Topless 2005
7/31/04, 06:49 PM
#1
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
OK I am typing on my knees!!!!!
Ford dealers, Ford engineers, you must figure out how to build a convertible that can accept a hard top also. Mercedes could do it in 69 with out it leaking. Why can't you? I say that because of the 90's when I was told you tried to do it, I really want a convertible with a hard top for the winter. Yes it will be a little heavier but with a convertible it already is heavier. I don't care about the 100 pounds ok 200. Again typing and begging on my knees!
Ford dealers, Ford engineers, you must figure out how to build a convertible that can accept a hard top also. Mercedes could do it in 69 with out it leaking. Why can't you? I say that because of the 90's when I was told you tried to do it, I really want a convertible with a hard top for the winter. Yes it will be a little heavier but with a convertible it already is heavier. I don't care about the 100 pounds ok 200. Again typing and begging on my knees!
7/31/04, 06:52 PM
#2
I am sure they would love to make your wish come true,
problem is, every convertible hard top on the market is very expensive, that would effectifley price Mustang convertibles out of their market.
problem is, every convertible hard top on the market is very expensive, that would effectifley price Mustang convertibles out of their market.
7/31/04, 07:35 PM
#5
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Originally posted by Galaxie@July 31, 2004, 6:55 PM
I am sure they would love to make your wish come true,
problem is, every convertible hard top on the market is very expensive, that would effectifley price Mustang convertibles out of their market.
I am sure they would love to make your wish come true,
problem is, every convertible hard top on the market is very expensive, that would effectifley price Mustang convertibles out of their market.
7/31/04, 07:53 PM
#6
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Originally posted by MustangMan311@July 31, 2004, 8:06 PM
I still don't get why they make us spend thousands more for less body work....
I still don't get why they make us spend thousands more for less body work....
7/31/04, 08:02 PM
#7
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
Just to clarify I want a softtop with a hartop option. Take it off aned hang it from the garage ceiling or put it on a stand. Not a true hard top convertible. That way they can make it an option. Get the softtop and make the one piece hardtop as an add. You have a choice, no increase for someone who does not want it. Yeah there will be a little more money to make the car capable of having the hardtop.
7/31/04, 08:10 PM
#8
Mach 1 Member
My neighbor has a bmw z8, and it has a hard top that you can put on. I helped him put it on once. It goes on pretty easy, just put the soft top down, put the hard top on the car only takes 2 people , and tighten the two bolts in the windshield, and two at the back, and its done. If ford made the converts to have a hole in the windshield frame and behind the rear seats, then it would most likely be possible to do this, and make it an option, so the base price of the convert would not increase too much.
7/31/04, 08:10 PM
#9
Oh, I also want to state that there will probly be a hardtop kit offered within the next two or three years. i've seen them on the SN-95s and they look pretty good so don't get too discouraged.
7/31/04, 08:43 PM
#11
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Originally posted by pebkac@July 31, 2004, 8:05 PM
Just to clarify I want a softtop with a hartop option. Take it off aned hang it from the garage ceiling or put it on a stand. Not a true hard top convertible. That way they can make it an option. Get the softtop and make the one piece hardtop as an add. You have a choice, no increase for someone who does not want it. Yeah there will be a little more money to make the car capable of having the hardtop.
Just to clarify I want a softtop with a hartop option. Take it off aned hang it from the garage ceiling or put it on a stand. Not a true hard top convertible. That way they can make it an option. Get the softtop and make the one piece hardtop as an add. You have a choice, no increase for someone who does not want it. Yeah there will be a little more money to make the car capable of having the hardtop.
7/31/04, 08:59 PM
#12
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
Originally posted by pebkac@July 31, 2004, 8:34 PM
OK elaborate on this kit you talk about. I have looked all over the net to see if I could find an add on hard top for current stangs and can find nothing.
OK elaborate on this kit you talk about. I have looked all over the net to see if I could find an add on hard top for current stangs and can find nothing.
7/31/04, 09:31 PM
#13
Legacy TMS Member
Historical diatribe ahoy!
The 1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird was available with either or both a soft and a hard top. I should know, my dad had 3 of them at once one time. We rebuilt, twice, the 1957 Bronze one with a white non-porthole '57 correct hard top with white soft top. Pretty car. Nothin' like the 312 Y block burblin' along... I got to drive it for a year of high school. That was fun.
Anyway, to the hard top:
Weirdly enough, the windshield header panel was the same through all three years, but the rear mount points are year specific. Very strange. But then again, this IS a Ford, right?
Both tops mounted with standard flip-to-lock clamps at the windshield, and turning handles (like a door handle?) on the back. There were two holes each in the rear plates, one for the soft top, and one for the hard Don't really know why, but the hard top was about 2 inches longer to the back... Oh yeah, there were two more clamps right at the door corners where the top made it start up around the window. Those seemed to be year specific too...
The top was a fiberglass shell with interior headliner and rubber on the edges. It worked quite well, but was heavy, and what to do with the thing was the problem.
This *IS* possible to produce for the Mustang, but the one thing that would be required is a place to clamp the back of the hard top. Holes in the sheetmetal with heavy plates just in front of the trunk would work, if there was enough room. Otherwise, how would one do this?
I've never seen the Cobra one. I'm sure it's quite unique and works adequately. They seemed to have problems making them, and selling them, which is why you don't see them today. I wonder if the problem was they were trying to make it TOO light, and therefore it was warping and leaking, both water, and more importantly, air, which woud make road noise too badly.
I also wonder how the T-Bird hard tops of today are selling...
The 1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird was available with either or both a soft and a hard top. I should know, my dad had 3 of them at once one time. We rebuilt, twice, the 1957 Bronze one with a white non-porthole '57 correct hard top with white soft top. Pretty car. Nothin' like the 312 Y block burblin' along... I got to drive it for a year of high school. That was fun.
Anyway, to the hard top:Weirdly enough, the windshield header panel was the same through all three years, but the rear mount points are year specific. Very strange. But then again, this IS a Ford, right?
Both tops mounted with standard flip-to-lock clamps at the windshield, and turning handles (like a door handle?) on the back. There were two holes each in the rear plates, one for the soft top, and one for the hard Don't really know why, but the hard top was about 2 inches longer to the back... Oh yeah, there were two more clamps right at the door corners where the top made it start up around the window. Those seemed to be year specific too...
The top was a fiberglass shell with interior headliner and rubber on the edges. It worked quite well, but was heavy, and what to do with the thing was the problem.
This *IS* possible to produce for the Mustang, but the one thing that would be required is a place to clamp the back of the hard top. Holes in the sheetmetal with heavy plates just in front of the trunk would work, if there was enough room. Otherwise, how would one do this?
I've never seen the Cobra one. I'm sure it's quite unique and works adequately. They seemed to have problems making them, and selling them, which is why you don't see them today. I wonder if the problem was they were trying to make it TOO light, and therefore it was warping and leaking, both water, and more importantly, air, which woud make road noise too badly.
I also wonder how the T-Bird hard tops of today are selling...
7/31/04, 10:53 PM
#15
Team Mustang Source
Originally posted by Dr Iven+July 31, 2004, 7:56 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Dr Iven @ July 31, 2004, 7:56 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-MustangMan311@July 31, 2004, 8:06 PM
I still don't get why they make us spend thousands more for less body work....
I still don't get why they make us spend thousands more for less body work....
[/b][/quote]also, must consider chassis strengthening/stiffening. Convertibles flex by nature. Some of the extra cost goes into beefing up the chassis.
BTW, tonight, here in Indiana, it was 75 degrees, slightly humid and freakin' beautiful outside. It wouldn't matter what kind of top you had it would be down/off the car. These are the summer nights convertibles were invented for.
8/1/04, 01:25 AM
#16
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If enough people would pay for a removable hardtop, and they could make money, they would. Ford has many, MANY bean counters. Trust me, if they could make significant money, they'd do it.
Do you think they should do it "just because"?
Do you think they should do it "just because"?
8/1/04, 06:44 AM
#17
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
THe tbird top is exactly I am looking for. Weight is not a factor for me as the top would sit in the garage most of the time. Put it on a hoist or pulley system to take it off and on. Why should Ford do it? Because I want one of course.
This is the deal. My wife likes me with the top down. I want the top down. I also love the line of the hatdtop. I want to put it on in the winter when there is no chance in heck of putting the top down. I think that enough would buy it top make profitable.
At a minimum Ford make the top so we can make our own hard top so you don't have to. Maybe a kit or after market tops would then be available.
This is the deal. My wife likes me with the top down. I want the top down. I also love the line of the hatdtop. I want to put it on in the winter when there is no chance in heck of putting the top down. I think that enough would buy it top make profitable.
At a minimum Ford make the top so we can make our own hard top so you don't have to. Maybe a kit or after market tops would then be available.
8/1/04, 08:47 AM
#18
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Originally posted by pebkac+July 31, 2004, 9:02 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (pebkac @ July 31, 2004, 9:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-pebkac@July 31, 2004, 8:34 PM
OK elaborate on this kit you talk about. I have looked all over the net to see if I could find an add on hard top for current stangs and can find nothing.
OK elaborate on this kit you talk about. I have looked all over the net to see if I could find an add on hard top for current stangs and can find nothing.
If I'm reading right, you are saying there is a hardtop option for my car that is not the cobra...please tell me where...
8/1/04, 09:22 AM
#19
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
Yes, in 95 they had an option for the hartop. It was exactly as I stated put it on with top down you have a non topless stang. Take it off and put it on a stand. I was searching for aftermarket and happened across a 95 Cobra on ebay or some other auction site with one on it. Everything I have read about it is that Ford discontinued this option as the engineers could not get the top to stop leaking. Where it was leaking, I do not know. only 499 were made in 95 so it may not have been an option it may have been a special edition. Good luck in your search.
Here is one but no picture of the hard top.
http://www.cars-on-line.com/95must16222.html
Here is one but no picture of the hard top.
http://www.cars-on-line.com/95must16222.html