craigg

?????????????

You may not realize the soft-top tucks away so nicely it is barely noticible - but it is there.

Control It

I have been playing with the idea of a hardtop too...Now I know I want one!

Umm...forgive the stupid question but I guess I am looking for a matching Silver Hardtop...Or are you guys having them painted?

Off to Ebay I go!

Mark

Scott in Texas

Take a look at this photo. There behind the seats and the roll bar is the position of the soft top in the top down position.
<img src="http://gallery.rennlist.com/albums/Scott-J-Duncan/interior.jpg" alt=" - " />

TNH 986

I just bought my boxster a few weeks ago, and the hardtop is what sold it for me.

I also just got my windows tinted, and you can't tint the soft top rear window, but you can tint the rear window on the hard top.

It does look like a different car with the hard top on. I would get it. Its much cheaper then some of the hard tops for other cars, ie Miatas and S2K's.

ettsn

I have a friend who does composites (CF) who is going to take measurements of my HT to see about making one for me (probably mostly for track use, real carbon fiber, likely around 15-18# vs. 55# for the Al HT). The mold will be expensive, so obviously it's cheaper per roof if more people want one. I'm also looking into lining it with alcantara, and looking at both glass and lexan window options. No idea on price yet, just trying to decide if I should pursue it. I'm not going into business here, rather just trying to share layup costs. So...

If there was a CF roof available, would any of you be interested?

-Paul

craigg

Yes

Turboflyer

Sure but it needs to be from prepeg to be as light as possible and there could be some interesting development of the attachment hardware. Is he going to use you top to make the mold? Lexan is great tough stuff but scratches are inpossible to remove. Would suggest plexi glass, smoked or just glass. I personally would like my interior bare and would line it with either black or Boxster red leather over a thin heat barrier. Well there are few of my thoughts.
Sound interesting though. Have any pictures of his work?

ettsn

He is going to use my roof for a mold. Shouldn't have to be prepregnated. He's planning on a 4-6 ply layup, likely 90-45-90. Lexan is GE's brand name for plexiglass. We're looking at regular glass options now, but plexi could always be an option for weight reasons. The mounting hardware will likely be done in billet aluminum on a CNC mill.

Pictures? Not directly, but he spent all last year making those HANS devices you see everybody wearing these days! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

-Paul

Turboflyer

Might check on the Lexan and plexiglas. They are two totally different materials. I would rather see glass anyway. The weight difference could be
quite a bit between a wet layup and prepreg. Cost would be different as well, but we are use to that problem with the P word. Still much interested just dont want a boat on top of the car. Hope it developes. There are all kinds of carbon fiber parts out there but having an avaition maintenance reference points has shown me there is a considerable difference in construction methoyds and materials.

ettsn

Lexan is GE's brand of optically transparent polycarbonate thermoplastic, and could be considered a type of plexiglass (generic term for clear polycarbonate plastics). Semantics, I suppose. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> I find Lexan to be the optically superior type, generally. Also, Lexan is very strong so it could be made thinner than other plexis.

The intention is to autoclave and vacuum bag it to get much of the resin out, so the weight difference will be negligible versus prepreg. The main issues with prepreg are cost, need for refrigeration and order quantity. Unless we're going to be making 10-20 of these, prepreg would add a LOT more to the cost for little additional benefit.

I'm going to have him take some more specific measurements soon and get a pretty good estimate for cost. I'll let you guys know something soon.

Thanks, all!

-Paul