Hardtop Project

Alvin · Post by **Alvin** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:34 pm

I'm picking up a hardtop for the roadster this weekend. Here are pics of it on Dave's '66/SR20:

There are few things that need attention like the weatherstripping but it's in great condition. My project will be restoring/repainting it in my garage.
The goal is to have a finish that looks somewhat similar to this:

todd lorber · Post by **todd lorber** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:31 pm

Nice Alvin. But why cover up the rear windows.

shifty · Post by **shifty** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:40 pm

Alvin, does the top have texture? Might be hard to smooth out. I remember Michael Carion tried to use bondo to smooth out a hard top - made it very heavy!

Post by **spl310** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:48 pm

I have had a top like that. It was smooth. Are you looking for the nice glossy paint, or to try to replicate the one window style?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:31 pm

spl310 wrote:Are you looking for the nice glossy paint, or to try to replicate the one window style?

Or all of the above?

I love the look of the smooth, glossy, 1 window hardtop. I wish there was something like that for the tall windshield cars.

Post by **spl310** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:57 pm

Dave,

I have good news! I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico!!

Just kidding!

The good news is that there IS a top such as you describe! Nissan produced a factory hardtop for the high windshield cars. Here is a pic:

spriso · Post by **spriso** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:10 pm

The good news is that there IS a top such as you describe! Nissan produced a factory hardtop for the high windshield cars. Here is a pic:

Nissan made them for the low windshield cars too... they are just a lot harder to find!

Michael

Post by **spl310** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:14 pm

But for some odd reason, I can find plenty of pics of the low windshield tops. I have two of those tops here (low windshield), and one has texture on it which is odd. It is a factory top though...

spriso · Post by **spriso** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:20 pm

Here is a better shot of the high-windshield factory hard top on a new Fairlady Roadster:

Here is a shot of the rare low-windshield factory hard top on a 65-6 Fairlady Roadster that I took at a Japanese Nissan dealership a few years ago:

Hope that helps,

Michael

spriso · Post by **spriso** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:26 pm

But for some odd reason, I can find plenty of pics of the low windshield tops. I have two of those tops here (low windshield), and one has texture on it which is odd. It is a factory top though...

We are talking apples and oranges here.

The factory hard tops like I posted in the photos above are very seldom seen here in the USA. I have only seen 2-3 in my years playing roadsters.

There are dozens of versions of hard tops that were sold by Datsun dealers that were made here in the USA. I talked with Jack Scoville (a Datsun dealer since 1963) about this a few years ago and he said that roadster that left their dealership with a hard top on them were whatever the parts department put on the cars.

Most US-made hard tops had the textured finish and some sort of quarter window, be it a port-hole (ala Thunderbird) or a triangle window of sorts. I have seen dozens of different styles, and NONE look anything like the factory hard top that was sold on the cars in Japan (which look correct on the car!)

The top that Alvin is getting is a smooth finish...

Michael

Post by **spl310** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:31 pm

Nope, these are factory tops. The profile is exactly like the red top on the low windshield car you posted. One is smooth, and one is textured. They are not the common Snug Tops or other common tops. The Japanese tops are SUPER light whereas the aftermarket ones were not due to their being double wall construction.

Post by **Datrock** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:52 pm

Wow I never seen Daves car with a hardtop on it...Here is a one window textured high windshield top. Michael, this is the one that was with the brown Tigard car.I'm not sure if it's an Apple or an Orange and I doubt if it is Original, it has no name tags with a slight wrap around on the rear window. The no porthole top does give the car a differant look to it. Bill

SLOroadster · Post by **SLOroadster** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:21 am

I have a hard top I'd like to make go away. It needs some work, but the window is there, as are the latches (I think). Its got a textured finish. I don't fit under it with the miata seats. I also can't stand the reverberation with the windows closed and a loud intake and exhaust with little to no interior. Anyone want it?

Will

Post by **bmccarthy67** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:15 am

Darn Websence blocks many of the photo sites here in Iraq so I can't see all of the top examples, but if your new top is the picture that Bill posted (I can see that one), I'm sure it will look great. I like the look of the smooth tops...especially when they match the body color (like the red modern example). My hardtop has two goofy ridges on the top, but the back window really curves around nicely. Even with the rear seal padding the top still seems to leave wear marks on the paint (could be from vibration or me not keeping the contact area clean). I'm sure your project will come out great Alvin as you've never posted anything yet that was second rate. Good Luck and post the results.

Buddy
[img]http://www.mydatsun.com/Vendor%20logos/ ... 375[1].jpg[/img]

Post by **Datrock** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:50 am

Hi Buddy, I believe my high top is nothing like Alvin's new low top or the ones that Michael and Sid mentioned. I was just showing an example of a one window late model top, I wish it was a smooth surfaced top like the one on your car. I noticed that one of the tops they mentioned may not ride on the painted surface but on the trim around the rear of the drivers compartment. I bet theres over a dozen makes or styles between the 311 models... Bill