Spyder Hard top conversion

[blkspydergst99]

alright, this might be an off the wall question or somethin... ive got a 99 spyder gst... i already did a search and didnt find anything worth really reading... but what i want to do is get a remove able hard top for my spyder, you know like what miata's have. me and my friends were throwin around the idea of carbon fiber would look pretty cool.

i bought the spyder cuz i have a thing for soft tops, but at the same time i wasnt thinking about what it would be like in the winter... ( i live in central illinois, and let me tell ya its freakin cold here -12 tonight)...

any in put would be appricated

BlkSpyder

 

[bigrick]

Never thought of that... I to have a place in my heart for the drop-tops...and i live in northern Ohio, and would be very interested if one of these was out there... good question bro...

 

[IMMORTALSPYDER]

I used to live in Chicago and I've got a spyder. I don't get any drafts or anything. The soft top works well in the winter for me. A removeable hardtop would be badass though.

 

[TBSpyder]

I use to live in NC and I never really noticed a difference having a convertible in colder weather....now a Jeep Wrangler on the other hand...:thumbdown But I think it's pretty safe to say there is no "hardtop" available, probably never will be unless it's a totally custom job, in which I'm guessing it would cost almost as much as the car itself. It'd probably be way too damn heavy also.

 

[tunerkid]

i dont know about heaviness.. the S2000 has that japan made one that looks sick on the S2000... im sure one on sypder would look dope as well. however it would have to be totally custom=tons and tons of green. i always wanted to see a sypder get back hard top part for a targa top.. instead of cutting open a 2g hardtop.. get that lightbar for the sypder and build around that.. you wouldnt have to add a rollcage or bars for strenght since the spyder is already a drop top. keep that in mind

 

[97GS-TSpyder]

Someone does make a carbon fiber hard top. i dont remember where thouhg.....ill try and find it again

 

[blkspydergst99]

Originally posted by 97GS-TSpyder
Someone does make a carbon fiber hard top. i dont remember where thouhg.....ill try and find it again

Dude, if you could find out that would be great. i mean dont get me wrong, the spyder does pretty well for the most part in the cold, just want to stand out a little bit more around here.

 

[TBSpyder]

Originally posted by tunerkid
i dont know about heaviness.. the S2000 has that japan made one that looks sick on the S2000... im sure one on sypder would look dope as well.

Thing to keep in mind is pretty much all the convertibles I can think of that have hardtops available are also only 2-seaters (Miata, S2000, Z3, MR2, Boxter, etc.). The area of coverage on a Spyder is alot larger than any of these other cars. It would probably be a case like with a Jeep Wrangler hardtop where you would need multiple people or a special lift to remove and install it.

 

[tunerkid]

ah.. true true...


go to a junkyard.. cut the top off a hardtop 2g.. make some clips up.. voila, hard top complete with real glass back window

 

[blkspydergst99]

Originally posted by tunerkid
ah.. true true...


go to a junkyard.. cut the top off a hardtop 2g.. make some clips up.. voila, hard top complete with real glass back window

not that easy... the top of the spyder ends right at the back of the back seats... the hard top goes all the way to the tail lights... like i said, not as easy it sounds...

 

[blkspydergst99]

Originally posted by TBSpyder
Thing to keep in mind is pretty much all the convertibles I can think of that have hardtops available are also only 2-seaters (Miata, S2000, Z3, MR2, Boxter, etc.). The area of coverage on a Spyder is alot larger than any of these other cars. It would probably be a case like with a Jeep Wrangler hardtop where you would need multiple people or a special lift to remove and install it.

but if you think about how light fiberglass or carbon fiber are, it would be relativly light... you couldnt put it on, or take it off by your self, of course...

 

[TBSpyder]

Considering a quality cf hood goes for $5-600...I can't even imagine what a cf hardtop would sell for...I'm guessing a few thousand ATLEAST.

 

[97GS-TSpyder]

i found one a while ago that was like 2400....its worth it though

figure the stealth and 3000gt had a removable hardtop

 

[Defiant]

I've never heard of one. Rare stuff for a "four" seater. It wouldn't be convenient nor cheap. Your top is insulated, it's a convertible top, not a roadster top. You may not notice a comfort problem.

The Stealth was a folding hardtop, not a removable.

 

[blkspydergst99]

either or... i dont care... i would really like one though... something different... ive noticed for some reason that everyone things that everything needs to have a reason, case and point... the roll bar, light bar, or what ever you want to call it... it looks cool, so what if its not funcitnal?!

 

[TBSpyder]

Originally posted by 97GS-TSpyder
i found one a while ago that was like 2400....its worth it though

figure the stealth and 3000gt had a removable hardtop

Never seen a convertible Stealth...but the 3kgt was a folding hardtop, meaning you press a button and it folded into the back automatically. Kinda like the new Lexus or Cadillac convertibles.

 

[FrankNstein]

Here's my plan for when I have extra time and money:

1. Get a front bar with the latches and glass window from a prts yard.

2. Block out the basic shape with 3" thick styrene foam insulation, blue or pink, use latex contact cement to join foam, regular contact cement will eat styrene.

3. Like a surfboard, shaping is done with hacksaw blades, rasp, body filler file.

4. Fiberglass the outside, marking the area to be cut out for the window. (you of course already covered your paint with platic and taped everything dowm)

5. Flip it over and decide what you want to do on the inside, to remove all the foam, you could use a number of solvents, be very careful here.

Could be cut down to use the foam as insulation, just push 1" finishing nails into the foam and stop sanding when you hit sparks. You could also make an overhead pod for gauges or gizmos. Afer you have installed J hooks at the back and re-inforced the front bar connection, cover the inside with tweed fabric.

6. Install foam gasket material around the windows and roof rear, tweak the fits until leakproof.

7. Cut out window area and install, graft into your window defroster wiring to make a plug-in so you can switch tops.

8. Paintjob.

Then you can make a mold and sell tops on the internet.

 

[Raph]

Originally posted by TBSpyder
Thing to keep in mind is pretty much all the convertibles I can think of that have hardtops available are also only 2-seaters (Miata, S2000, Z3, MR2, Boxter, etc.). The area of coverage on a Spyder is alot larger than any of these other cars. It would probably be a case like with a Jeep Wrangler hardtop where you would need multiple people or a special lift to remove and install it.

and what about the hardtops on -bmw 3series cabrios...those work for em...


hhm,im gonna go googalize it.

 

[gst98spyder]

carbon fiber oen is coming

 

[blkspydergst99]

Originally posted by gst98spyder
carbon fiber oen is coming

When and where?

 

[gst98spyder]

ill be at hin chicago

 

[blkspydergst99]

Originally posted by gst98spyder
ill be at hin chicago

Say what now?

 

[FrankNstein]

FYI, HIN = Hot Import Nights, as in the car show.

 

[ck1938]

Has anyone tried this yet? The way things are going I think this might be the only way to stop my leaking top problems. I remember the old early 60's ford that folded into the trunk, much like the early 3000 convertible, and would like to know if anyone has done anything similar with their Spyder. It would be sweet. Maybe I wouldn't have to sell mine if I could make the conversion. Right now my car fills up with water when it's parked and it rains. I won't have a garage or covered parking for a while so I'm desperate.

 

[Stapl3]

You'd be better off selling your car and buying a hardtop.