This '75 Lola Formula Ford came to our shop to get a new Hoop fitted to the existing chassis. The Lola's present an interesting "problem" as all of their main hoop joints are brazed and there are multiple joints and through bolts in the base of the hoop.
The biggest issues on the original hoop were the scabbed on addition (the section with the pointed bend), major porosity of the welds (water was trapped in the tubes) and compromised headrest bar. The biggest complaint from the owner was the lack of helmet room. There wasn't even room for a full thickness of rollbar padding.
Brazed joints present a small problem in that they can only be rebrazed. While brazing is not a problem, there were several additonal tubes that would have had to have been removed, refabricated and rebrazed. Rather than reinventing a wheel that rolls just fine, a new hoop was added using a sleeve system. The new hoop was made from 1.5" tubing with 6" insert sleeves from .120 wall tubing. In addition to normal TIG welded joints, 8 rossette welds per tube joint were used.
