Water Leaks with a Spyder?

I had an old Vintage Spyder top on my old 2002 Vintage Spyder. I got it in 2008 or so from Ray Colbert in Pittsburgh. It had about 6 or 8 Tenax(now called Lox I think) fasteners to the clamshell. It had zip-in side curtains that attached to the door with 2 conventional snaps and an extra flap.

The top frame was a single hoop behind the seats attached to the firewall. There was another hoop that hinged and attached to the main hoop, and went rearward between the main hoop and rear deck/clamshell.

The vinyl simply stretched to the header. I installed it quite tight in the fall, and it was always taught. The side curtains didn't leak more than a few drops. I silicon sealed the base of the windshield and the side posts to fill gaps in the rubber/glass/side posts. Alan Merklin gave me a very nice D-shaped seal for inside the fiberglass windshield header.

What was cool was the top rolled up and fit in the front trunk along with the side curtains. The only caveat was removal of the driver headrest was required to put the top up. Other than that hiccup, it worked pretty well.

I took several trips to Carlisle, Washington D.C. and a couple to Alan's house for the Pumpkin Runs. It was good for 300 miles in the rain. At night. It sealed pretty well, I had to keep a couple small towels to sop up drips here and there. And heat and especially DEFROST is a must as it can get pretty moist inside and fog the windows.

I had an old Eberspacher BN-2 that I refurbished and installed. That thing only had two settings: off and hot as hell. Pick one.

I have a newer Beck top with a scissor frame I made for my 2016 car, but haven't fitted it 100% yet. With the enclosed trailer I find I don't need the top so much. I'm still pondering a solution to the headrest, possibly cutting the top to fit around it. But it doesn't really matter, the top with scissor frame won't stow in the front trunk, I tried.

Now that I have a Spyder I appreciate all the more those epic runs you made from NY to PA in yours, @DannyP. Hard core. 

A Beck front trunk is made specifically to stow the top.  It's a tight fit, but it goes.  I'd say it's 80% water tight and can be made slightly better by doing what Danny did and seal the end posts, the lower windshield track and the wiper shafts.  Our header bow has a D bulb seal, so that is already done for you.  Most Spyders don't have heat or defrosters, so the top doe amore to fog the windshield than it does to keep water out... double edged sword in that regard.

Thanks, Ed. It was fun pushing the envelope in the old car. It would certainly be better today with the Webasto that has variable output.

Carey, thinking a bit more on this, I know I could make the Beck top fit in the front trunk. If I made my driver side brake duct removable with some silicone or rubber hose, I could slide the top right in. Maybe in the future. Totally correct about moisture removal: gotta have defrost or else you just won't be able to see. Just you driving and breathing in that small space and you're done.

An easy help to keep water out is some flat foam weatherstrip in the hinge area of the front door gap. Even with door seals around three edges, you need to prevent rain from entry at the door top/cowl area. It's amazing how much comes around the edge of the windscreen, then drips onto your knee.

The reason I made the scissor frame is so you can enter and exit with some dignity. The older I get the less easy it is to crawl in and out. You don't know how difficult it is until you've tried it. The new top is easy. Release the two latches and slide the top back, get in or out, then close(you can do this with one hand) and latch. The car is so narrow that you can easily reach them both from the driver side. Way better than the old one, you get in and out as you normally would. Like I said, just need to figure out the headrest issue, as I prefer to just leave it on the car. I'll figure it out, no hurry though.

I have some cool ideas for lexan or plexi side windows also. And a passenger mirror that stays on the passenger side window would be pretty sweet. You'll definitely need it, SERIOUS blind spot, I mean AREA.