This has been a fun car! Has anyone "chopped" the top to make a more sleek, low profile canvas? Did you do it yourself, or have a shop do it?
Is there a quick guide or photos to install the grill rock guards? I understand I need to take out the glass and expose the inner headlights...I just bought them from Sierra Madre.
Thanks
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Porsche speedsters had two styles of tops: low boy and high bow, depending on the year of the car. I have no idea what your top may be, but perhaps you can fit a low bow frame and covering to your car.
I can't imagine wanting to lower the windshield any more than it already is. If the top is up it already presents a visibility issue.
I think he wants to leave windshield same but lower the bows.
Try doing a SEARCH here (use magnifying glass). I recall several doing it. The 2 roof bows can be cut & redrilled to lower then the top material removed from header bow and reglued shorter. (One used a heim joint or adjustible turn buckle). I recall seeing a lowered top on one of DrClock's 43 speedster builds or maybe it was Gordon's car?. I suspect that if you are over 5'10" your head may rub but you could lower back bow. (You will have to redo your side curtains if you drop it very much).
Some have to adjust the bow height due to using a different vendors replacement top - found this link.
There are 2 different headlight stone grills availaible - the cast one with vertical bars and the mesh chrome/SS one. The cast one Part Number: 356.62.114 from Sierra Madre requires removing the glass. From their site "These grilles replaces the glass lenses. You will also need different seals to go between grille and assembly 644.62.011." If you ever drive in the rain - you want the glass in the headlights. I've seen mesh one with 3 clips that fit over the chrome bezel without removing the glass. Here's link to the SM mesh one - it says there are 2 versions avail - on that requires drilling and other clips on. "They fit on top of the headlight lenses. Easy to install and sold as a set. Available in two options: clip-on or thumb screw (must be drilled onto headlight)."
http://www.sierramadrecollecti...-s-50-65-p17648.html
I have the one with bars. Installation probably requires the ( expensive) gaskets made for them.
I don't like having no glass and at some point, I am going to vacuum form a plastic sheet to go behind the stone guard.
Gordon and I both have done the metal bow chop.
This is one of my favorite builds that Special Edition did last year. Not sure what went into the top, but it is definitely sleek. 
I think SE/Beck uses a folding top frame - not the primitive 2 hoops that CMC/VS use.
Good point!
That is a great looking car. Congrats. How about some specs for all of us?
Alan Merklin posted:Gordon and I both have done the metal bow chop.
If he used the same "Low-Bow" top from VS that I did, then nope. IIRC, I shortened the front bow (right over the driver's head) about 1" and the rear bow 1-1/2" on each side, assembled the top to the bows and hung it on the car. I already had had a tonneau on there, so matching the top snaps to the snaps already on the car was the hardest part and even THAT was easy.
The entire process, illustrated, is here, and it's a 1-day job:
https://www.speedsterowners.com...e-top-in-a-speedster
Mine looks like this:
The article outlines other things I did to modify the top to prevent water intrusion - sometimes as successful as Sissyphus pushing his boulder up the mountain, and sometimes surprisingly water-proof.
IMVHO, the Cabriolet tops are really tall - Like John Hallstrand can wear his "Hoss Cartwright" hat in his car with the top up (Full Disclosure - Hoss is my height and I could almost stand up in his car with the top up) so I think that the "Hi-Bow" top is really closer to a Cabriolet top.
Love this. It crosses the line from Outlaw to Gansta
What Gordon said ~
One of the best known 'lowered' Speedster tops is the one Chuck Olenyk did on this outlaw featured in a Jay Leno video:
But this is a work of art done by a guy with years of experience who really knows what he's doing. Inspiration for the rest of us, though. They started with an Intermeccanica top frame, modified the rear bow, and created new fabric.
Here's the video. Discussion of the top modification starts about 3:40.
Not a fan of the chopped look on a speedster. But do what you like...enjoy your new toy!
Before you consider chopping the top bow down to achieve the " cool lower look" , you may want to consider why you're really doing it. Is it for the cool look while parked or actually the cool look when you have to drive the bugger with the roof up in the rain.
Gordon, Alan and I are not tall fellows. I sure wouldn't want to lower mine because I've driven long distances sometimes in heavy rain and would not want my headroom and visibility any further restricted for comfort and safety reasons.
This pic is bare minimum for me on my older IM.
So...is your ambition to lower for show or go ?
I'm guessing it rains a lot in Seaside, OR! With normal top and side curtains visibility on a clear day is not great - I can only imagine a fogged up interior on a rainy day with a low "cool" top.
Dave makes a darned good point.
With my top up, I have two fingers (about 1") of space between my noggin and the top bow (I am an optimistic 5'7"). I also have my seats sitting as low in the car as I could possibly get them. While that doesn't limit much visibility out of the windshield, it can, depending on whether your side windows have fabric frames around them (mine don't), limit your side vision dramatically. That, plus the rear window is smaller all contribute to the "Living in a Bunker" feeling with the top up. Lots of room in the cockpit once you get in there, just not a lot of visibility. There are YUGE! blind spots in the rear quarters so I've positioned my outside mirrors to (poorly) compensate for that.
Forewarned is forearmed.........
Oh, and I did my top that way to look cool when parked. I wanted to make it look like a "Carson top". It also looks cool when underway, but there's always a trade-off in build/mod decisions on these cars. Here's something similar to what I was looking for:
Custom lowered top by Mike Haverstock's Street Rod Shop in PA . With the top up I had 40% road visibility at best) It had a unique full black Stay fast tonneau that was affixed to a permanent "Carson style" hard quarter boot that was wrapped in black Stay fast, the base of the top fastened to the hard quarter boot. I bought this car in 2004 replaced the engine sold it and bought it back in 2010 selling it a 2nd time ( it's somewhere in California) ...America, a great country !
I think the "High Bow" tops look best...Right Lane?
That's my preference.
Yes, sorry for the limited information. I am looking for the "low Bow look" However, I don't really drive this in the rain (and yes it does rain a lot here). I was just trying to get some information on this and thank you for that. I'm not committed to doing it just yet. I just like to gather as much information about it before I attempt it.
Some more information: I bought this in Gig Harbor, Wa. with 5,700 miles. I was built by JP Motorsports in Hollywood in 2003. 2100 cc motor. Disc brakes all around, duel carb webbers. Obviously glass covered headlights and I am going to attempt to put in the grill guard lights (still need to gasket).
I'd take any advise for this new guy. Thanks
Johannes
The only chop top I like!
Oliver's car was/is something special.
I believe that's Ollie sitting over there beyond the car (baldish).
