2008 135i full bolt-in roll cage now available

bm49 · 01-29-2016, 10:24 PM

A few weeks ago AGI Roll Cages completed the first full bolt-in roll cage for a (my) 2008 E82 135i. This is a high level specification cage that is acceptable for entry to National Level race meetings, Rallies or Tarmac events. Apart from needing to remove the back seats and install a panel to block off the boot area, the guys at AGI worked very hard to retain near full functionality of all controls in the front of the car despite the difficulty of accommodating the sunroof and making no penetration of the dash. The only item I lost was the 2 curved door pull handles. A full set of photos are shown on AGI's Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/AGIEngineering/) with a posting date of 14 January. In preparation for an auto electrician to install some battery isolation switches and a shift light next week, I have just removed the whole front section of the roll cage for the first time in just on one hour.

For those contemplating the fitment of a race seat in their E82 in the future, you may wish to take a close look at the roll cage photo that shows the driver's seat; this is the Sparco Ergo model which appears to be the only race seat that has removeable helmet side supports. The rest of the seats that have helmet side supports are generally not safe for road use as they severely impede side vision. This Sparco model solves the problem by utilising removable side supports that can be fitted at the track in minutes by installing each with 2 x 13mm nuts at the rear of the seat. Like most new seats it is also designed with a recess to more comfortably accommodate a HANS-type device without forcing the helmet forward from the seat backrest. I have mounted the seat on Macht Schnell floor mounts with slides to accommodate different size drivers. These mounts are not cheap but are very well designed and have options for incorporating mounts for the submarine belts and the lap belts (this avoids the need to drill holes in the floor and use reinforcing plates etc).

After many years of struggling with the difficulty of making fine adjustments to the length of lap belts in a 4/5/6 point harness without getting out of the seat, this time I have used a Velo 6 point harness which is one of the few that have adjustments right next to the buckle rather the traditional spot down next to the floor mounts. I have also used the receiver part of one of the rear seat belts to enable me to use the inertia reel belt when not on the track.

If things go to plan I expect to obtain a log book for the car in time for me to have my first race at the 21 February FOSC meeting at SMP Druitt circuit (not a great place to debut a new car) and its first Supersprint at the BMW Club Round 1 meeting at Wakefield on 20 March.

froop · 01-31-2016, 07:13 PM

Awesome cage! Couple questions if you don't mind.

1. What was the cost of the cage?

2. Is the car a dedicated race car and no longer road registered etc?

Nugget · 02-01-2016, 01:09 AM

https://www.facebook.com/AGIEngineer...e=3&permPage=1
Direct link.

I saw this the other day as I was thinking about getting their e36 half cage.
Do you have any photos of where the back posts are bolted to?

Forced_downunder · 02-01-2016, 02:24 AM

Looks fantastic. I hit them up on Facebook and they have a half cage. Wondering what the cost would be.

Giveway74 · 02-01-2016, 09:58 PM

The half cage from AGI in my 130i was $1090 fitted just under 2 years ago.
This included extra diagonal in roll hoop, harness bar and 4 eye bolts for harnesses.

Mine was the first 130i they did.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6037407&type=3

Forced_downunder · 02-02-2016, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giveway74

The half cage from AGI in my 130i was $1090 fitted just under 2 years ago.
This included extra diagonal in roll hoop, harness bar and 4 eye bolts for harnesses.

Mine was the first 130i they did.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6037407&type=3

That's exceptional value.

Hendow · 02-03-2016, 06:53 AM

G'day bm49,

Great work on the car, and best of luck!

I too am looking at putting a Sparco Ergo seat in my 135, and I believe these seats are a tight fit in the e82...

Can you confirm whether you went with the S, M or Large size seat, and did you have any dramas getting it to fit? Any suggestions?

Im also planning on a cage the same as yours from AGI in the near future.

Cheers!

bm49 · 02-04-2016, 01:33 AM

Sorry for trhe delay in responding guys; car matters have had to take a back seat this week. The answers to your questions follow:

The cost for the full cage was $2700 (November quote) plus $500 fitting. AGI offered a range of bolt-in full cage specs starting at about $1700. The spec that I selected is suitable for National level events but less complicated ones are acceptable for State level racing and then below that are simple ones for track days. My cage has been given a unique registration number by CAMS. There was also an additional charge of about $300 to install a metal panel to block off the boot **** and supply/fit a window net.

The car is still road registered although I have not yet presented it to be reclassified as a 2-seater now the rear seat/belts is gone and the rear part of the cage has taken its place. Individual registration requirements may vary from state to state. I intend to do up to about 12 race days a year and am sick of having to operate a car trailer/tow car etc. Once you take the step up to installing a race seat/harness and full cage the additional requirements to meet the requirements to obtain a Cams log book are not that onerous. The worst is the fitting of internal and external battery kill switches. I always used magnetic numbers and battery triangle at BMW supersprints since 1994 and I will allocate a few extra hours to prepare the car by fitting the seat, front cage , tow hooks etc in the days leading up to a race meeting.

I had a Bond half cage in an 2-door E36 and the back braces were bolted in through the wheel arches. AGI did the same on the E82. Here is the link to AGI's E36 options and price http://www.agi-precision.com.au/prod...point-bolt-in/

I went for the M size Sparco Ergo seat. I am 174cm /78 kg and I might have got away with the S but I did not want to take a chance of it being too tight as the multi-layer driving suits/underwear etc required for most races add additional bulk. Sparco do supply fitment charts to help but I was also fortunate to have my last race car on hand and I was able to check the measurement chart against the other race seat I had used since 2013. No particular problems fitting the seat but race car builders rate it as one of the most difficult tasks as it is fiddly to get it to mount in the right place to line up more or less where the standard seat was in relation to door clearance, relationship to steering wheel, seat height and angle etc. I fitted it myself and the Macht Schnell mounts helped a lot as they offered a lot of flexibility. As set up now the seat can slide back so far that I can only just reach (but not depress) the pedals.

Am happy to help with any other queries.

vtl · 02-04-2016, 09:31 PM

Another thing to consider is car insurance. I a roll cage is on the list of things insurance companies ask you:

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAMI

We cover most legal modifications and accessories fitted to your car. There's no need to list them on your policy, just make sure the amount you cover your car for is enough to also cover the value of all the insured accessories and modifications.

We do not cover:

Custom or Specialised Paint (after market)
Nitro or Hydrogen Fuel
Petrol Turbo or Supercharger (fitted after market)
Roll Bar / Roll Cage / Racing Harness
If your ride has other sweet mod you’re not sure will be covered, give us a call!

Now I don't know if "don't cover" means they don't cover the mod if it gets damaged or if they won't insure the car all together

bm49 · 02-05-2016, 07:20 PM

The possibility of losing insurance cover is always a risk with most modifications. The larger companies appear to be the ones who have the most restrictive attitudes as they strive to keep premiums down by using a range of risk-reduction strategies in formulating their policies. The safest approach in dealing with any insurance company on any cover type is to be up-front by revealing any information that may affect the company's risk under the policy; I have heard anecdotes about motor vehicle claims being knocked back on the basis of non-disclosure of modifications even though the circumstances of the accident were not in anyway related to the modified parts. Shannons is a boutique insurer that specialises in enthusiasts' vehicles (including hot rods) and is worth talking to; I have had modified cars covered by them for about 30 years and always found them to have reasonable attitude in dealing with car enthusiasts. The company's web site makes the following statement about insurance cover offered under AGREED VALUE : We agree the value of your car, taking into consideration the care you have given it and any improvements or modifications you have made.

Giveway74 · 02-07-2016, 05:45 PM

Shannon's also say legal mods in their PDS as well.

But i have also been told by a Shannons rep that as long as you have told them about it and it didn't contribute to the accident they typically choose to ignore non compliant mods.

So i have everything listed - including my race seat and half cage.
+ a dash cam to help prove an accident wasn't my fault.

froop · 02-07-2016, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giveway74

Shannon's also say legal mods in their PDS as well.

But i have also been told by a Shannons rep that as long as you have told them about it and it didn't contribute to the accident they typically choose to ignore non compliant mods.

So i have everything listed - including my race seat and half cage.
+ a dash cam to help prove an accident wasn't my fault.

+1

I'm with shannons for both of my cars and I've listed the half cage, turbos, meth injection etc etc and they didn't make any issue when I told them about it.

Giveway74 · 02-07-2016, 08:41 PM

I think it helps that most of their customers are unlikely to wrap their cars around trees while street racing.

That's what just cars is for.

Nugget · 06-14-2016, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hendow

G'day bm49,

Great work on the car, and best of luck!

I too am looking at putting a Sparco Ergo seat in my 135, and I believe these seats are a tight fit in the e82...

Can you confirm whether you went with the S, M or Large size seat, and did you have any dramas getting it to fit? Any suggestions?

Im also planning on a cage the same as yours from AGI in the near future.

Cheers!

Hi mate,
did you end up getting the Sparco Ergo seat?
I am thinking about getting one for my e36 and it would be good to try it out for size.

Hendow · 06-14-2016, 04:28 AM

Gday Nugs,

No, not yet, still looking for one at the right price, in the right location...!

I have a Sparco Pro2000 in my other track car which I plan to use for sizing against the ergo size charts. That should be reasonably accurate.

Looking further at the AGI bolt in and weld in cage options too...

Cheers.

01-29-2016, 10:24 PM	#1
bm49 Private 28 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 2012 135i manual, 2010 320d Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Canberra. Australia iTrader: (0)	2008 135i full bolt-in roll cage now available A few weeks ago AGI Roll Cages completed the first full bolt-in roll cage for a (my) 2008 E82 135i. This is a high level specification cage that is acceptable for entry to National Level race meetings, Rallies or Tarmac events. Apart from needing to remove the back seats and install a panel to block off the boot area, the guys at AGI worked very hard to retain near full functionality of all controls in the front of the car despite the difficulty of accommodating the sunroof and making no penetration of the dash. The only item I lost was the 2 curved door pull handles. A full set of photos are shown on AGI's Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/AGIEngineering/) with a posting date of 14 January. In preparation for an auto electrician to install some battery isolation switches and a shift light next week, I have just removed the whole front section of the roll cage for the first time in just on one hour. For those contemplating the fitment of a race seat in their E82 in the future, you may wish to take a close look at the roll cage photo that shows the driver's seat; this is the Sparco Ergo model which appears to be the only race seat that has removeable helmet side supports. The rest of the seats that have helmet side supports are generally not safe for road use as they severely impede side vision. This Sparco model solves the problem by utilising removable side supports that can be fitted at the track in minutes by installing each with 2 x 13mm nuts at the rear of the seat. Like most new seats it is also designed with a recess to more comfortably accommodate a HANS-type device without forcing the helmet forward from the seat backrest. I have mounted the seat on Macht Schnell floor mounts with slides to accommodate different size drivers. These mounts are not cheap but are very well designed and have options for incorporating mounts for the submarine belts and the lap belts (this avoids the need to drill holes in the floor and use reinforcing plates etc). After many years of struggling with the difficulty of making fine adjustments to the length of lap belts in a 4/5/6 point harness without getting out of the seat, this time I have used a Velo 6 point harness which is one of the few that have adjustments right next to the buckle rather the traditional spot down next to the floor mounts. I have also used the receiver part of one of the rear seat belts to enable me to use the inertia reel belt when not on the track. If things go to plan I expect to obtain a log book for the car in time for me to have my first race at the 21 February FOSC meeting at SMP Druitt circuit (not a great place to debut a new car) and its first Supersprint at the BMW Club Round 1 meeting at Wakefield on 20 March. Last edited by bm49; 01-29-2016 at 10:27 PM.. Reason: Fix typo
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01-31-2016, 07:13 PM	#2
froop Colonel 171 Rep 2,682 Posts Drives: 08 AW 6MT E82 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (3)	Awesome cage! Couple questions if you don't mind. 1. What was the cost of the cage? 2. Is the car a dedicated race car and no longer road registered etc? __________________ froop's AW 135i Build Thread
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02-01-2016, 01:09 AM	#3
Nugget Colonel 650 Rep 2,601 Posts Drives: G81 M3 Touring, GR Supra GTS Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Perth iTrader: (2) Garage List 2011 BMW 135i [10.00]	https://www.facebook.com/AGIEngineer...e=3&permPage=1 Direct link. I saw this the other day as I was thinking about getting their e36 half cage. Do you have any photos of where the back posts are bolted to?
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02-01-2016, 02:24 AM	#4
Forced_downunder Private First Class 21 Rep 154 Posts Drives: BMW 135i N54 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	Looks fantastic. I hit them up on Facebook and they have a half cage. Wondering what the cost would be.
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02-01-2016, 09:58 PM	#5
Giveway74 Private First Class 13 Rep 187 Posts Drives: 130i and MK7 Golf GTI PP Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	The half cage from AGI in my 130i was $1090 fitted just under 2 years ago. This included extra diagonal in roll hoop, harness bar and 4 eye bolts for harnesses. Mine was the first 130i they did. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6037407&type=3 __________________ 2006 E87 130i M3 front and rear arms, M3 Front and rear ARB , Quaife LSD, BMW performance wheel (non electronic), 135i Brakes, DS2500 pads, Apex wheel studs, Adjustable Bilsteins, API Half cage, Hankook Z221's (track) and Bridgestone RE002's (street) 225's all around
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02-03-2016, 06:53 AM	#7
Hendow New Member 5 Rep 21 Posts Drives: MY09 135i 6MT Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Perth, Western Australia iTrader: (0)	G'day bm49, Great work on the car, and best of luck! I too am looking at putting a Sparco Ergo seat in my 135, and I believe these seats are a tight fit in the e82... Can you confirm whether you went with the S, M or Large size seat, and did you have any dramas getting it to fit? Any suggestions? Im also planning on a cage the same as yours from AGI in the near future. Cheers!
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02-04-2016, 01:33 AM	#8
bm49 Private 28 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 2012 135i manual, 2010 320d Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Canberra. Australia iTrader: (0)	Sorry for trhe delay in responding guys; car matters have had to take a back seat this week. The answers to your questions follow: The cost for the full cage was $2700 (November quote) plus $500 fitting. AGI offered a range of bolt-in full cage specs starting at about $1700. The spec that I selected is suitable for National level events but less complicated ones are acceptable for State level racing and then below that are simple ones for track days. My cage has been given a unique registration number by CAMS. There was also an additional charge of about $300 to install a metal panel to block off the boot **** and supply/fit a window net. The car is still road registered although I have not yet presented it to be reclassified as a 2-seater now the rear seat/belts is gone and the rear part of the cage has taken its place. Individual registration requirements may vary from state to state. I intend to do up to about 12 race days a year and am sick of having to operate a car trailer/tow car etc. Once you take the step up to installing a race seat/harness and full cage the additional requirements to meet the requirements to obtain a Cams log book are not that onerous. The worst is the fitting of internal and external battery kill switches. I always used magnetic numbers and battery triangle at BMW supersprints since 1994 and I will allocate a few extra hours to prepare the car by fitting the seat, front cage , tow hooks etc in the days leading up to a race meeting. I had a Bond half cage in an 2-door E36 and the back braces were bolted in through the wheel arches. AGI did the same on the E82. Here is the link to AGI's E36 options and price http://www.agi-precision.com.au/prod...point-bolt-in/ I went for the M size Sparco Ergo seat. I am 174cm /78 kg and I might have got away with the S but I did not want to take a chance of it being too tight as the multi-layer driving suits/underwear etc required for most races add additional bulk. Sparco do supply fitment charts to help but I was also fortunate to have my last race car on hand and I was able to check the measurement chart against the other race seat I had used since 2013. No particular problems fitting the seat but race car builders rate it as one of the most difficult tasks as it is fiddly to get it to mount in the right place to line up more or less where the standard seat was in relation to door clearance, relationship to steering wheel, seat height and angle etc. I fitted it myself and the Macht Schnell mounts helped a lot as they offered a lot of flexibility. As set up now the seat can slide back so far that I can only just reach (but not depress) the pedals. Am happy to help with any other queries. Last edited by bm49; 02-04-2016 at 01:34 AM.. Reason: Fix typo
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02-05-2016, 07:20 PM	#10
bm49 Private 28 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 2012 135i manual, 2010 320d Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Canberra. Australia iTrader: (0)	The possibility of losing insurance cover is always a risk with most modifications. The larger companies appear to be the ones who have the most restrictive attitudes as they strive to keep premiums down by using a range of risk-reduction strategies in formulating their policies. The safest approach in dealing with any insurance company on any cover type is to be up-front by revealing any information that may affect the company's risk under the policy; I have heard anecdotes about motor vehicle claims being knocked back on the basis of non-disclosure of modifications even though the circumstances of the accident were not in anyway related to the modified parts. Shannons is a boutique insurer that specialises in enthusiasts' vehicles (including hot rods) and is worth talking to; I have had modified cars covered by them for about 30 years and always found them to have reasonable attitude in dealing with car enthusiasts. The company's web site makes the following statement about insurance cover offered under AGREED VALUE : We agree the value of your car, taking into consideration the care you have given it and any improvements or modifications you have made.
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02-07-2016, 05:45 PM	#11
Giveway74 Private First Class 13 Rep 187 Posts Drives: 130i and MK7 Golf GTI PP Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	Shannon's also say legal mods in their PDS as well. But i have also been told by a Shannons rep that as long as you have told them about it and it didn't contribute to the accident they typically choose to ignore non compliant mods. So i have everything listed - including my race seat and half cage. + a dash cam to help prove an accident wasn't my fault. __________________ 2006 E87 130i M3 front and rear arms, M3 Front and rear ARB , Quaife LSD, BMW performance wheel (non electronic), 135i Brakes, DS2500 pads, Apex wheel studs, Adjustable Bilsteins, API Half cage, Hankook Z221's (track) and Bridgestone RE002's (street) 225's all around
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02-07-2016, 08:41 PM	#13
Giveway74 Private First Class 13 Rep 187 Posts Drives: 130i and MK7 Golf GTI PP Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Sydney iTrader: (0)	I think it helps that most of their customers are unlikely to wrap their cars around trees while street racing. That's what just cars is for. __________________ 2006 E87 130i M3 front and rear arms, M3 Front and rear ARB , Quaife LSD, BMW performance wheel (non electronic), 135i Brakes, DS2500 pads, Apex wheel studs, Adjustable Bilsteins, API Half cage, Hankook Z221's (track) and Bridgestone RE002's (street) 225's all around
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06-14-2016, 04:28 AM	#15
Hendow New Member 5 Rep 21 Posts Drives: MY09 135i 6MT Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Perth, Western Australia iTrader: (0)	Gday Nugs, No, not yet, still looking for one at the right price, in the right location...! I have a Sparco Pro2000 in my other track car which I plan to use for sizing against the ergo size charts. That should be reasonably accurate. Looking further at the AGI bolt in and weld in cage options too... Cheers.
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