I've decided to take a crack at making a hardtop. The Soob is running so well, little else to do. So, here's a couple of pics of the beginning and one photo of what it may look like when done. The finished pic shown here is from a Roadster so mine will be a hybrid somewhere between that and a Speedster type which didn't have quarter windows. Again, I'm looking for max visibility for road trips. Any advice is welcome.
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Hi David---I am very interested in following your progress on building your hard top.
By brother built and sold a few fiberglass hard tops for Austin Healey 3000s in the early 70s. He ran ads in Road and Track and sold quite a few. If you'd like to call him to discuss his procedure and what he knows about this, email me off site and I'll give you his phone #. My email is hsbroker AT aol.com.
Also I have heard that Kirk at Vintage Speedster was doing some hard tops but he has to have the car at his place because each one is different and in the world of Speedsters one size does NOT fit all. But maybe he can be a source of info to you. Great guy and always ready to help regardless of wether you're driving a VS.
Please post some pictures!
Glad to hear the Suby is running well!
Nice project, David. yeah, I think we'll all want to see some pictures as you progress.
The one pictured has more miles on than my unfinished CMC! Alan had it a one time - it's now with another CMC owner here in NW FL. Shown sitting on my Speedster but was a great fit. I need to get with him and see if hes made any progress on it. "We" were going to flash a few off once we got a good fit and figured out a good rear window. Last I checked he attached the cut rear piece (under rear window opening) and added drip rails above the door openings. Even has provision for LED 3rd brake light.
I would consider buying one. Dosen't Fibersteel make them for our cars ?
Chuck
David, when I was a kid in California there was Carson Tops on Atlantic Ave.in Lynwood who fabricated non folding but removeable convertible tops for Barris Customs across the street.
The molded shape was formed with fitted thin wood slats, headliner installed and a canvas fabric covering. On a George Barris custom the results were always stunning.
I have been messing around with the idea of a hardtop that looks exactly like the rag top but is cast in fiberglass. Here is a pic of the first try in progress. I has thinking of finishing it in brown truck bed liner. I want it to have the wrinkles etc that the rag top has when on. Don't know, wife says I'm crazy.
beetown, an interesting concept, but a well fitted top should really not have wrinkles in my humble opinion.
What Rich said---loose the wrinkles.
I'll take it under advisement lol.
Plus a matte finish...
Wolfgang...that top has a real nice shape. Can you check with your buddy and give us an update on his progress ? I got some foam today so I might get into some front, side and rear shaping if we don't get out of town this weekend.
Like it I wonder how hard it would be to make it for my speedter with drauz winshield and rollup windows Like ya said i hate wrinkles too and this top has um,
one note: I would paint it to match the car. Even if i had to re paint the car to make it match.
Once upon a time I was told that every Speedster replica, even issues from the same vender one after the other, are a little bit different, and so making a one-size-fits all hard top is a fool's errand, as it will not fit like it should. Only if made to fit the exact car, are you going to like the way it goes. Or so I was told once. That said, if anybody here can get this done and done right, I'd put money on my man Dave up north, eh?
David: How about looking for a used Glaspar hardtop as used on real speedsters?
These have rear quarter windows and great visibility and the best design by far!
I'm sure you could modify it to your IM (the one I missed out on(!)) with your skills.
Once upon a time I was told that every Speedster replica, even issues from the same vender one after the other, are a little bit different, and so making a one-size-fits all hard top is a fool's errand, as it will not fit like it should. Only if made to fit the exact car, are you going to like the way it goes. Or so I was told once. That said, if anybody here can get this done and done right, I'd put money on my man Dave up north, eh?
Spot on with that comment.
I don't know why each major builder doesn't make a removable hard top option that they can sell as an extra.
I've been in the process of making a hard top for the last 2-3 years. 6mm round bar, tonnes of easy sandable poli boards are your best friend. It's a lot of work and I'm still far from done. I'll be following this thread............
Henry @ Intermeccanica has done it with success.
This IM on EBAY has one too:
http://www.ecarlist.com/showro...91/photos/3903805#02
Might be the same car......
I'm pretty sure it is the same car. Nice.
Whats "poli board"?
You guys taking 1,2 + years need to focus and get this done!
Part of the trouble with any initiative on this idea is that every make seems to need a different fit of hardtop and it really is "optional" equiptment. An IM fit would not fit a Beck etc. For me, it's on the back burner right now having hoped I could pull it off in time for the Pumkin Run. It didn't happen. I've just about decided to quit flying, sell off the related real estate and planes/projects as I've just started building a diesel powered Tugboat over this winter...half scale at 18' oal in prep for the real one next winter. Just doing different strokes right now. We did manage to put on 34,200 miles since buying the car in Sept. 2010, had some great times and met some super people. The crazy part is, and my car is certainly just a driver, not any sort of showpiece but we've less than $12,000 invested....with Soob power. Got heat ?
