I noticed over at PPBB that Pedro is now selling a fixed, solid bar for $70 plus shipping, which is what MartinJ is referring to. The original $130 Mantis bar was adjustable though to allow easy fitment on any car. The Pedro bars do vary by 3 mm depending on whether they're for a 986 or 987, but otherwise are just a solid aluminum bar with holes drilled in the ends.
I think it’s great that Pedro is willing to give a lower cost option to those people who don’t have the skills or time to fabricate their own bars. But it’s precisely those people who need an adjustable bar that’s easier to install and will fit any model. Plus I personally think that $70 for something that’s less than $10 in materials is a bit of a stretch.
Given this situation I would be willing to consider setting up a group buy for the adjustable lower stress bar I’m working on now. The main bar, as I described previously, is 3/4" steel tube, zinc plated yellow, with very heavy duty rod ends. It’s adjustable to fit a 986 or 987 (probably Cayman too) and more than strong enough for the application.
I’ve ordered one of these bars for my own car (third iteration) and was just on the phone with the company yesterday. There is some delay because the main bar is custom made to the right length for me and the rod ends are a special order item (larger shank than normal), but I should have the parts and then photos up before Christmas.
If I put in an order to have 20 bars made I can get the price down to $65 plus $10 fixed shipping cost (continental U.S. only) for the main lower stress bar. I’m willing to do this if I can get at least 10 people interested, assuming I can get rid of the other 10 bars on eBay or the likes. Let me know by PM or e-mail at
kbristol@lycos.com if interested. If I get enough responses I’ll follow up in January with a formal group buy in the classifieds section of this website.
I’d also be willing to put together something on the aluminum side bars. Again, same specs as I recently posted – a larger diameter bar with heavier duty aluminum rod ends (not the red ones in my photos) and fully adjustable. These are nice, racing rod ends though and thus are a bit pricey. Plus you’ve got two bars and four rod ends to do the side bars. You’d be looking at $95 for both, shipping included with the main bar.
Kirk
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