who goes topless?

[turbomacncheese]

Ok, not really a fair question. Any daily driver needs a top. But the soft top is about as expensive as the hard top, so I'm trying to get a handle on the other merits. I've only ever ridden in other people's convertibles, so I don't quite know what it's like day to day. FWIW, my commute is about an hour each way, and involves an interstate and a highway, both of which I get to drive at anywhere between 5mph and 70mph, depending on the day.

Benefits I've thought of so far...

Hardtop: Once it's on, it's on. Quieter. Less chance of leaking. Likely better acoustics for the stereo. Roll-up windows

Soft-top/no-top: Open air. Extra cool looking. Open air. Extra cool looking. Open air. Extra cool looking.

Anybody daily drive something without a top? What's your take on it?

[Jeff Kleiner]

My take...an open car out of traffic is a blast. For an hour commute on the interstate combined with stop & go traffic not so much.

Jeff

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Ok, not really a fair question. Any daily driver needs a top. But the soft top is about as expensive as the hard top, so I'm trying to get a handle on the other merits. I've only ever ridden in other people's convertibles, so I don't quite know what it's like day to day. FWIW, my commute is about an hour each way, and involves an interstate and a highway, both of which I get to drive at anywhere between 5mph and 70mph, depending on the day.

Benefits I've thought of so far...
Hardtop: Once it's on, it's on. Quieter. Less chance of leaking. Likely better acoustics for the stereo. Roll-up windows
Soft-top/no-top: Open air. Extra cool looking. Open air. Extra cool looking. Open air. Extra cool looking.
Anybody daily drive something without a top? What's your take on it?

I think a lot depend on where you live and what you use you 818 for.
In Cincinnati, we get rain about 50 days a year and about 20 days a year with snow on the streets.
The 818 is to low and to dangerous to drive in the snow. Most because people with big SUV not knowing how to drive in the snow. My 18 year old son drove his 818S to high school a lot of days last year. I would classify an 818S same as a motorcycle.
So it can be a 75% daily driver around Cincinnati, but he still needs a second car.

In my hardtop daily driver (chevy express van) I use the air conditioning about 180 days a year.

We also track our car. So there is no way I would add the extra weight of air conditioning.
The convertible give you the best of both worlds. But given a choice of driving a Detroit car or any 818 in bad weather. I would go with Detroit.
Bob


My take...an open car out of traffic is a blast. For an hour commute on the interstate combined with stop & go traffic not so much.

Jeff


Jeff,
We trailer it when we come to see you. (100 miles) That is because we are trying to break it on your tarmac.
Then we drive home separately if we fail. Loser drives the tow vehicle.
Bob

[wleehendrick]

I like the simplicity of a pure roadster/spyder and I'm lucky that I can get away with that most of the time where I live. I don't plan on adding either soft or hard top (maybe, just maybe, a bikini top between the windshield and roll-bar to keep to sun off in the hottest months). My commute has little to no traffic, and I don't have to get on the freeway, so I do plan to near-daily my 818 topless. I'll obviously always have another car for mechanical backup and/or bad weather (but that's rare and fairly predictable here).

A co-worker of mine daily drives his 1959 MG Type A. His top and windows are off most of the year, but puts them on for our rainy season. My wife has a convertible, and the top is down nearly all of the time, but we do typically put the side window up for long hauls on the freeway or stuck in traffic.

One thing to consider is that a sealed up small cockpit pretty much necessitates AC for thermal and/or condensation control.

[RM1SepEx]

I have multiple cars but drive the 818 as much as I can. I'll be making a targa hoop and a bikini to to the rear of the humps... Depends where you live. In Maine I rarly use AC in my other cars and my wife and I have the 818 and 4 other convertibles to choose from all summer. (down from 5 others)

I almost consider the 818 a motorcycle

[GoDadGo]

My C-4 Drops Da Top All Da Time Dawlin!

That's NOLA/Who Dat Speak for: My very old 1995 Corvette is driven daily and the top is down unless precipitation is descending from the sky.

All kidding aside, my MK-4 is intended to be a daily driver so I can't wait to make the 70 mile round trip trek in it as soon as possible.

May God Bless Your Ralph Button For You Are My Factory Five Hero!

[turbomacncheese]

I guess I should have mentioned that I live in AZ. So we have pretty predictable weather, too. Great weather from September to May followed by unbearable heat into torrential downpour and back to unbearable heat before making its way back to September. Thanks for all the input. I saw two mentions of targa/bikini. How much work is that?

[STiPWRD]

I guess I should have mentioned that I live in AZ. So we have pretty predictable weather, too. Great weather from September to May followed by unbearable heat into torrential downpour and back to unbearable heat before making its way back to September. Thanks for all the input. I saw two mentions of targa/bikini. How much work is that?
Not much work for the bikini top, that's my plan at the moment (no hard top or soft top).

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?18921-California-Pop-Top

[JeromeS13]

I guess I should have mentioned that I live in AZ. So we have pretty predictable weather, too. Great weather from September to May followed by unbearable heat into torrential downpour and back to unbearable heat before making its way back to September. Thanks for all the input. I saw two mentions of targa/bikini. How much work is that?

I would highly recommend creating some sort of airflow in the cabin. As is, the car was like an oven in the Phoenix sun, even when the ambient temperature was ~ 80 degrees. A bikini top would help a lot, though.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Here is a picture of the type top we are thinking about.
58388

As part of this top, we would have some struts between the roll bar and the top of the windshield. The windshield by itself isn't strong enough to hold the tension of the roof.
Bob

PS: I hate threads without pictures.

[longislandwrx]

/goes topless because wrx
58397

[turbomacncheese]

Thanks, Bob. That looks pretty slick, but I'll need something that can keep the rain out sometimes. Plus, I rolled my windows down today since I was stuck in traffic, and I forgot just how damned hot it gets on the freeway. I'll definitely need something with windows so I can use the AC. Coupe is really starting to look like the practical choice.

[turbomacncheese]

Especially since there is apparently more than one kind of topless, right longisland?

[turbomacncheese]

Spent a little over an hour hanging out with AZPete this afternoon (Thanks again for having us over). Totally sold on the hard top. Pictures are one thing, but that top is SEXY up close.

[AZPete]

Turbo, it was good to meet you and your wife and kids and I'm glad you both liked the hard top. I'm envious that you'll be building with the help of your two youngest. They will be able to do some jobs and hand you tools, but mainly they will forever remember the time with Daddy and the car you built together. Priceless. When you get your 818 I want to come see the red body . . . in my 818 of course.

[Mechie3]

Here is a picture of the type top we are thinking about.
58388

As part of this top, we would have some struts between the roll bar and the top of the windshield. The windshield by itself isn't strong enough to hold the tension of the roof.
Bob

PS: I hate threads without pictures.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?10545-Simple-Soft-Top-(bikini-s-inside!)

Obviously I've made zero progress on that idea in three years. Haha!