Question from john austin

Hi,am new to the group and this appears to be where I first post.I am into a project of biblical proportions.It is 550 spyder-sort of,I call it a 550 on steroids.The chassis is custom designed and built along with the suspension.The powertrain is Northstar mid engine and the body is a "highly modified" Perry.The muscular look was dictated by the powertrain and the overall dimensions.I am near completion on the body mods and the look is very racy while still retaining the spyder charm.I am hopeing to hit the road with it in primer this summer.There are a couple of items where I am seeking advice from the group.First,what is the best latches to use for the doors.Second,I wish to fabricate a soft top for the car and have no good ideas about how to fasten to the windshield.I have Perry's glass winshield and trim.My guess is that the glass is from a speedster but the trim is very light aluminum.Any pointers on these two questions will be greatly appreciated.I am looking forward to viewing all the photos available.john.

John:
Do you have photos of your car?

Terry,I hope this comes across in the manner that it is sent.At this time I am very protective of the "new look" that I am creating.I am very excited about its appearance and others unique features I have designed into this project.I feel certain that others will do some copying once they see the end result.I can live with that but after all the work I've put into this creation,I would at least like the credit as the designer.I don't mind showing people my progress but don't want pictures circulating "until I'm done".I live near Ruidoso NM so we may not be that far apart.If you are in the area you are welcome to drop by and bench race.Thanks for the interest in my creation.john.

John,
If the windshield trim has two slightly bent portions on the top, this is where you would be able to clip the top onto the frame. Vintage Speedsters sells these as I'm sure the other replica manufacturers do. For contact info, use your login from this site at SpeedsterOwners.com and click the makers tab. It may be best to buy the front clips and the slot that fits over the top of the windshield. If you post a picture of the windshield frame, we may be able to point you in the right direction for clip hardware.
-=theron

John: I see that Perry makes a soft top now but costs around $1500. I have a Perry that I had to add a hump on the clam shell to clear a 911 fan setup. Can't wait to some pixs of your masterpiece.

Thanks for the replies guys,the benifits of belonging to this group is already becoming evident.As I continue to absorb the replies and work thru the soft top design your help will be invaluable.I am an engineer(structural) and one of my big concerns is adding stress to the windshield frame.The one I received with the kit is an aluminum u-channel that I'm not sure will take any serious stress from a top without deforming.Is the aluminum u-channel used by other spyder kit companies.My first thought was to build a mating part for the top that "rested" on the existing windshield frame and was secured downward by some device at the windshield posts.I will go to Perry's site and hopefully see his new top and ponder the other suggestions recieved.Thanks-we'll br talking more.john

Theron,per your recommendation,I went to the Vintage website and was blown away with how many detail parts they have available.I contacted them and they seem very willing to sell me anything that will help me complete my project(very nice people).I will be spending a lot of time on the phone with them I am sure.Thanks john.

Nolan,I went to the website for Perry and saw no listing for a top.I did see a picture of a grey spyder with what appeared to be a black soft top but the pic was so dark I couldn't tell much.How did you find out about his new top?Thanks john.

John: I emailed him and below is his reply. I build a Perry about 5 years ago and sent him pictures of it. He used one of the picture to advertise his cars in a couple of Kit car magazines. You might even call and speak with him.

"Hi, how are you doing?? It has been a long time. On the top, I believe the price right now is around 1300....I would have to check, it has been coming down in price some.. It has side curtains with windows and a carrying case, and the top itself pops off and can be stored behind the seats. And yes I can put customer cars on the site, send me some digital pictures if possible, otherwise we can scan regular photos also (I don't know if I still have yours,
I'll check) Let me know, Jeff"

John: The Perry top would probably be the best since it was designed to fit the extended body. I'm not too keen on the canvas material or color. I had my tonneau cover redone in a dark blue boat canvas to blend in with the dark blue of my Spyder. The black may look good but I haven't saved enough pennies to get one yet.