Vert Hardtop Questons

[BrettsE30]

I just purchased a hardtop for my vert from m a local yard. It is currently mounted to a 30 thats been sitting for years. My question is what do i need to take off that car to make the top work on my car. Also does anyone have any pics of how the pins? or brackets? mount. I know im gettng ahead of myself here but anyone know what kind of bike rack i can get to mounton the hardtop?

[Mossman]

bike rack is unobtainium, you'll probably have to fab something up. There are threaded lugs with allen bolts in them holding the rain gutters down that you could use to secure something.

Unless someone removed them your car should have the mounting recepticles already. They're what the little rubber plugs in your vert hinge area are pushed down into. All you need is a wrench to remove the top, 11mm I believe. 1/4 turn counter clockwise and it'll come up and be free. Front latches are just like the soft top. If you find a spanner type wrench in the car grab that, it's for adjusting the hard top's big star shaped nut, but it's not necessary.

[E30m42cab]

yup, nothing needs to come off the car you're taking the roof from. Very simple install/removal.

[BrettsE30]

I looked at it again. Its missing a cover for the passenger side mount pin spot. as soon as i get my fuel pump ill go pick it up. The inside is shot. Is it standard seat or headliner fabric?

[flyboyx]

no, it is specific headliner fabric to the hard top. it is grey. i wouldn't worry about it unless you are paying top dollar for it. an upholstery shop can glue something in there for you that will look pretty good. hopefully the liner is there to use as a pattern for a new one. that will cost in the neighborhood of 300.00. more important are the seals. take a 5 gallon bucket of water out to the car and dump it anywhere there is an area that can leak. chances are if it has been sitting out side for years the seals are bad and that will make your top really really expensive. how is the vinyl on the outside? it has a tendency to separate over that scallop behind the rear side windows. if the outside fabric is bad, that will cost about 4-500 generally to fix. if you want to have it painted to match your car, that will also cost at least that much or more.

so, if the top has bad seals, bad vinyl, and bad headliner, it will cost (a lot) more to fix that it costs to purchase a pristine example. to illustrate the point, if the top costs 300.00 and you need to replace everything, you will lose big time unless you happen to know how to do all this stuff yourself.

the mounting points for the top. i believe the earliest verts did not come with these. pretty sure they were standard sometime in the mid 87 model year.

[naplesE30]

The rubber seals are the only thing I would really worry about. There is someone on here that sells pre cut/sewn headliner for I want to say $150 or their abouts, its a very easy diy job. As for the painting do the prep yourself and it should not be to expensive. If the seals are bad their is no way to go cheap on that one, and its a must to replace quickly. As for removal mossman is on the money, look for the wrench as they are hard to find, most people lose them.

[Danny]

Weld on a roof.

[BrettsE30]

Outside Material is shot. I Will be colormatching and spraying with the rest of the car. Can you just pull the rubbery stuff off? The headliner is there but its sagging. I'm not worried about oem fabric, I'll just have my upholstry guy put something else up there. Seals I have no idea if they're good or not. For what I picked it up for and for how bad my soft top leaks I could live with some drips for now. Thanks for your imput. Just waiting on a fuel pump now so I can get her back on the road.

[vlad]

painting the hard top will be expensive if done right, requires a lot of prep work and sanding and needs special bondo material because the top itself is made of a cork like material









your main concern should be the window and the seals, everything else can be fixed

[BrettsE30]

Do you know what the special bondo is called? 99% of the prep work will be performed by myself and the paint will be done at a local shop. Im not concerned with material costs, I want to do it right the first time. The inside of the donor car is bone dry so im assuming the seals are in good shape. The window is immaculant. Like everyone said, the outside and headliner are fixable.

[DRTSRFR]

Here's a great write-up...

Be ready for ALOT of labor...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=144754&highlight=paint+hardtop

I think the "Bondo" Vlad is speaking of is "kitty hair".

[BrettsE30]

Pics of said hardtop

[BrettsE30]

[BrettsE30]

[Tico Frank]

Nice grab if the price was right.