phigmeta

I am trying to determine the insterst of making a hardtop

help me out here guys

Z04

iTrader: (15)

hard top? i am guessing you are talking about a roadster. if that is the case, should have gotten a coupe because that would be cheaper. plus the modification it would take to do it you could not guarantee safety or strength ( i.e., not blowing off at 70mph)

phigmeta

uhhhmmmm ok ... sure ....

s3fddiZ

iTrader: (4)

what would be better is a T-top conversion for the coupe. That would look sick. Anyone ever hear of someone doing that to a 350z?

dkny_boi

iTrader: (2)

You're bound to get someone's opinion on the idea, and what he says does make sense. So you don't have to be a dick about it.

rxtrom

iTrader: (1)

I don't really like the look of the roadster with the top up. I can only imagine if it was made to look like a coupe w/ the hardtop

funkdamonkman

Depending on the design. Is this for the Convert only, or is this a conversion for the Coupe?

tonysZ

I'd like a targa....I'd give up the rigity for a targa.......I talk from experience(I had a mv III turbo targa) loved that car. Not quite as much though as the Z!

phigmeta

i wasn't being a dick .... just was confused by the statement ....

I was going to be a dick i would have pointed out that this was not the original question ... and if I wanted to buy a coupe i would have allready but i didn't ... because i didn't want a coupe ... just like i didn't want his opinon on what car a should buy.

But see I seldom say things like that .... because I am not a dick and don't act like one by pointing out when other people say things that make them look like a dick ..... i let them do that for themselves ...


Oh and i would hope that a hardtop design would be able to withstand 70MPH wind ..... and yes it should actually be stong enough to withstand the forces of a rollover .... and yes it would require som modification to the plastic shroud behind the rollbar. and some method of bolting it to the frame ... so no not an easy task.

phigmeta

Convertable only sadly ... a hatchback would require a LOT of work to convert with a hardtop

phigmeta

targa tops are cool but i have a feeling that will be done eventually by someone else

For me i would prefer a sunroof

I had a 300zx TT with the T tops .... pain in the but to take them off and store them (very carefully) in the hatch

Sunroof ... button ...... done

phigmeta

well in many ways i agree with you ...

But i live in the northwest ....and a softtop can somewhat suck in the winter here what with the rain and all

AdrenalineFX51

I would die if someone came out with a good targa top Z. I would so save up for it.

dkny_boi

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the clarification... but i hate to say it, good comment there telling me your not usually a dick, by being one in response to my comment. I'm so offended... haha, learn to take criticism good or bad dude. But regardless, good luck on that project.

phigmeta

It was meant to be funny .... its one of them cyclical jokes ....


guess its all this freaking rain making me crusty

Seriously folks WTF .... its July, rainy and cold ......

dkny_boi

iTrader: (2)

Love that about message boards and such hey... you can never tell when someone's saying something light-heartedly or is just being a jerk

You're in Seattle... isn't it known to rain alot there hehe... i would rather have that then sunny, dry, and +30 (celsius) to tell you the truth...

kpiskin

iTrader: (5)

I'd also like a targa especially if the top fits in my trunk.

phigmeta

well i used to think the weather here is perfect .... then i bought a bike ... and now a convertable ....

the rain sucks .... and traffic is sucktacular as well ....

Oriignally from texas .... but i won't say the grass is greener on the other side .....
....
...
nothing is green in texas

CAN0802

Perfect weather in Seattle? I hope that is a joke.

On a more serious note, if you are wanting a hardtop for the vert, don't expect it to be able to hold up in a roll over. You will likely be looking at fiberglass for this $1000-$2000 crowd (most likely price on such an item, possibly upward to $3000), and if the car were to roll, the top is history. Life is such with a vert.

phigmeta

The first prototypr we are working on now will be verry thin Sqaure tubing and a fiberglass workup on top of that .... seeing that the MSRP for something strong would push it into the 3500 to 4500 ... i dount we will make soemthing that is much stronger than that .... the mounts on the other hand will be as the rollbar behind the seat .... thats due to the 1/4 inch steel brakets being bolted to the frame that the rollbar is also attached too ... then the 1/4 letting pins will be pretty strong .... who knows maybe i will make a few tops like the one we are making for mine .... of course they would be carbon fiber top and have an extremely strong cage

The good news is that we have worked out the method for attachment .... basicly is just a method of adding 4 holes to the ABS plastic behind the rollbars and drilling 4 holes into the frame behind the seat .... it takes a bit of work ... but if you have installed a sub then you can do this .... the hardest part is wiring into the convertable logic ( keeps ya from putting the top up when you have the hardtop on ... but still allows you to raise the back enough to insert and remove the hardtop .... )

so far we have the basic "cage" finished .... I post some pictures up soon ...

this allows us to quickly figure out some of the details "like for instance the realization that i would end up slamming my head againt the top everytime i hit a bump.

more to come ........