Custom fitting a Speedster hard top ......

Yes, so does IM, you either have it done at build time or send the car back and basically be without it the whole time the roof is being fiddled with.  If you have it done at build time the removal and attachment system is fine tuned.  Have fun.  

That's exactly how I started the hardtop for my car.  Glad someone sees why we charge so much for (or avoid) doing hardtops.

Yeah, if it were easy, everyone would have one!

I'm taking it to the extreme and going for a coupe, myself.

At least then you'll finally have a car that won't muss your hair when driving it.

As you and I both know, THAT's not a problem.

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Hard top stretch photos posted.....

That is coming out really nice.

Paul

I want one! It would be nice to get a report from someone fitting the Plastikon top from Rusty Tubs.

I nearly had one made on my last build but I was not sure if I would enjoy it .... how do we try these things to know if you'll like it.  

I had one made with my last build, and I love it.... Extends the driving season significantly.  I do live in Seattle and drive the car almost daily April through October.... With weekend trips in february- when it tends to be sunny, dry, but really cold!

also  nice to have the hard top ( vs soft top) on long  and hot trips in the summer.  We spend a couple weeks in central Oregon every year where temps are in the mid/Hugh 90s.  It's nice to have the top on during the 7 hr drive -  to not broil my head/arms.

I think I have a Plasticon top, but when I went to fit it on, it was great around the header bow area, the window opening fit well fore and aft but the rear tub length was a bit too short. Without disturbing the line of the rear of the hardtop too much, I was able to add a varying length from 1/4" to  1/2" length to the lower rear lip of the top to make things work. Sectioning the center like Alan did above would have buggered up the window opening length on mine. Custom fit in most cases, I guess...but doable.

@David Stroud IM Roadster D, the Rusty Tubs website says the Plastikon is for kit cars (kon, get it) and is longer in the rear compared to the Plasticon.

Wed don't call him Merklin the Magician for nothing.  And you gotta love fiber glass. Cut, fill, sand, paint, polish. Like it never even happened.  Just fabulous work, Alan.  good on ya, as the Speedstah Guy would say.

Wow! Very nice job, Alan!

Hard top is painted...waiting on shop appointment to get the side curtains refitted.

Looks amazing!

Nice job, Alan. The hard top looks really good on the flared body - much better than on a slab side, I think.

Thanks, it was a collaborative effort, a lot of work with my painter and me. 

Beautiful job Doctor.  What did you do for the headliner replacement?

Looks good from here doing it in black skips the colour match issues too.

Alan, with that nice top I would think a set of ventilated polycarbonate side windows would be much more suitable.  Vision and ventilation would be sooooooo much better and they shouldn't be hard to make since the shape will be more consistent.

See Lane, you don't really need a coupe.  This is the answer.  Alan can fix you up.

That spray (or roll on) truck bedliner might make a good head liner. It does come in colors.

Not bad at all. 

edsnova posted:

Not bad at all. 

I bet Ed is wondering if Al could fab a hard top for his TDr!

Headliner is a soft black material that has a foam backing ...found in late model cars.

Top rear view

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The @thing doesn't seem to work for Alan.

Alan, can you describe and show us how the rear attaches to the body?

Thanks. 

3 rubber hold downs that stretch and secure the a screwed in base tab on the body tub

nice work! 

how exactly do those rubber hold downs work?  Is it just a stud sticking out that they loop over? 

MangoSmoothie.ca posted:

nice work! 

how exactly do those rubber hold downs work?  Is it just a stud sticking out that they loop over? 

That's exactly what it looks like. The rubber piece is stretched and fits over that silver stud. I've seen various methods used to hold the rubber hood strap.

Very nice work!!!!!.

Question for you... now that you have mastered this on the Plasticom/Kirk's tops, would you be up to trying this on the Glasspar tops? 

Oh, plez Santa Claus....

The top stretch was a one time project..... there's a lot more time in it than meets the eye.

Alan;

Did you make a  mold?

Yah, did you make a mold in the 2 hours of down time you've had? Would sure save me a lot of work!