Hi again,
Silly question i suppose but does anyone know if there is such a thing as a hardtop for a seven rather than using a soft top?

Thanks

try this link forviews of some : oldthread kind of says it all
how talll areyou, as in "will you be able to get in"

but then again it might be practical

I have seen one, it looked like roof on fred flinstones car, not sure if it was a production item or a home made job...
Tim

west field did one
best wishes
Rescued attachment hardtop.jpg

west field did one
best wishes
iain
Rescued attachment hardtop.jpg

some guy from the netherlands made a hardtop, looks beautiful. took me a while to find through google.

quote:

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Originally posted by derf
some guy from the netherlands made a hardtop, looks beautiful. took me a while to find through google.

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It would ideally need Ford GT40 type doors to enable easy access to the seats through roof cutaways. Is a hard top really in the spirit of a seven though?

yes, a hard top is, as long as it is removable, if it is made out of lightweigt materials (Carbon fiber for example) it shouldn't weigh more than a soft top with all the supports. On the same token a passenger really isnt in the spirit of a lightweight seven either.

WLR do a fibber top for theirs AGM. Or is that meant to be AGM do a top for their WLR?!

That westfield hard top looks really neat, are they the only ones doing them?

i saw a nice hard top at stafford this year i *think* it was on a robin hood, was well finished and looked spot on, shame the rest of the car looked like it had been jigged up on a plastic jig that was stored too close to the fire

westfield don't do them the idea never got of the ground unfortunately

Would a hardtop that hinges from the roll bar at the back and lifts up on gas lift things off a car boot to allow access be a bad idea? This would save making doors. I know lifters off a normal car boot may not be strong enough to support such a roof unless it was mad out of something exceptionally light, but you can get stronger ones, for example the one on my tractor bonnet which wieghs quite alot.

An average hatchback is surprisingly heavy so those gas struts will hold quite a lot of weight.

there is an old photo of a gt40 style hard roofed 7 going about can anyone help

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=4801

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=838


anymore

Nova kit car style would make it easy to jump in the cockpit.

http://www.nova-international.net/galleries/nova%20gallery/Nova%20(10 0).jpg

Am also considering a hard/soft top when I eventually come to that stage.

Also brainstormed the idea about a hard top with gas lifters/shocks like those of a hatch. Did'nt like it much for various reasons.

Came across a nice article about how to construct a Carson top - thinking maybe I can do it in 2 pieces and stow it away in the "boot" when not in use + have something resembling doors on the car.

Also thought of integrating the roll bar with roof - then have a removable rear window which clips to the rollbar roof section and then make another removable roof panel from the rollbar to the windscreen - very similar to what TVR is doing; can't remember which model tho. Advantage is you have 2 small sections to store. Still need doors tho.

But no compromise - roof + doors must be completely removable.

Decided to tackle it when the time comes. Let us know your approach and end result - am very interested.

What is a Carson top?

TVR's are probably the best looking cars i ever saw.
This is the TVR Tuscan with targa roof. Not shure if the rear window is removable too.
Rescued attachment tuscan.JPG

The Tuscan pictured has a removeable window leaving the roll frame - it is a targa really, the latest Tuscan is available as a full convertible. The TVR Griffith, Chimeara and Tamora have a two piece roof with canvas rear and solid top part. Tamora with roof in place:

[Edited on 26/8/04 by andyps]
Rescued attachment TamoraR234.jpg

Zen, as far as I can remember from the article a Carson top is a one piece removable hardtop roof, covered in vinyl, leather or other cloth type material.

I think I read the howto on hotrod.com.

It's not really on my list of possible solutions but it's a very good guide for making your own hardtop.

I spotted this at donnington
Rescued attachment DSC_0219.JPG

I couldn't get in that, without my own personal osteopath

I seen it driving passed but the time i got over to where it was parked the guy had got out. Wanted to see if he had any difficulty getting out.

Its a Dutton !!, with a bike engine in i think. I've gotta hard top for mine & its not to hard to get in