What makes you think FC's are weak in the middle? Your FC will most definitely be weak in the middle unless some serious chassis reinforcing has been done, as Mazda did for the convertible. A 3-pt roll bar won't be doing anything because it's not reinforcing the section cut out. I wouldn't be suprised if you chassis bends like a banana at every bump and corner. You should seriously consider a 6-pt roll cage.

 

i wouldnt be surprised either, but until i can' get more info on where to get some frame rails done or something i'll just have to be careful

 

once again i am picking up where someone left off on this car

 

HOLY CRAP!!!!!! My dreams are finally a reality.....I have been thinking of doing this to my car ever since I got it.....I always thought it could be possible!...OMG that looks great.....abit narrow but hey....there isnt enough roof space to have a good decent spaced targa top like with the Supra.....but OMG.....


Goodluck with the car by the way.......looks nice....

 

is there a scoop integrated into the door??? or is that just shadows playing with my head..... if they are there, what for???? looks??? function???

 

i like the look of it with the top off

 

you shoulda used vert doors

 

The original fabricator of that top (not the current owner, as he has said) would have done well to rob a lot of parts from a 'vert ( as our wise moderator, Icemark has already pointed out) such as doors, targa section, and all seals and latches. But as NZConvertible has also pointed out, without the structural supports done to the 'vert as well, it will bend in the middle.
I think the idea is pretty cool, but in this case not executed as well as it could have been.

(by the way, I have a spare targa and 89 tails laying around... *shameless plug*)

 

Oh yeah, static- to answer your orig. q-

The diamond plate might make it too heavy- I would just fab some covers for the mechanicals out of some thinner sheet steel ( like a/c guys use) and then cover the whole shebang with some padded headliner material.

 

thats cool, but i would be worried about my car breaking in half... but it looks good!

 

yeah, i'm worried about my car, but at the same time its not show ANY signs of stress, the doors close easy and stright, i'm pretty sure this would be the first thing to give hint, and its doesn't make any funny noises are movements going up the giant hump the ends my driveway
and i've got stiff shocks in there so, i dunno, i'm playing it safe custom frame work is the first on the list, anyways back to the original topic of discussion, not the structural defect.

 

does anybody know anything about upolstering tops liek this? i want my car to look nice, not rice. . .

 

I like that car a lot. It's clean, no ungodly body kit. Could use a real shade of red, but otherwise it's a very nice job.

 

how much did oyu spend to turbocharge your N/A ^^ its something i'm going to look into since my drivetrain only has 29,000 miles on it

 

Well the job does look very professional BUT like Ice said.
The structural part is bye bye.

I wouldn't be amazed if you hit a bump and the frame flexed or the windshield even bent down.
Mazda did some hardcore structural reinforment to keep the vert frame steady.

The roll bar will only help you if you flip the car. Although the unsupported windshield could come down on you.

As for doing the interior roof. Don't do diamond plate. Too heavy and too redneck.
I say find some 1/8-1/4 inch thick wood or plastic composite. Then line some grey cloth over it. Use a 3m style adhesive spray and some staples to attach it and it will look pro. Just make sure not to get any bubbles or air pockets or you'll have a saggy area.

The side door vents are ricey to me but it's not my car. All they do from the pic is give fresh air to the door locks.
The back lights with screwed over black lexan isn't that nice to me either.

I would seriously not install a turbo motor into that. It would be TOO much work to get it in acceptable shape for a higher hp motor.

Sorry to be a bastard and nit pick.

Oh yeah.
Check out www.azrx7.com
It's our local forum.

 

wow a negative nancy, everybodys worried about structural problems, the car just isn't showing any signs of flex , its AMAZING, not that i'm saying its not going to happen, but it seems to me no one ever thinks about how high the drivetrain hump is, the does add structure, and my plans are to have tubular subframe connectors fabricated, oh and i didn't put the door scoops on there, and they are closed off so no the door locks get no air and i think more along the line of ferrari than civic when i look at the door scoops and the blackout taillight treatment was removed the second day of having the car, and there are NO plans for body kits or rice-ification of my car, inside or out
so many open minded people in here<<<sarcasm

 

I nutted, that is sweet and a dream come true.. Structural blah blah I agree but it's good that you are gonna get the frame strengthened.Anyways sweet to look at..

 

thanks

 

Thanks for posting more pics. Here they are:

 

Whoa, didn't notice how wierd those doors look until they're open. That's still a pretty neat mod though.

 

agreed, they are kinda odd when open but i've looked past it now after having the car for the past two weeks

 

I would do some chassis reinforcing. Don't flip it over. =O

And for sure, do not turbocharge that FC. lol

 

really sweet look. gives me ideas for my 6 coupe parts cars!!! Do you experience any wind buffet at speed? I have an 88 vert that will
buffet really bad with the targa top off.

 

For all those people complaining that the car is going to "break in half" or fold, all the owner needs to do is reinforce the chasssis. Simple as that, and end of story. It's not rocket science. People have been making 'verts out of coupes for years. Two sections of box steel down each frame rail, with an X member just below the transmission. Probably a few hours work.

 

Oh, and you want to see something truly wild? Check this out...