Speedster hardtop options

On top of all the things going on at the moment on my speedster, (luggage rack, interior retrim, changing of dash, fibreglass work, battery work, etc etc etc) I found something else that caught my eye.

I mentioned to my fibreglass fundi friend that I'd love to have an optional hard top for long winters (3 months in South Africa) lol. So he pipes up and says......."okay, when you want to do it?"

huh?

That's right, he says no problem, it's easily do-able. I was looking at pulling a mould of a local porsche guy who has a hardtop, but then says I have to respray it as payment for using it. My friend said that then I'd still have to chop and cut the pulled plug as it's been made for a 356 cabrio, not a speedster, so we'd be doing 3-4 times the work to get it to fit.

So starting tomorrow we're going to measure up and pull out the polystyrene and get cracking. I have a beetle roof that I'm going to use to get some of the bulge right and then shave off and go from there. I'm looking for the style of this one, but with a better finished off rear window with ali trim.

Anyone in here have something similar that they could take some pictures of or point me to something?

Vintage Speedsters already has the hard top available ~

Put quarter windows in so you don't have the blind spot.

Fellow So in FL now has the Silver one pictured sitting on my Speedie - it has what could be 3rd brake light moulded in. It currently has no rear window - his thoughts are to modify it for a Miata rear window or use plexiglass.

Other shots are of other hardtops. Its way down on my Speedster wish list too.

couple others - I like the little quarter windows

Gary-Here's some old info of the original Porsche and aftermarket offerings:
http://derwhites356literature.com/356PorscheRemovableHardtops.html

I believe a company called steelefibre sells these hardtops.

Alan,I didn't know Vintage had done a hardtop for production. That is a breakthrough is it not? I presume it would fit a "used" or earlier VS.

I'm calling Vintage.This has been a must-have for me,if it is true. Even though I don't have a ............car yet.

See General section 3/2/09


Per: 'El Diablo' Manto posted 3/7/2009

I was at Kirk's yesterday...The hardtop is very cool, comes with plexiglass windows and the weather stripping makes it a real nice fit overall. He claims each car needs to be fitted individually since they are all slightly different, so that could make it difficult depending on where you live, but perhaps a way can be figured out so that he won't physically need your car.....
He does not have a cost for completed tops yet but I'm guessing your looking in the 2500.00 range anyway...
He said he will send me some pic's, and when he does I will post them..

CHECK OUT THE JPS SITE
GALLERIES
THERE IS A HARDTOP WITH PLEXIGLASS JOHN DID 3 YEARS AGO

I found it. Wow, I was out of the loop. Now one more reason to jump..This should help sell more cars. Eliminates the The Hair excuse..

I am about to attempt the same project starting with a foam block.
Please let me know how you do the rear attachment to the car.

WOW, thanks for the advice guys. Wolfgang, thanks for the images and to everyone else for the info.

I'd love to just order one, but I'm from South Africa and shipping would be a killer. while the basic top would be very similar, there are little diffrences to each speedster that would make one of the shelf a bit of a cow. Hence us looking at having one made.

Doing this locally also saves me a LOT of money. I can get 50 litres(barrel)of resin from a friend who makes aircrafts with all the fibreglass that I need for under $400-00. I'd like to mimmick the orginal one as much as possible and I would like the rear quarter window if possible. Most of the weekend was spent measuring and looking at what we would need for a plug.

Initially using wood, I'm going to construct all the rear bow and frame for this top and then take it from there. He's advised against using a beetle skin and rather going from scratch so we can get it perfect, rather than trying to make something work. He's advised me that sanding (shaping) the foam is going to be the time consuming part of the build. Glassing it up is the easy part.

Our rear mount is going to use threaded rod that will go through special mounting holes (x4) in the back of the speedster and tightened down with a simple wingnut set up. The front will mount to the stock locations of the soft-top.

Robert, give me a week or so to get the base sorted out and I'll take some pictures for you.

Gary - see if there is a someone in your area that shapes/builds surfboards (I imagine there may be a few surf shops in S. Africa). They may have some suggestions (or even help you) as to shaping the foam model for your hardtop.

Gary pm sent to you. ~Alan

I like the lost foam method: build your shape, glass it, then take it outside and pour gasoline on it. The foam dissolves leaving only the glass shell. Perfect for a one-off, from which a permanent mold may be made.

I have done this on giant-scale radio control airplanes, works like a charm. Easy way to build an engine cowl on them.

danny - any pics of those planes?

re: fiberglassing - check this site out:
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=23

My fibreglass buddy makes aircraft moulds as his bread and butter and there's not much that you can teach him. He works with fibreglass and foam all the time. I was thinking of going full foam and then sanding it down, but he recommended going for a wooden frame to keep it stiff to avoid the fibreglass warping during the curing process.

Thanks for that Alan, I got it and replied.......shipping would kill me. But thanks a million for the offer.

This is pretty much going to be a one off, if the other locals want one then we can make a mould pretty easily.