I know I’ll probably get bashed for this, (especially because Hanksville is a sponsor's name on the left of my screen) but I figure this forum is here for us that are building the cars, right?
So, sell me on how this is such a sweet deal?

Hanksville weld-in cage:
$957 basic cage
$150-200 shipping
$300-$500 labor
$1407-$1657 total.

Custom cage including nascar style bars and dash bar, fabricated and pre-tech'ed locally:
$1400-$1600

I’ve never seen one of their cages, how are they superior to what could be custom built for me locally?
I can see for those who don't have a good fabricator nearby this would be a great option, or for someone that can do their own welding.

I’d hate to look a gift horse in the mouth, I don’t want to offend if someone’s doing us a favor.
I’ll have my apology standing by because I’m sure someone will educate me on what I’m missing.

Great question, Gary. No apology necessary, and no offense taken. Here are some scenarios:

If you're getting a great-fitting, quality-built cage locally for $1,400-$1,600, AND your builder can build it when you need it, then I'd say that's a great deal and my mail-order cage can't compete.

If you can get a cage built locally but you need to wait longer than you'd like for that cage, my cage may be an option for you and your builder. I've done all the hard work for your builder; I can ship your custom-fitted cage to you/them tomorrow am, and he/she can take it from there. At this point in the off-season, waiting for your cage may not be a big deal. But if you're one of many people who wait until a week or a month before the season opener, knowing that I have your cage in stock and ready to ship might be a good thing to help you get on the track.

If you know how to weld or have a friend who can do the welding for you, then this can be a way to save time and money for the do-it-yourselfer. Locally, I do alot of custom bending for customers who give me CAD or sketched cage designs; I bend tubes for them and they do the rest of the fabrication. This isn't everyone of course, but there are alot of do-it-yourselfers out there who really do know how to weld. This can be a cost-effective option for them.

If you're a shop/car builder/fabricator who wants to fit more work into your shop's schedule, here again, I've done the hard work for you. I can ship the cage to you tomorrow and a few extra hours of welding, you've dramatically decreased your turnaround time for your customers. I have alot of shops as customers who have realized that they can serve their customers better and make more margin by outsourcing the cage work to me, while they focus on suspension setup, engine building, and other core services.

There are areas of the country where cages cost alot more than $1,600. If you're in one of these areas, then my cage might also be a good option.

There are many reasons why my cages might be a good fit for a potential customer, and other reasons why they might not be. Racers have many options available to them; this is one more option. Thanks!

$1400-$1600 is a great price ! before Hanksville we were paying over $2200 for custom built cages here in the RMR.

I would get that quote in writing, esp. with NASCAR bars. I've seen estimites inflate a bit after it's all said & done. I'll be ordering a Hanksville cage for our winter project rental/sale car here soon- 1st one in the MIdwest (except for the one that came in Chuck's old car).

Great point. I'll post prices for the optional bars shortly. Before a customer decides to buy our cage, I can email pics of their actual cage as it was pre-fitted into our mock-up car. I will also email a quote with the prices for the base cage plus the pricing for any optional bars that are ordered, so that there is no confusion.

Hank

Hey, gang, just a reminder that the introductory pricing on our pre-notched, custom-fitted 944 cages will end in 1 week.

This month I have shipped one cage to IL and another to CT. Both cages were test-fitted inside our 944 mock-up car, and both included optional bars and harness bars that were custom-fitted to the customers' specs. After discussing the optional bars that each customer wanted, I emailed written quotes so that the customers knew exactly what the cost would be, including shipping. As part of my introductory special, I split the shipping costs with both customers.

I'm updating my website over the holidays to include a FAQ, .pdf of my detailed installation guide, more pics, and pricing. In the meantime, I'm always available via cell or email if you have any questions on these cages. Thanks!

Hank