Does anyone know anywhere in the UK sells and fits Hard Dog roll bars? I’ve tried getting in touch with 5 Speed, who aren’t responding, so I’m on the look out for somewhere else.
Thanks!
Peter
5 Speed are the only supplier in the UK I think. Steven (5 speed owner) fitted a second hand one for me that I’d manage to acquire last year. They also supply and fit new but I think they’re quite expensive as they ship from US (especially with dollar rates at the mo)
I found phoning was always best for contacting Steven rather than email. Keep ringing I’m sure he’ll answer eventually!
Considering Hard Dog for an NC. Did you make any progress with this? Once installed, can it be removed at a later date, to restore the car to standard?
Depends on your POV - Not sure how it affects an NC, but on mine I had to cut slots in the petrol tank access cover (the rear shelf) and also drill fixings through the floor where the side braces bolt, in my case these are in the wheel well. You could possibly get a second hand tank cover from a scrapper, but you’d have to fill the holes in the floor as well. Me - I’d sell the car with the roll bar, it’s an asset and adds value to the car for a prospective buyer.
Also - nearly forgot, you also have to cut slots in the rear shelf carpet, for the bars to fit through, so that’s another selling point you need to consider. In my case I found some chrome plated finish discs at the local hardware, plumbing fittings, they have a slot so you can open them up and slide them over the bar, but the only size available is for 25mm pipes. Fortunately I have hole cutters so a 32mm cut opened them up so they would fit. They ‘snap lock’ once fitted so make a ■■■ job look smarter!
I fitted the bars myself, took me the best part of two afternoons, as there’s a fair amount of ‘prep’ work to do before you get round to fitting them, and the hard dogs aren’t exactly the lightest bar either, so lifting them in and out a few times is no fun by yourself. When I bought them, TR Lane only made roll cages, so no other choice, but I’d go the same route if I needed to, though as I’ve said before, this is the last car I shall ever buy. I have done track time, but it was for road safety reasons I bought them, having seen a few photos of roll overs where the windscreen was flattened, so have no faith in that to protect me or a passenger.
Any good roll bar will involve some drilling and cutting, so whatever route you chose will mean problems if you decide to sell the car without the roll bar at some future point. And - they are made to fit the model, so you may find problems fitting on any other car that you may buy in the future.
Still having trouble getting hold of 5 Speed - although loathed to go to TR Lane instead of Hard Dog as the TR Lane ones mean I’ll have to lose the sound bar. Will try again next week.
Insurance renewal time for me, current insurer (Direct Line) won’t insure with a roll bar so heading over to Adrian Flux - slightly cheaper, even with mods on the file.
Are you sure about this - not losing the sound bar? My Mk2.5 had a flip up wind blocker, and the deuce bar I fitted occupied the same space as the wind blocker - there’s a substantial horizontal base bar across the width of the space between the seat belt towers - any of them that Bethania make. So the wind blocker had to go.
The wind blocker was mounted just aft of the seat belt towers, but no way would it rise without removing it. Depends of course where your sound bar is fitted, but you need to allow space for it to be sure.
Wind blocker, just a note - Originally I fitted a a black nylon mesh - intended as a sun shield for the windscreen, but widely adopted a few years agon as a cheap alternative to any of the other wind blockers on the market - it cost a couple of pounds, where as most aftermarket blockers sell for many times that amount. Held it in place with tie wraps, but it prevented access to the rear shelf, so finally gave up and cut some clear plastic instead, which allows access to the shelf, prevents maps etc hurtling forward when I brake hard (not often) and give me rear view with no problem. Th mesh worked well, strange but true, but had it’s limitations. The new blocker is held in place against the rear of the roll bar with Velcro’Stick on’ available from Halfords - it works well.
Hi Gerryn. I’m going by this page on the Hard Dog website - http://trackdogracing.com/hd-m2sport-bp.aspx - the photos there show it with the sound bar.
Order from Flyin’ Miata; I don’t think 5Speed gets any special discount on shipping etc. Exchange rate means you are looking at £1000+ for one of these. No special skills are needed to fit one.
An insurer who won’t insure a standard MX5 that hasn’t got a rollbar? Usually its the other way round; insurers will refuse to quote if you have a rollbar.
Hi,
Glad we could help out with your insurance.
Regards,
Dan.
Thanks Dan! Now I just need to wrangle my proof of no claims from Direct Line 
Sorry to disagree with Saz, but I’ve had no problems with insurance over the years with AON, FJ and now Admiral. Bought my Deuce through Phil (Dixon?) in 2003, cost me £435 including shipping, but the exchange rate was better then. He always delayed orders so he could lump them together in a container, so any delay didn’t bother me, but IIRC took about a month overall.
Phil seems to have dissapeared, not seen or heard from him for years now. (No comment)
Yes there are roll bar friendly insurers (but also insurers who will load a premium if you do fit a rollbar), but it seems a fairly unusual situation for the OP in that an insurer is refusing him cover unless he fits a rollbar.
He is saying they won’t insure with a roll bar.
Anyone looking to insure a modified MX-5 should speak to Greenlight. My heavily modified NA (including Hard Dog Ace Rollbar) is insured with them. I think they pretty much accept ANY modification and certainly in my case at least the premium was extremely competitive (being an old fart probably helped tho)
Did you get anywhere with this? Over the past weeks, I’ve emailed, I’ve left phone messages. I’ve spoken to an apprentice who said someone would call me back.
Either the guy at 5 Speed doesn’t want the Hard Dog fitting business, in which case he should just say so. Or he’s so busy doing stuff for others that he CBA’d to respond to serious customer enquiries.
The guy at TRLane told me that he’s developing a new design for the NC which will enable you to retain/replace much of the original trim, if you wish. Said he’s working on this in January. Awaiting some news.