WTB hardtop for 2007 IM Roadster

It's not generally possible to buy an off the shelf hardtop for our cars. Every one is just a little bit different. It will have to be handmade. I'm not sure where you're located but Carey at Special Edition on the East Coast or Greg at Vintage Motorcars on the West Coast would be your best bets.

@chines1 @VSpyder

Special Edition is more like Middle Coast, not East Coast.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

Special Edition is more like Middle Coast, not East Coast.

Yes, it is the Midwest but it's only a day's drive to New York which is the East Coast so I went with that. I have no idea where Louisa is located so I gave her options.

I honestly wouldn't give up so easily.  I'd contact IM and get their thoughts.  Speedsters were mostly DIY built so position of the windshield does vary greatly.  IM convertibles though were build all by IM inhouse so I'm sure templates were used and cars (with the exception of the Porsche 6 Cylinder models) were the same.  I'd find someone near you with a real one and do measurements.  Or pad your car and plop it on.  There are several different models of hard tops for the convertibles so check around.

Fear the Yorkie (Phil) now 550 Phil added a hard top to his 2009 IM convertible.

@550 Phil

This Black HT was custom fitted to my CMC meaning it was lengthened 1 & 1/4 inches.  It could be recustom fitted to you IM Roadster.  I would sell it to you seperately for $5,000.  It comes with it's own side curtains (with bag) and storage rack.

I'm in South Central Pennsylvania.  Pick up here would be better than shipping it. FYI

BUT one for a Speedster with side curtains won't fit a convertible roadster/cabriolet  with windup windows.  Not tall enough and the roadster has a flat topped windshield.

IM sells hardtops but after the mold gets done they have to custom fit it to the car before doing the final prep and paint then headliner.

You also have to have a way to easily remove the softtop,  again the softtop on Hard top cars is especially made to be more easily removed.

So for the best results you would have to send the car, or have someone who could do the top work and then you need to contact IM and see if they would create one and ship it to your body man.  Just saying.

BTW, I had one ordered when I bought my car but in the end I passed on getting one as the only season to drive an IM up here is Summer

Does Rusty Tubs still exist? They show a hardtop for a Convertible D/Roadster.

Yeah - they left Georgia for Nevada then seemed to disappear.  There old web site gives you:

This site no longer exists. Redirect 404

But their site map still has links to products?  The 356 hardtop is listed at $2495.

http://www.rustytubs.com/porsc...-top-fibergl356.html

More to the point, does anyone know of anyone else who ever bought a product from Rusty Tubs?  I've never heard of one.

I was looking for their Plastikon (as opposed to Plasticon) hardtop for Speedster replicas.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

More to the point, does anyone know of anyone else who ever bought a product from Rusty Tubs?  I've never heard of one.

That's where Carey got the clamshell for Arajani's car. But that was back in spring of '18.

Hopefully he didn't get the 'rona.  

When I was looking for one for mine, I was told they were individually fitted and would not go from one body to another. Might want to look into that.

I really would like to have David's hardtop but I have some concern about the fit. Also, my wife would probably be very upset if she found out how much I paid for it.

Yeah, especially now that banks send emails out to you for all transactions.

When we did David's hard top I was lengthened a couple of inches to fit the CMC...Speedster windshield placement can be forward or aft up to 3/8" so that can be a fitment issue.

It would be nice to try a hardtop on my car as well but I have yet to find an IM roadster who has one near and Phil sold his so I know of no one in the east coast with one at this time.

I had a hardtop on my JPS. I thought I really wanted it.

I was wrong.

Can you elaborate?

@Stan Galat posted:

I had a hardtop on my JPS. I thought I really wanted it.

I was wrong.

Thanks for that Stan, I needed a reminder of what I would not use

@Michael McKelvey posted:

Can you elaborate?

What I think Stan will say, Michael, is that the whole appeal of Speedster driving is zipping around with the wind in your hair (or over your scalp, as the case may be) in an open car experience, and a hard top shuts you off from the very thing we look for in these cars.

@ALB that doesn't have quite so much appeal then the weather is cold in late fall and early spring.  I thought the hardtop would extend the season.

Because of the risk of recurring skin cancer on my bare scalp, I don't get to enjoy the wind in my hair or over my scalp.  I always wear a hat outdoors.

Hardtops are really ungainly and hard to store when not on the car. Every time you want to put it on or take it off, you run the risk of scratching the heck out of the car. The seal can be made to be "OK", but it's never going to be coupe tight (with the possible exception of an IM Roadster top, fit to the car by the elves in Vancouver). It's loud inside an air-cooled car with a transaxle designed 85 years ago. Visibility is a lot like driving around with the top up, which is to say, "not very good".

All in all, I loved the idea of the hardtop, but the reality of it was not worth the hassle. That's my story-- your mileage may vary.

I had a hardtop for my 1969 MGC.  It wasn't that hard to install but it seemed there'd be a nice day amidst nasty days in NJ and it was just too much trouble to remove and store it for a couple days.  It was my daily driver though.

I guess I really need a coupe for the colder days.

@Stan Galat posted:

Hardtops are really ungainly and hard to store when not on the car.

Says the guy who made an electric bike lift? Surprised you didn't make a fancy schmancy lift for the top.

Now I see in the Facebook group there is a top and molds for $500.  It is only a few miles from me.  I saw it a few years ago but don't remember details.  I think I wasn't thrilled with the shape.  I like the Plasticon shape and I think this one was a little more angular. The owner made it himself, hence the mold.

@DannyP posted:

Says the guy who made an electric bike lift? Surprised you didn't make a fancy schmancy lift for the top.

When I as contemplating buying a 450SL, there was a great post on BenzWorld by a guy who rigged some single pulleys, nylon cord, and a base cleat to single handily get his top on and off.

Thanks for the info.  I live in California.  I can e-mail IM about making a hardtop for me.

I am a little bit tempted to go look at the $500 hardtop.  It is only a 1/2 hour away.

Even though $500 seems like a great deal for a hardtop I am starting to think the money would be better spent on a gas heater.

If, it happens to fit your car w/o major alterations then I'd buy it even it it needs misc .trim and a headliner .  Is this the one ?

If so it comes with a mold and I would like to get that and change the rear sail panel design if possible as I have the source to have more done !   https://www.facebook.com/marke...em/1291756531201169/

@Alan Merklin that is it.  That seems like a very good price for the top and mold but I just don't like how it looks.  Changing the sail panel would help.  It looks like headroom might be an issue too.  I really like the Plasticon look, even better than Glaspar. I know some, like ALB don't agree.

I wonder how the side curtains work extending that far beyond the door.

I am not sure but I think he is not selling the yellow one on his car but another one he made. In your link above you can click on his name to go to his Facebook page you can see a couple of other pictures