hard top conversion

[insurance guy]

thinking of purchasing the hardtop and new front end and converting my completed car.
Can someone who has done the hardtop provide me some feedback on the conversion?
any information would be helpful for my decision
thanks

[Hot_Rod_Hooligans]

Interested in this as well.

[Brett33]

I thought you were selling? I would be your buyer as you completed all of the hard parts living in NJ. I just wanted to do an automatic and I didn't want to low ball you.

[AZPete]

Alan, I converted my S to a C.
818SandC 75.jpg
I kept the S windshield, engine cover and trunk lid so it could be converted back and forth. I gave away my front fenders and bumper to another builder who had damaged his but maybe you can sell yours. The new headlights are tricky to install, as were the old lights, but they are fully adjustable. The hardtop and fenders have parting seams but I found that about 80% of the seams can be carefully sanded to disappear. Wherever the sanded seam retained a dark line, I "dremeled" it, filled with gel coat putty and sanded it smooth. Once the power windows are installed it's really nice to not have the buffeting wind and loud exhaust - I can actually hear my tunes and use my phone. Plus, with A/C and heat, I have a 12-month toy! All of us have had problems keeping the intercooler temps down so now I'm working on a closed system utilizing the roof ducts and side vents for the AAIC.

[RM1SepEx]

Pete, dump the engine top IC you will never get good air flow to that location, move it to the side like I did. You can get a bracket to rotate the turbo from Craig at ZeroDB and then the routing is easy. The larger IC and fan mount easily on the side and the airflow is a very open/direct route

[insurance guy]

Brett sent you a private message

[insurance guy]

Pete how did you do AC and heat?
You have that on a build thread?

[Hindsight]

Pete, very cool what you did with the top. How quickly can you remove it and install it? How does the a-pillar attach? I was thinking about maybe getting a top for track days, but I'd need it to be able to come on and off easily (IE within 30 minutes or less). I wouldn't need the windows and all that other jazz.

[07FIREBLADE]

With a hoist system you could get the top off with about 1hr worth of work depends on how you attach your front end. The front fender need to be loose and spread a bit to get the frame up and out. This is one of the hardest parts.

[Hindsight]

Thanks for the reply - I read Pete's post wrong. Thought he found a way to keep the S windshield, while attaching the hard-top to it. Now that I think about it, that wouldn't work (the way FFR made the top).

[AZPete]

Hindsight, as said by 07FIREBLADE, the conversion would take at least an hour, with an overhead lift and practice, though I haven't tried it. The front of the hardtop attaches the same as the S windshield with steel brackets and 2 bolts per side. For a quicker conversion, look into the soft top, I guess.

Dan (RM1SepEx) I should have checked with you about getting the most air through the intercooler, since you have engineering experience I don't have, but I didn't realize you had a hard top. You tried the roof vents? Then decided on the side vents? I'll go see what you did on your build thread.

[RM1SepEx]

No hard top Pete, it simple fluid dynamics, you need flow through the IC and out under or through the back of the car. The resistance to flow is determined by the area of the ducting and the length. With so much length the ducting size has to be much larger and made very smooth... wide and narrow isn't preferred, round or oval and smooth works best. Sitting it on top of a hot turbo charged engine within inches of a hot turbo makes it a challenge, moving it to the side makes it very easy and the duct as short or shorter than the original hood scoop. I'd like to have bigger scoops than I have but my fiberglassing skills/desire is pretty low. So far mine work very well with not much temp rise. That's why so many went AWIC, in AZ where you are I'd consider that route.

[bbjones121]

I am making mine swappable. I install a Jeep top pulley system in my garage. It is pictured in my build thread. I am sticking to the top mount intercooler. I am running a/c also, so I do not want three radiators up front. Internal engine heat has been issue for many people. I like idea of air to water, but I will attempt air to air first. I am working on a system that will work for both hard top and convertible panels.

[STiPWRD]

I was thinking about maybe getting a top for track days, but I'd need it to be able to come on and off easily (IE within 30 minutes or less). I wouldn't need the windows and all that other jazz.

Might want to check if the FF hard top will work with your roll bar, I think it was designed to only fit the S roll bar.

[insurance guy]

purchased the hard top and new front. will have updates and pics on the conversion on my build thread.