Pro street LS1 98 Astro

[badassastro]

If you mean in the mounting plate, its bend down into the step area.

roll bar in and mounted

tubs & interior pieces in to check fit

[badassastro]

tubs are done except for carpet. The black stuff is seam sealer and black paint. It is nice to have an interior, can find everything

Overhead console done, had to remove some plastic and rear lights. The black piece is coated aluminum


We mounted a rod to rear lower quarter panel, too strength it up. We decided to push it out an 1 1/2 inch. It lines up better with front of wheelwell. It is hard to see, but looks better than stock.


My $20 craigslist steering wheel. Dash is apart to install aftermarket stereo.

[badassastro]

I picked it up never used carpet from a place taht used to do Astro conversions. It looks awesome, almost a shame to cut it up.

Intalled down bars

[Rebel]

Very nice work.

[badassastro]

Thank you Rebel

Painted frame and tubs with Chassis Saver, then did a few coats of rubberized sound deadening in the tubs.

Making mounts for 5 point harnesses. Cross bar is about a foot from floor, bars coming up, match the angle of the seats. Bars are capped and have a mounting nut welded inside

Dragged the 85 Astro up onto trailer, just need to remove dropped spindles and it is ready for scrap yard.

[Rebel]

Nice slider.

[badassastro]

looks better than it is, has rust and bondo, matches rest of the body.

[1Gary]

Thank you Rebel

Painted frame and tubs with Chassis Saver, then did a few coats of rubberized sound deadening in the tubs.

Making mounts for 5 point harnesses. Cross bar is about a foot from floor, bars coming up, match the angle of the seats. Bars are capped and have a mounting nut welded inside

Dragged the 85 Astro up onto trailer, just need to remove dropped spindles and it is ready for scrap yard.

Don't take this the wrong way.The cross bars behind the seat are generally at shoulder height and if need be have a bend in them to accommodate the slope of the seats and have two tabs with a flat attached to the seat and a bolt going threw the tabs.I think the tube is dangerous.It's like a spear. Street vehicles have really a greater opportunity because of the amount of traffic for a accident than race cars do really.

Since you posted this I have been trying to figure a way of telling you the serious reservations I have about that design.It really bugged me that of all the yrs I have been involved in completing race cars that I couldn't tell you without offending how I felt.

Please do consider a do-over.

[badassastro]

Yea, I know it looks dangerous, we thought about it for awhile. But, if I worried about being in a car accident, I would never leave the driveway or my Astro would never leave garage.

Thank you for your concern

[1Gary]

Yepper.Never leave the driveway or build anything to go fast.I can I.D. with that thought too.Tell ya what.Do a search for Nitopro's build and look at his roll bar design.Just let's say you changed your mind. That what they make flapper disc's for.It's a welder's eraser.

The added advantage is the further you get from a structure's mounting base(The roll bar hoop)with the crossbar,the stronger the roll bar is.So if you move the cross bar to shoulder height and correct the rear seat mount,it strengthens the roll bar.

Yeah-me too,I never think a crash would happen to me either.Can't live your life like that.

[1Gary]

I am not saying to add the other bars.This is a illustration of the height of the cross bar/seat attachment.

[badassastro]

Without the seats in, it is hard to see, but if we put the crossbar where it should be, it would require a really hard bend at both ends. The seats are 6-7 inches past the rear of the hoops. I am 6.1 and 300 plus pounds, seats have to all the way back. The bends could be done, but not by us. Doing it this way, when it leaves my friends garage, it will be all done except for exhaust & carpet piece made for tubs.
The hoops have to be where they are. The front hoop cant be moved back, sliding door top rail & bar. The rear hoop is only a few inches from wheel tubs. The whole roll bar setup is not driver & passenger friendly, engineers didnt plan for a roll bar.
Kinda funny, in my pro street 85, I had lowered seat bases. The cross bar would have been easier. In my 98, the lowered bases caused leg cramps.

[1Gary]

Absolutely see the interference with the slider top arm and the hoop.Got me wondering if you could just leave the cross bar you have and add the bent top cross bar/seat attachment.I do understand having a roll bar/cage the size for the driver.When we went shopping for a RED we have on the small size driver,but wanted a mid size cage so another driver could do occasional test and tune laps to do diagnostic work.It was a real PITA to find a used RED built that way.In the end like all the other cars we have done,we bought one and then built it to fit our needs.

I do think overall you adding the higher cross bar is in your best interest and a much stronger construction.The good thing is being able to build the roll bar outside of the van so you could weld the top too.There are cars out there where the roll bar can't be built outside of the car,aren't completely welded because of the headliner/roof,and aren't gusset welded either.If pressed into action that is a method for a collapse. I've seen that happen before on both race cars and on Pro-Street deals and it an't pretty.

[1Gary]

Got me thinking more.Heck even if you had so much of a bent in that top cross bar that it was welded to the backside of the loop and then gusset weld that joint,it would be as strong as one that was just straight welded.

[badassastro]

Finished roll bar


Cleaned and painted dropped spindles

Painted rest of roll bar

Cut and fitted carpet for rear. Painted tubs flat black, will be carpeted later

Welded in bolts for rear bucket seats. Cut and fitted carpet for rear seat area