38 replies to this topic

[Thorney]

Just fitted.

6kg's.

£1400 fully painted.

In shop when I've tested it.

To get this price I need to order 10 (doesn't matter what colour) so will need some interest?

[Dave]

very very nice Mr T. Top job Dare I mention how is your testing going with the G/W hardtop?. Dave

[Valentine]

I notice the CF roof doesn't have the front rubber seal as with the other Shop roofs, is this intentional or did you judt leave it off. Think it looks better without

[Thorney]

The front rubber seal is optional, you get it in the bag if you want to fit it.

[Joe-Turbo]

how much does the normal one weigh?

[Thorney]

Between 9-10kg's

[Gedi]

When you say the normal one, is that the shop one, the OEM one or both?

[munkeh]

The forum shop states that the shop one weighs 9kg and the OEM one weighs 14kg. Thorney - a few questions: 1. can you have the top unpainted (presumably clear coated) so you can see the carbon fibre? 2. am I right in thinking that to fit the shop hard top you have to remove the soft top brackets (rear)? If this is correct is how easy is it to remove/refit the brackets? 3. when do you think the testing of the carbon fibre top will be completed? 4. is the carbon fibre top lined like the current shop hard top? Cheers!

[barrybethel]

Presumably it will be lighter still ubpainted?

[Thorney]

1. No problem on clear coat (must be laquered to pretect the cf from UV light) I just did it colour coded cos it looked nice 2. Yes, you need to remove the soft top brackets to fit the hardtop, they're attached by one allen bolt each - 20 secs job. 3. Testing won't take long as the design is identical to the gf one, I'm just going to run in on an extended road trip, wet test it and track test it and assuming no problems it will be fine. (I'm doing all that this week ) 4. Yes its lined in black felty material. Dean, it would be a bit lighter without paint but I doubt by much. Personally it would look excellent in raw cf on a dark car (silver, moonland, black) but not sure on a blue car. Would look nice on yellow too I reckon.

[Thorney]

When you say the normal one, is that the shop one, the OEM one or both?

Shop one weighs between 9-10kgs' OEM one is 12-13kgs I think, CF one is 6 kgs.

[propaganda]

Thorney, If the CF hardtop is ordered as a laquered finish i.e. not colour coded is there any problem in spraying to colour at a later date if you don't like the CF finish? I have a Silver VXT and I must admit I quite like the idea of a Black CF top but I am a little unsure of how this might look (just like the soft top I suppose) or whether it might be a little . What would the durability be like unpainted? PS Any sign of the photos of the CF sill on Silver?

Edited by propaganda, 27 October 2004 - 02:48 PM.

[munkeh]

Any chance of a Photoshop whiz mocking up a carbon fibre version from the photos of Thorney's blue version?

[Thorney]

Oh yeah, sill plates, I forgot. I thunk cf on silver would look good, it looks excellent on the M3 CSl with that combo, would match the cf turbo ears and wing mirrors I'm doing too Durability is no diff to paint, fully laquered. You could paint it afterwards but it would need to be 'keyed' first to ensure paint attached.

[Smiler]

would match the cf turbo ears and wing mirrors I'm doing too

how long till ye gets CF clams then?

[BradW]

Hmmm...getting the CF roof would allow me to put on 6Kg (I have the standard Hard Top) over Christmas and still maintain the same power/weight ratio. In fact it would be even better cos the weight would be distributed lower!

[Jase_MK]

Hmmm...getting the CF roof would allow me to put on 6Kg (I have the standard Hard Top) over Christmas and still maintain the same power/weight ratio.
In fact it would be even better cos the weight would be distributed lower!

So, eating loads of food and becoming a fat b*stard would actually help your cornering? Top idea!

CF hardtop looks way cool - but if weight is an issue then you just leave the roof in the pits surely...

[BradW]

So, eating loads of food and becoming a fat b*stard would actually help your cornering? Top idea!

CF hardtop looks way cool - but if weight is an issue then you just leave the roof in the pits surely...

Point 1: Putting on weight in the right places could be advantageous...but the idea does suffer from the CF Hard-top price! (Not that bad relative to the Standard if bought through Vauxhall though!)

Point 2: Wasn't the CF Hard-Top supposed to be part of Thorneys Aero package? Thus, the little extra weight is compensated by the improved aerodynamic characteristics (For mere mortals I'm sure you're right! ).

[Valentine]

So is the front rubber on mine removable too then?