Side curtains and rain?

Hi folks. I live in a very rainy area and would like to drive my car year round. I have been told that cars with side curtains leak when it rains. Have any of you experienced this problem? Your answers will help me decide on what vendor to buy from. Your advise is greatly appreciated.

Surge,

Log onto www.fibersteel.com

They manufacture lexan (solid)sliding side curtains.

Good Luck

Thank You Very Much! That site is too cool.

Or buy an IM & get roll-up windows....

Serge,

I forgot to tell you they also manufacture beautiful hard tops for cold weather driving.

Their products are far superior.

Unless something has changed.... Fibersteel has promised the sliding side windows for 2 years for VS=JPS-CMCs, and they still are not making them. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Jim,

You are right about that. I talked to him at Dunkles and he just threw up his hands and said,"They are coming." Yeah, right!

Bruce

Ron, what is IM and where can I find roll ups for my CMC C I just bought a 80 percent built speedster and there are slots cut in the top of the doors and channels for glass mounted in the doors but no glass or regulators. chuck

Chuck,
I recall, the CMC option of roll up windows were components from a Chevy Chevette.
Try contacting Street Beasts as they are the "new owners" for the old CMC company

Alan M.

Chuck... My CMC has roll up windows. Apparently they were some sort of option. They are rather crude by IM standards, the front of the window curves to kinda of match the windshield. Believe it has VW window regulators. Have the build manual for the car and there is no mention of them in there. Mine has no channels to guide the windows and they could be more stable when up with the door open. BUT... they do work, they don't leak and they do preserve more of the scarce amount of heat available. The only side cutains I'm really familiar with are British ones and these beat the crap outta them. Recently got a set of MGB window assys to modify for the Speedster. They are on the "to do" list and will hopefully make them more user friendly.

Sergio,
The cars, for the most part, all leak to a degree...

Some leak alongside the sidecurtains, some under the top where the windshield frame and the top's bow come together. Some cars leak between the body and the windshield frame itself. Water can find its way from the hood through the gaping maw that is the hood hinge hole in the 'firewall'

While driving in the rain water can splash from the road up and find all manners of chinks in your car's armor.

These quirks can be addressed as found, but the truth is these cars leak. My experience is with both the real and the replicar and they leak. It's part of what makes driving an 'experience!'

Surge,

I read some where that the name "Bathtub Speedster" came about because they "Leak when it Rains and Fill-up like a Bathtub"!

I fabricated fiberboard prototype side curtins first and then cut Lexon final pieces. After fitting, I applied automotive Grooved/Tubilar weather stripping to the Lexon (Front/Top). I removed/replaced the Weaherstripping and continued to final fit it the Lexon.

The final Side Curtins fit "Reasonably" well; I coat the exterior windshield with Rain-X and the interior Glass "Anti-Fog" plus carry a couple of "Towels".

The enjoyment of driving the Speedster over-shadow's the rain inconvenience.

Good Luck,

Jack Blake

Re: Fibersteel (Part1)

This topic comes up every six months or so, and it never ceases to amaze me how much people think they know based on a trip to Fibersteel

Re: Fibersteel (Part 2)

I called Russ. He knew he had dropped the ball on a lot of customers, and had decided to quit Metalcrafters and devote all his time to his business. He agreed to fix the hardtop for me, and money was never discussed. I built a crate, sent the top back to CA, and Russ installed new wing windows, rear window, and headliner in the top, along with new seals. He gave me all the parts at cost, and didn

Stan,

All I can say is wow!. That is the worst hard luck story I have heard in a long time.
Russ owes Carey Hines of "Special Editions" (builder of Beck Speedsters)a set of sliding windows by April 2004 for my speedster.
I guess it will not happen.
I did call Russ this morning- he said "another 30 days" and the slide windows will be in stock?.


Maybe IM can get some new business by selling their solid one piece roll up window.

If someone does get a set of these windows... I do know of a one man machine shop that enjoys taking on a project w/o fleecing your pockets. "Randy" is one of threeindividules that hand fabricates just about any part for Stanley Steamers and has done work for Leno's Steamer on many occassions. He has also done many "one offs" for me and grips that I don't bring him a real challenge! I am always pleased with his work and timeline.

Back in the 1960's when I had an original Speedster I bought a set of aftermarket plex side curtains with sliding partitions and they worked very well indeed. Shouldn't be too hard to make - the dual channel aluminum extrusions used for sliding windows on boat windows should work and a little careful bottom frame fabrication should finish it off nicely.

My original Speedster side curtains didn't leak much in the rain, but I wanted the "partially open" capability of the sliders.

If you want authentic looking but more comfortable Speedster bucket seats IM makes them - the seat shells are reinforced fibreglass, and they offer progressive foam padding for better long distance driving comfort.

IM is Intermeccanica. Henry is the owner. His number is (604) 872-4747.

I have spoke with Russ about these many, many, many times, and the story is always "a few more weeks". However, before I offered them to anyone. I was assured by Russ that I

Richard,
It wasn't my intention to cry in my beer, just to inform you (and others) of my experiance. If its not standard, you're on your own with most shops, who after all are in business to make a living. Good luck.

George,
I'm past caring about sliding side curtains now, but you are right- the boat shop extrusions are the only special pieces that would be needed to make a set. Once you have those pieces, and a template, it would just be about cutting two pieces of polycarbonate and tig welding the frame.

I will add that I think have come to believe that the point is moot, unless you have a Beck or Intermeccanica. Most side curtains are made of canvas because the shape of the opening on cars w/o a scissor top frame varies from car to car, and to a certain extent from side to side. In other words- no two CMC, or Vintage, or JPS cars are alike, and therefore hard side curtains are not really suited to mass production. I watched in mild amusment several months ago with the guy who made his own curved side curtains, and was taking orders for production. I think the whole thing just kind of fell apart once he took a good look at it. Hard side curtains are possible, but you better know a good custom fabricator, or get get ready to fabricate them yourself. I did. The funny thing is- once I turned my attention to the soft-top, I got the canvas side curtains to seal up better than the hard ones ever could have. It isn't all that hard to VASTLY improve the seal and usability of the standard VIntage/ JPS/ CMC soft-top/ side-curtain package. I posted the details in a thread last fall. I took the car out today- 30 deg, and it worked great. I wish I knew then what I know now... I'd be spending money in Mexico (or maybe San Paolo like Carey).

Wow... I didn't meean to get people all worked up. I currently own a MG and it has roll up windows but still leaks. I know with any drop top I will have to put up with a certain amount of leaking. I just don't want to drive a mobil hot tub.

Since MG's have never been known for their reliability, it wouldn't make a good commuter car. I have always loved the Porsche Speedsters and would love to get one that would make a good commuter. After hearing from all of you guys I'm beginning to think that getting a IM with a hard top for the winter would be my best option.

Most all speedsters vary a bit in the positioning of the windshield placement...also, the positioning of the top onto the body effects the "finish" area for the side curtains making it necessary to the speedser at hand to fit a set of custom fit side curtains.......Alan

Stan,

We all appreciate your experience. It will help us all down the road.
The only problem is Mr.Fibersteeel (Russ) needs to read these post too!!.
Maybe that will motivate him.

Good luck

Richard:

I am very interested if you get the sliding side windows. I have a Beck ordered and it is due in April as well. Carey mentioned the availability of these sliding side windows and I was very interested.

Maybe Carey (he is always watching and working) will log on from Sao Paulo and tell us whose car is due first, yours or mine. I hope yours is ahead of mine, because if it is, you get to be the "test" for the windows. Then I can get them for my speedster.

Good Luck.

Bob and Rich,

I

Carey,

Great news!!. Jake's motor is waiting at your shop. I need to send you the audio HiFi gear ASAP.

Enjoy the beef!.

Carey,

I forgot to ask you. I would like to order a hard top.

Rich

Alan, I have a pair of the original sliding aftermarket Speedster Side Curtains. They would serve as a prototype. Of course, you know-and taught me-that the side curtains on a replica are typically an inch or so longer becase of forward windscreen placement. However, I'd send these to him, or anyone as a model. They are rebuildable, have all the hardware and such. However, the 2.5 inch rubber bases are a bit weathered. Hey they are almost as old as we are, so what's the surprise there!

Jack
I'll email you direct...Alan

Jack,

Can you take a few up-close photos of the sliding curtains? Maybe we can put somethign together by getting a good look.

Bruce and all ,
I have asked Jack to send me a few pics and then I'll go from there perhaps with prototype set on hand at Carlsile...Alan

Drove the Speedster to work this morning and I got a good look at where all the rain was coming in the other day. I can see daylight between the rubber seal affixed to the front of the doors and the door jamb! Although the doors are lined up properly, it seems that the rubber is not nearly thick enough to fill the gap, nor tall enough to keep rain from pouring in at the top. I need to get started on repairing this while the weather is still dry. I also have to put a thinner piece of weatherstripping inside the u-channel of the top bow where it nests around the windshield frame as I had a few drops coming in from there and traveling over to the edges.

Beth:

Welcome to the world of Speedster leakage!!!

The weatherstripping you'll need can be found in the door/window weatherstrip department of a place like Lowe's or the Home Depot. It comes from "Frost King", is in either black or white, and comes in various widths and thicknesses with adhesive already applied to one side. Usually I've seen it in 10 and 25 foot roll lengths - not too expensive either.

Or you could probably get the same stuff, maybe thicker, that Kirk used originally on your VS from him...

BTW: I would like to say that the top on my wife's Austin Healey 3000 was nice and snug and dry.....I would LIKE to say that, but it leaked on occasion, too. In contrast were a slew of '64 - '72 Ford Galaxy convertibles that my Dad had when I was a kid - NONE of them ever leaked a drop.....

gn

I guess I have the best of both worlds in my garage...

You're right, Ignacio. Miatas do not leak (rain or oil).

A couple of weeks ago I drove an IM Roadster in Vancouver for about 45 minutes during a huge and apparently endless storm. A bus went though a puddle that looked to be about 8 inches deep and covered the car in sheets of water.

No problems at all.The roof did not leak, the windows did not leak, the intermittent wipers were great. At the end of the drive there was a single drop sitting on the passeger seat. The convertible roof has this metal rim just above each window that kept the water from dripping inside. I wish my Z-3 had one of those, it's a great idea.

If it rains and i have to put the top up, i dont want to drive it
So i have completely taken my top off, and if there is a hint of rain in the sky, i just dont drive it

Hey Ignacio, is that a vw cabriolet with snowflke wheels in the far rigth of the picture?