers

An integral screen in a cage is generally a smaller size than a buggy screen due to the plare and rubber required for the mounting, it may be possible to bond one in but I have never seen one done. However a integral unit also gives you more room in the buggy.

Like all things buggy down to personal preference of the owner.

remember a single hoop as found on traditional buggies is purely "decorative" and nothing more. Depends upon what you consider essential requirements and this is "an each there own thing". I can think of nothing more "individual" than a beach buggy.

Must say my gp uper buggy single hoop stood up to a roll and came out with gravel embedded and marks but held firm.thescreen went on the drivers side but that was not helped by the front wheel slicing through the tub beneath it.  Any hoop needs sandwich playes above and below the pan.

The screen in the roll bar can, unless you're very careful with the shape and angles of the bends, look a bit 'industrial', more like something from a dumper truck or a digger than from the west coast of America...IMHO of course

Must say my gp uper buggy single hoop stood up to a roll and came out with gravel embedded and marks but held firm.thescreen went on the drivers side but that was not helped by the front wheel slicing through the tub beneath it.  Any hoop needs sandwich playes above and below the pan.

Keith.... That is a real surprise.... Sort of visioned a screen collapsing totally and the hoop being ripped out of the floorpan. It`s a bit soothing to here this from you...  Plates you mention.... This what VOSA refers to as stress plates in it`s build documentation. .

Must say my gp uper buggy single hoop stood up to a roll and came out with gravel embedded and marks but held firm.thescreen went on the drivers side but that was not helped by the front wheel slicing through the tub beneath it.  Any hoop needs sandwich playes above and below the pan.

Hw did you manage it roll it Snoopy??

The screen in the roll bar can, unless you're very careful with the shape and angles of the bends, look a bit 'industrial', more like something from a dumper truck or a digger than from the west coast of America...IMHO of course

Thanks David, that was my concern re having something too heavy duty in appearance, trying to weigh up function vs style

The result of a night out at a club with excessive amounts of bitter and vodka n limes consumed then driving home tired with a tinted screen and 6V electrics.  No idea of the accident but I pulled out on a crossroads and met a 2 year old ford escort also written off. the offside front impact pushed the wheel back into the tunnel by the gear lever as I exited out with the soft top the buggy must have rolled left and it ended up back on it's wheels with me underneath it.  Police man involved with it who took my statement said they thought I was a dead as all they could see was my feet sticking out under the side.  The GP hoop was bolted through the pan and had brackets to the tub which had cracked but it survived one roll it would probably not done 2 these are the only two photos I have of it now it would get blitzed with digital.




luckily as the breath test was new and just coming in I never had one so just charged under due care and attention

Really lucky there Snoopy, thank god

Really lucky there Snoopy, thank god

Agreed   

keith ... what happened to the remains ?

It got scrapped and back then repairing the shell was no e even thought of as you could still buy new ones easily enough so I did a burn test, must say they burn well loads of black smoke and tremendous heat given off.

It got scrapped and back then repairing the shell was no e even thought of as you could still buy new ones easily enough so I did a burn test, must say they burn well loads of black smoke and tremendous heat given off.

A long time ago I was working in a scrap yard weekend job, they would burn out like 5 cars Friday before home time! One time they left but somehow a plastic pig  got the Burn test the yard was at the end of a road lots of homes cold night I come in Saturday and it was like black fog the trees the homes, cars all black and the street was not happy, so a buggy going up would be just as bad and you can not put it out!!