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convertable with a hard top?

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Old Jan 18, 2008 | 09:57 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by phoenix7
lol, put the top up in the winter! The great thing about convertibles is that you LITERALLY CAN HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS (that's the POINT of a vert). Top down when you want and TOP UP for PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS several CLICKS away.
I'm gonna guess you haven't driven in a convertible model anything with its accompanying hardtop. It can make the driving experience a little more pleasant given lower road noise. Before you shoot back with "well then why did you buy a convertible?" I should tell you that if Mazda made the FC with a removable hardtop, or a in a hard-top convertible form, then I would own one. They didn't, I would like it, that's it.

Originally Posted by phoenix7
The Rigidity of the VERT is 2% LESS than a coupe with the top up. If you build a hard top then it better be strong enough to not mess with the stock specs but light enough to at LEAST be considered a weight reduction (you don't want to make the fat vert even heavier do you??)
Any top worth its salt better be stronger than a sheet of fiberglass attached by two clips to an erector set. And as far as weight, who gives a damn? If I wanted a sleek lightweight I'd own a Miata (oh wait, I do). I bought the Vert as a comfortable Sunday driver, so if the top added 200lbs but made long drives nicer, then I'd see it as a plus.

Originally Posted by phoenix7
Seems like a great way to waste good money. An the Winter excuse is kinda lame. How harsh are the San Luis Obispo winters? I doubt they're harsh enough to warrant making a custom hardtop.
It was 25 deg here last winter (I lived in Los Osos, a small town outside of San Luis). It iced heavily. To which I agree with Ronin...

Originally Posted by RoninRX7
...The reason being when the snow falls you really dont want it to freeze on the vert top. it makes it really brittle and wears it out faster.
I believe these are good reasons. I can see how you would say "I don't see the point," but that doesn't make us stupid because you can't understand our reasoning.
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Old Jan 19, 2008 | 04:08 AM
  #27  
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^damn straight^

The only hard part about making a hard top is where to connect to. I want mine to go over the factory top when its down. Im not going to remove the factory cloth one. So it looks like its gonna have to attach by the seat belt mounts i guess???
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Old Jan 23, 2008 | 12:57 AM
  #28  
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Why doesn't someone make a Miata top replica to fit on the FC with the same style latches in the back and clips on the front? Make one just like the Miata's hard top only sized for the FC?
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Old Jan 23, 2008 | 01:26 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Bama420
Why doesn't someone make a Miata top replica to fit on the FC with the same style latches in the back and clips on the front? Make one just like the Miata's hard top only sized for the FC?
There simply may not be enough interest for someone in that business to make one. There costs would probably exceed what they'd make off it.
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Old Jan 23, 2008 | 12:43 PM
  #30  
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first i need to find a good scale modle of a FC Vert so i can start work on a scale modle of who the Roof would look anyone know of any good modles if so send me a link please.
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Old Jan 23, 2008 | 12:59 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by SouthSideSlider
first i need to find a good scale modle of a FC Vert so i can start work on a scale modle of who the Roof would look anyone know of any good modles if so send me a link please.
I could let you use my vert as a guinea pig if I could get the hardtop when you were done :P
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Old May 15, 2008 | 12:14 PM
  #32  
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so is this going to happen or what? I got a vert looking for a hard top...
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Old May 15, 2008 | 12:23 PM
  #33  
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i'd love a carbon top for my 'vert!
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Old May 15, 2008 | 01:51 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by 87 t-66
i'd love a carbon top for my 'vert!
+1
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Old May 15, 2008 | 07:05 PM
  #35  
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I don't think it will ever happen... wish it would though.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 07:47 PM
  #36  
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how much are you willing to spend ... it can definately be done for aroudn 2000
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Old May 15, 2008 | 07:49 PM
  #37  
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Hands down, I will buy one. $1500-$2000... consider it sold. Make it happen.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 09:08 PM
  #38  
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I don't really see the draw with the removable hard top.
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Old May 15, 2008 | 09:40 PM
  #39  
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call me in with a hard top if you can keep it under 1000 bucks. i have been wait to get a new top but, i hate how they leak. and i LOVE the coupe look. please make one someone.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 07:29 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by MidnightOwl
I don't really see the draw with the removable hard top.
Did you actually read the thread? I made the case clearly.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 08:53 PM
  #41  
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I want one and don't care if it weighs 200 lbs either
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Old May 16, 2008 | 08:54 PM
  #42  
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might pay $2000 if it was decent quality
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Old May 16, 2008 | 09:09 PM
  #43  
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top always down.

that's how you do it in the vert owners club.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 09:35 PM
  #44  
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a carbon fiber roof would be more expensive but it could be done first im going to look for a Vert shell and make a hardtop out of steel then make molds when i do this i'll also mbe working on a odura style S4 lip but firdst i have to get a vert shell. and money is too tight right now. the shape would be realy simple basuicly around the same as the soft top but smoother.
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Old May 16, 2008 | 10:33 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by HotRodMex
It was 25 deg here last winter (I lived in Los Osos, a small town outside of San Luis).
WoW how'd you survive!!! It was like - 60 here.
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Old May 17, 2008 | 02:12 AM
  #46  
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heres some quick photoshoped pics of what it might look like.i hope to get all the measurment i need soon as well as contures so i can make a realy nice top.




the plan would to have the top have a intigrated steel rollbar for added protection but it could be biult without it what do you guys think? also im think a realy simple sunroof could be added just a plexy sheet with a hing and a small popup peice so you can let the car vent heat or whatever. if i had all the info i need i would be biulding a prototype as we speek(yes at 3:10 AM)once i get materials and info i will start a thread on thje biulding of the prototype.

(please donot delete stuff about this if the prototype turns out to have resonable demand RX7club wil get its cut or whatever it is you guys do.)
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Old May 17, 2008 | 08:40 AM
  #47  
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which is ******* ghey
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Old May 17, 2008 | 09:54 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by dillon
WoW how'd you survive!!! It was like - 60 here.
Something tells me if you'd understand relativity if you had to come and spend a 100 degree summer here.
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Old May 17, 2008 | 10:03 PM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by SouthSideSlider
the plan would to have the top have a intigrated steel rollbar for added protection but it could be biult without it what do you guys think?
I think you would be better off doing it without the integrated steel roll bar. How would the integrated steel roll bar even attach to the rest of the car in a way that it would become a structural piece that could provide rollover protection? It would probably just be much better to make the top without the steel integrated and have the buyer get their own cage put in instead, probably would be much easier to do as well.


Also, if you do go about making a prototype or even finished products, please put in a rear window that is much larger than the stock vert rear window. One that sorta wraps around the rear corners would be sweet.
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Old May 17, 2008 | 11:35 PM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by HotRodMex
Something tells me if you'd understand relativity if you had to come and spend a 100 degree summer here.
Summer still gets over a 100 here too.
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