The lower roof line is good, but the back (length/window) does not do it for me.

 

From what I have read in the past it is not good to leave the top down for extended periods of time. If I buy a hardtop and leave my top down for 3 - 5 months would that be bad for the soft top? Do you have to take the hardtop off once a week and put your top up for a while? Just wondering what the recommended procedure would be to keep your softop in good condition.

 

Hey everyone,
Thanks for the comments and questions. Keep um coming.

As far as carbon fiber, we are familar with the material but have not used it in a hardtop application. It is very expensive for 100% carbon fiber but very light. We are looking into it. For now we have a carbon fiber overlay (over the fiberglass composite ) which looks really good. See the video on our homepage www.smoothline.com This hardtop will be fairly light. Likely under 50 #.
We may do our ZR with a carbon fiber center section with the sides topcoated in matching silver.

The latches will consist of two front latches and two rear latches. Easy to operate without any tools or wrenches. The hardtop will simply be lifted in place on the ZR once the soft top is in the down position , then latched. Similar to our Corvette hardtops. No modifications will be needed for installation.

 

How long will it be before we can purchase one?

 

Great work! The prototype looks like it's well on its way.

Personally, i'd like to see more styling on the top portion of the hard top. Something like a double hump like the asuka roof https://my350z.com/forum/7644106-post15.html or the smoothline hardtop for the corvette.

As much as I would love a CF top, I don't think it would be worth the extra cost and additional R&D required to get it right. Lets all be honest with ourselves. The Z is already a heavy sports car and the roadster is even heavier. The roadster was never meant to be a light weight car so there is no need to spend the extra money/time to save 30lbs on a 3600+ lb car. Without diving into cost, you will most likely be able to buy a set of light weight rims or seats for the price difference.

I rather see the R&D/money go towards longevity of the top, seals, structural rigidity, and reduction of any NVH associated with a fixed top.

Great work smoothline. I look forward to the final product and count me in for one when its released.

 

+1

 

Interested.

Say if someone was to take out the existing top motors and mechanism permanently to save weight etc but then go for a drive without the hard top and got caught in rain. Is there any thought to making an more or less light fabric emergency cover or half cover so you could drive the car to shelter?

Just thinking.....

 

Very interested from Spain!!

Someone knows how much will cost shipping to Spain?

Ps. I'll prefer the little window one.

 

I hope this will painted in the OEM super black color.

 

Why don't you start working on that did you even read any of the previous 9 pages?!

Great work Gary and Smoothline! Keep us posted on the release date

 

Maybe I missed something but this is what i was thinking. I am sure I saw a British car somewhere where they had a more or less emergency snap on cover that you could drive with as well. http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/u...abriolets.aspx

There would be days I would leave with the hard top and days without but when without the emergency top would be needed to give up the OEM soft top permenently for me.

 

+1 i`m xpexting

 

It's impossible to enlarge it until de border between the roof case and the trunk?

Will be amazing to give the ZR a non roadster Z style...

 

I've been trolling here for a long time - trying to decide between a lightly used 370z coupe, or a used 350ZR. With the addition of the hardtop - I'm leaning toward the roadster. Never had a vert, even after MANY cars.

I currently have a modded 08 G35S sedan. So the ZR will be my second car and one I can "build" and play with for a few years. I really dig the engine and chassis.

I have almost all of the GTSpec braces for my G.

Here's my current G.

thanks to all who post on here...great forum - very much like G35 Driver I'm on.

Stephen

 

[QUOTE=vtchang;8783923]Great work! The prototype looks like it's well on its way.

Personally, i'd like to see more styling on the top portion of the hard top. Something like a double hump like the asuka roof https://my350z.com/forum/7644106-post15.html or the smoothline hardtop for the corvette.


I agree fully, the project is going great, but please consider more styling, its just to plain or something. Its looks and quality will be selling point. Thanks for sharing ideas with us on prototype and allow opinions to be considered, we wouldnt steer you wrong !

 

hmmm well all i can say is it looks the same almost as a soft top.... so what is the point?

 

Call me crazy but I love the look of the soft top.

 

I like it, if you can get it to slope back a bit further, that would be good. The further back you can reach, the less like the soft top it will look, the better/more stylish it will look. If I had any say in it, I would try to put it as far back as the front edge of the trunk. Just short of interfering with opening the trunk. Imo, the less it looks like the soft top and more like the coupe the better. No matter how you cut it, it will still look different from the coupe, in a good way likely.

 

Agreed. The roadster with the top up has a unique look, not just another fastback.

 

when can we purchase it?