Classic VX front suspension and side impact bar removal

[andi4eyes]

Today I have two questions about my new to me Classic ex grad racer. It's a 2000 live axle car with the 8V VX engine.

As I use it as a road car and would like to use the doors I want to remove the side impact bar.

The car has a lowered floor on the driver side so the SIB goes into the chassis. I think without the lowered floor the SIB would simply be attached to the underside of the floor.

I removed the two bolts that attach the SIB to the chassis bar that runs across the front of the seat (and the bolts that fix it to the cage in the back of course)

The bar doesn't move one bit. I was wondering if I missed something or if it just needs more force. The bar has some corrosion but I think it was off the car when the floor was installed two or three years ago. I can't see any attachment points to the lowered floor bracket.

In that admittedly bad photo you can see a bit of the lowered floor sticking out and the bar going into the chassis rather than being attached to the underside of the floor:

 

Second question is related to the front suspension.

As I understand the Classics have old-school half upper wishbones. On my car however I can see the non-tubular rear section of the half upper wishbone plus another front half wishbone that form something like a full wishbone. Is that a common upgrade? I assume this required chassis work to create the front attachment points. Could I fit a standard tubular upper wishbone if I ever needed to replace the bits that are on the car now?

Cheers
Andi

[elie boone]

Your SIB should slide just out exept that often some sealant is used to avoid water ingress there fore you will need to break this sealant. Your front suspension is std Graduates classic and works just fine, i can't say that a DD top 1 piece wishbone will fit your chassis but your suspension works fine as is.

[Wrightpayne]

Re SIB - have you removed the fixing that also attaches the forward leg of the cage?

[Tazio]

Later top wishbone fits but you'll also need a new arb, but it does give you increased camber adjustment.

[Wrightpayne]

Is the taper the same on the top joint / vertical link between the two? 

[andi4eyes]

Thank you for your replies!

The question about the upper wishbones came up when I was looking at Caterhamparts.co.uk and couldn't find my setup. I don't plan to change anything before I need to.

 

The use of sealant on the SIB is a good point. Will check and use a thin knife to break/cut any sealant that I might find there.

@Wrightpayne: Do you mean the attachment point I highlighted here?

This point only seems to hold the cage itself but not the SIB. As far as I could tell the short tube from the SIB only "covers" the bolt that hold the cage in place. I was able to flex the SIB away from the side of the car at this point.

[Wrightpayne]

Yes - that is what I referred too. 

[davidbolam]

Ive got the same year car as youself, also an ex race car. Have you had any problems gettin it MOT due to emmisions?

[andi4eyes]

Hi @davidbolam, I own the car for only a few months now and bought it with fresh MOT so I can't really say. From what I understand you should go to someone who understands those cars to get them MOT'd. Not your regular MOT place.
I will have to look into that next summer.

[davidbolam]

if you ring caterham they will gove you a letter saying thr car was iva/sva'd without a cat