Tom, I keep forgetting we're neighbors. We should probably do beers or coffee some time.
(BTW, what color is your car?)
But, since we're both in the same microclimate, I would strongly argue against taking this on right now. What's 'not that big of a deal' for Danny could easily lead to the boulevard of broken dreams for lesser mortals like me.
We're just around the corner from that two- to four-week window of Perfect Speedster Weather that I wait for all year. A single dropped bolt or misguided drill bit and you'll be grounded well into the Summer Blast Furnace.
Every time I look at the cheesy latches on my top I think the same thoughts you're having - the Beck hardware is the way it should have been done. But then, a carb will go out of tune or something start dripping in the night, and I get distracted.
Gather ye drive time whilst ye may. There will be plenty of hours for tinkering in the garage come the rains of next winter.