QUestion #2: The hard top...

[Guest]

Ok, every picture I see of a roadster with hard top, or pics of hard tops alone, have round side glasses.... but mine are actually squared! I have not seen ANY hard top like mine anywhere! And mine is supposed to be the original one!?! Even other '68's 1600 I've seen have the round ones!

What's the deal with that?

Jorge

[Ldino21]

Jorge

The hardtops were after market items that were not made by Nissan but by outside vendors, many had their own designs. If you are looking for a different one I know that Dean at Fairlady Products needs to unload 2 by Thursday.

Lou Smaldino

[S Allen]

Just a different manufacturer. When the roadsters were new there were a number of different manufacturers of hardtops. Snugtop comes to mind but there were many others plus the factory hardtops. Just look at it has being rare when it comes to hard tops.

Steve

[Guest]

Lou and Steve:

Thanks for the input! It's not like I have a problem with the "different appearance".....I think I'll keep the rare version!

[spl310]

A factory hardtop was available, but VERY few made it to the US. They were very lightweight fiberglass and have no side windows. The shape is sort of a cross between the Snugtop and the Parrish designs. Rather than resting on the body (as most of the aftermarket ones do), they sit on the cockpit trim (the vinyl covered hoop on most cars - 3 piece aluminum affair on the 3 seaters). Finding one is tough, but not that terribly valuable. They are really not as well made as the better aftermarket tops.

On the one that you have Jorge, they were sold through Rallye - if you have his old catalog, there are pictures of it there or go check the used parts page. As I recall, there were two versions of the squared side window tops. One with fixed panes and one with pop out panes - they hinged at the front and popped out at the rear like the old VW bug rear side windows.

[Guest]

Thanks Sid! Mine are the fixed ones....they don't open. However, my top is actually very light though! The thing that surprised me the most is that the inside part of the top is white fiberglass which now I understand is because of it being an aftermarket product. I'll check Rallye's catalog today !

Jorge

[spl310]

No offense, but your top weighs a ton compared to the factory units. They were a single layer of fiberglass - yours is double. Plus, you have more rubber and that adds weight. If you windows are glass rather than plexi, that is even more! Most of the folks that have them don't care for the quality of the OEM top.

I always thought that the double wall construction and the white interior were nice touches.

[Guest]

Sid: I am not offended in any way. I'm actually a living sample of how true it is when they say that ignorance is men worst enemy.....I said mine is light without having others to compare......or I am like Bam-Bam, unaware of my own strenght

I do have glass.....and now that you mention it, carrying that sucker by myself is a hernia waiting to happen!

[Z3BigDaddy]

This would be aftermarket I assume...
<img src=http://mail.roadfly.com/z3bigdaddy/DSC00702.JPG>

[S Allen]

It appears to be an aftermarket top. Personally I do not care for any of the hardtops-aftermarket or stock.

Steve

[Z3BigDaddy]

Welllll me niether do I, but you see the condition of the soft top in front of it... A) it is raining outstide right now... B) I do not own a garage... So I'm likin the htop at the moment...

[Minh]

The look of the hardtops are not as nice.

However, they are "more" water tight than then the softtop. Of course assuming that the all the weather stipping is in good condition.

I am thinking if putting a canvas phantom-top on it to so it would appear more like a softtop would be a bad idea