When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
ConvertiblesDiscussed here are problems and solutions to convertible specific questions, including difficult to find part numbers and other convertible tech help.
I know this has been discussed a bunch. I've searched. I haven't come across this particular idea though.
Has anyone considered taking a spare convertible top, and then applying resin directly to the fabric? Obviously the interior and body would need to be well masked/draped with a drop cloth. Once that dries additional layers of glass can be laid over that to build up structure.
Once dried, the top should be rigid enough to just release from the header latches and rear post. I would think two additional attachment points at the rear of the door would also be a good idea, would have to figure that out.
This way, no fabricating a structure from scratch, it would keep the great looking lines of the stock top (in my opinion), and should provide great protection for the 'off' season. Painted a semi gloss or flat black it would even still look like a convertible top, but provide all the advantages of a hard top.
At a high level, any thoughts on this? I might have a line on a decent top I could give this a shot with.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
Let's face facts. Our convertibles are the best cars in the world - with the tops down. With the tops up, not so much. Poor visibility, leak air and water, no security. They are kind of like an emergency inclement weather top vs a useable all weather top. It makes you appreciate what driving a '50's MG in the rain was like.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
Originally Posted by chazman
Let's face facts. Our convertibles are the best cars in the world - with the tops down. With the tops up, not so much. Poor visibility, leak air and water, no security. They are kind of like an emergency inclement weather top vs a useable all weather top. It makes you appreciate what driving a '50's MG in the rain was like.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
I had a '95 Mustang GT convertible, 2 latches and push a button, top up or down. Looked nice, didn't leak air or water...
My '92 Firebird convertible...what were they thinking? I appreciate the lack of electrical gizmos and doohickeys to operate the top, but has anyone ever counted how many steps there are in actually raising/lowering the top? Compared to, say, a Miata?
It makes driving with the top down in Florida especially interesting in the summer, since it rains every day - you have to be prepared to pull over at any moment to run around the car like a mad man trying to get the top up before you're drenched, lol.
I second a need for a better soft top, either some slight improvements to the basic design or a complete re-design of the frame itself. Hard tops are a pain in the bum.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
The 91'ish Mustangs we had around here for awhile were dog excrement compared to an ASC thirdgen. Unlatch the top, hit the button, hold it down and count to 100, don't open your eyes early I might come back and check! Then get the stupid *** parade boot out of the trunk and start trying to clip it in without ripping the corny plastic covers off the 1/4s. Going back up wasn't any easier, hold the button until infinity, still have to grab the top and streeeeeeeetttttccccchhhhhh the vinyl to get it to just barely latch... Not to mention rolling all four slow *** windows up and down, or the way that the top never ever ever ever ever sealed anywhere...
Meanwhile, on the ASC thirdgen, two latches, pull the handy rear top release, lift up the back of the top, push down a little on the tonneau, hit the remote release, tonneau swings up, fold the top back into the trunk, close the tonneau, cruise away. It's really easier than T-tops even. Still one of the slickest drop top conversions I've ever dealt with.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
I have no experience with a top other than a fourth gen. While it was easy to deal with while in car, I’d never trade the tonneau cover for tacky covers or no cover. I have found the top very quick and easy to put up or down.
Only way to beat it imo is a hardtop vert or a removable hardtop.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
It's an opinion.
On my 3rd gen it's:
1.) Get in the car and swing down both floppy sun visors.
2.) Unlatch both of the 1st bow latches.
3.) Turn the ignition key to 'On' and lower the power windows - this seems glacially slow even with new AC Delco motors and a relay kit w/ new switches - going up is even worse. If you don't lower the windows you risk bending or breaking the side rods that get the top over the rear seat.
4.) Get out of the car and pull the handle to pop the fifth bow.
5.) Lift up the 5th bow and push the switch to pop the tonneau solenoids, hoping that they both work. If one or both do not, then lower the rear seat and pull on the manual cables.
6.) Stuff the top into the tonneau opening and then turn both latches to the locked position, first the driver's side then the passenger's side (yes, it's recommended by the factory that you do this prior to closing the tonneau).
7.) Press down on the tonneau from the passenger's side to the driver's side and hope it latches in place (my driver's side wouldn't until I shimmed it).
8.) Get in the car, start it and cruise away!
I've only ever owned one Mustang and it was a '95, but once the latches were undone you hit a button and the top and all of the windows went down automatically. I never timed it, but it seemed pretty quick to me and certainly a lot quicker than the steps outlined above. I never used a boot (I'm not sure if it even had one) and the top was nice & airtight/watertight. I didn't like the rest of the car that much (other than the stock Mach 460 stereo), and I didn't keep it for long, but the top was top notch.
As far as being water-resistant goes (I'll gladly settle for 'resistant' rather than 'proof'), maybe someday I'll find the right magical combination of NOS GM weatherstripping that won't leak. It's a challenge, given the fact that no two 3rd gen convertibles appear to be the same due to the amount of hand-assembly & fabrication performed at the factory.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
Mine is all said and done in seconds.
Far far faster than any power system will do it.
basic maintenance will keep solenoids popping and latches working.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
I just love how the convertible top on Fox Mustangs looks like it belongs on a completely different car. Kind of fits like a saddle on a sow. On the other hand, I've never been anything but impressed with my 91 RS convertible. Maybe it's just because it's in good condition, or maybe because I've only ever driven it with the top up when it was 110* and I wanted to run the air... Never really bothered me.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
I'm not sure what maintenance can be done on the tonneau solenoids - one of mine didn't work electrically and it didn't appear to be serviceable or that I could take it apart. I had to buy a used pair for $$$ just to get one that did work and even one of them had a broken cable. GM's not making them anymore so obviously that's a concern.
When it comes to looks and not functionality or ease of use, it's even more of an opinion - the cars in the above photo don't appear odd or out of the ordinary with regards to the convertible tops, at least to me(?)
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
This is the first vert I have owned. I had a 78' Jeep CJ7 with the soft "top". Not really a vert in my mind. Most verts look bad, the tops look like an after thought, the way most had that bubble in the top when cruising down the highway, the way the tops just fold back and sit there all crumpled up. The PT Cruiser Vert are about the worst looking to me!
These third gens, no power and all, hands down the best, top up or down. Kinda reminds me of the old British sports car that did not have a top.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
Thinking about this more, my main motivation would be to better seal up the car for rainy weather and the off season. Probably not worth it for the amount of work it would take. Guess I'll just have to live with the fact that I can see out of parts of the car I shouldn't be able to when the top is up
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
The solenoids are very simple. They ground through the mounting brackets. Sometimes the brackets get rusty and the connection not so good. I cleaned mine up and they work like new. They also won't fire if the top is putting pressure on the closed cover. The top should tuck down way below the cover and put no pressure on it. On mine, the first bow from the cover needs to tuck into the storage first. If I just swing my top closed, the second bow goes in first and creates a slight jam and a little rise that puts a little pressure on the cover when closed. Once I figured out the bow thing, it all works great.
Re: Third Gen Convertible Hard Top (Realistic Idea?)
I agree the solenoids are very simple, I have two that don't work electrically - this is testing with the battery in the car and hooked up directly to the solenoid. There's only one positive connection and a ground through the metal casing of the solenoid. No corrosion, just don't work.
I found that the two solenoids I did have that worked electrically were weak and didn't travel as far as they should - so I took up the slack by taking a small nut, slicing one side with a Dremel cutting wheel, and placing it over the steel cable and crimping it in place with pliers. Works okay now.
I find a slight amount of pressure pushing up on the closed tonneau is a good thing and helps the weak solenoids pop it open. On my convertible top, the 5th bow goes in first once the top is folded down into the opening with the tonneau raised - not sure how the 2nd or 1st bows would go in first(?)
Incidentally, I got caught in the rain today with the top down on the way home from work - had to pull over, get out, pop the tonneau solenoids, flip the driver's latch, run over to the passenger's side and flip that latch, close the convertible top, flip the latches, close the windows, close the tonneau cover and push down and secure the convertible top 5th bow to the tonneau cover.
Needless to say, I got soaked, lol.
The cars look great with the top down, but not so much with the top up, IMO - it changes the lines & the silhouette of the car quite a bit from the hardtop/t-tops cars and the top itself doesn't fit well on the 5th bow since the edge of the top tends to stick out horizontally, creating a gap between the top and the tonneau cover.
07-27-2018, 07:56 AM
