Are you intending to use it for motorsport?
The FIA have changed the rules, and bolted / alloy cages are no longer acceptable.
For the road, a full cage will require the removal of the back seat & re-lic. as a 2 seater.
Half cage is fine if you don't plan on crashing it too hard

The answer to most of your queries hinges on your use of the car in motorsport. In some cases no cage is safer than one that will break apart or injure the occupants in an accident. Cars with roll cages that don't meet CAMS specifications are sometimes not alllowed to participate in events at all - however you could be permitted to run in a car without a cage!
If you are serious about motorsport you will need to have a cage built and fitted by one of the engineering companies that are recognised by CAMS who understand the specifications and use the correct grade of steel. They will also provide the relevent paperwork that will enable you to have the cage ratified by CAMS. I understand you can do it yourself, but you then need to have a recognised engineerer inspect it and certify that it meets the requirements
This all costs money and even a half cage could set you back $800. (Half cages by the way are no longer acceptable in sedans on tarmac rally events, the requirement is now a full cage - and I wouldn't be surprised to see this filter down into lower levels of the sport in the near future)
Unfortunately many CAMS spec cages don't meet the State's roadworthyness criteria, especially if you want side intrusion bars fitted (and in a Mini you're silly if you don't) . This is a real minefield and you need to obtain accurate information from your Vehicle Registration Dept.
Sorry to put such a dampener on your enthusiasm , but unless you are serious about participating in motorsport at something higher than the club level, I'd be putting the money into something else.

minis are tougher then many think in an accident i know first hand tough little buggers
but roll cages are pretty cool i think if you are after one just for bling factor then i would as suggested spend it on something else better brakes or suspension upgrades
i dont think road minis require a roll cage maybe some good seats and seat belts would be better however if motorsport is a definent thing which you will be doing in the future then best to get one put in when the body works done
talk to matt read the mini man he knows lots about this subject and i think to get it put in and all the stuff that goes with it youll be looking around 1500
best thing is it stiffens up the whole car get some pads for it though

someone was saying that the full cages require the removal of the back seat,,,Not true if the cage is designed well,,,the Dept of Tpt approval officers that i use are quite happy to "Blue Plate" our full cages with rear seat still installed. Many times over the years, we`ve had to re-design the cages to suit the changes to both CAMS & Dpt of Tpt rules, but they have been pretty well stabilised for some time now, so we can point you in the right direction.

I suggest both welded & bolted to the floor as both CAMS & Dpt of Tpt want one or the other so doing both supports both Authorities

If going full on CAMS racing then they will require the fitment of a rear half "diagonal" which can be a "Bolt/clamp" in affair so you can remove it for road use after the event - easy-peasy as with the intrusion bars. std issue these days & easy enough to apply.

Norm Singleton is able to make up the bars to order & fit them if need be, no point buying from overseas,,,plenty of local people able to do a better job at lest cost than overseas ordered.

we don`t do the cages anymore,,,too time consuming & too expensive for us to do it, when others, more set up for the job, can do them just as good but at a cheaper price.

There is lots involved with cages for both road & track & homework is really needed to make sure you won`t have to rip it all out & do it again

best to do it from a bare shell to start with

anymore info just give me a call or drop in



easy-peasy

I just ordered my 6 point cage from minisport SA.. at a very good price..

cool...whats it look like? whats it made of? how much did it cost? bolt/weld in? and...would you like fries with that?

Looks like a 6 point cage, made of FIA approved stuff, ring and ask cause I got 4K worth of parts so it may be a little more than I paid.. bolt in but could be welded if wanted i guess.

And no I just had lunch

Email me at [email protected] and I will send a few pics..