Lemans Top- A MUST FOR ME!!

[Angelo]

Hi. Names Angelo. New here and to the Cobra scene. Proud owner of this FFR Mll. Picked up a basic but well done build in August of "16. My friends laugh when I tell them that before I even received the title on the car I had already put in an order with Mr. Bruce for this hard top. I enjoyed the car the whole summer topless but couldn't wait for my hard top to arrive. Lots of trimming, filling priming, blocking...... to be done but it worked out even better than I imagined. Everything that appeals to me has to be " race" inspired and although the car I started with was a head turner and conversation starter to begin with, the car is now a magnet to every age and gender. If I had to describe my odd personality it would be that even though the nostalgia of being in such a stunning race car is all me, being seen by everyone at a traffic light is not for me. The top allows the car to shine while I can be less conspicuous. It also allows me to drive the car from April to December. Twice as many months and with the weatherstripping, rain or shine. Preferably shine. Two twist knobs at the top corners of the windshield and two "Quick Latch" button fasteners behind the doors and the top lifts off. Loosen the knobs and pop the latches and the top raises and lowers with electric actuators for trunk access. I'd be happy to pass on any info that might help anyone who's looking to put on a top so feel free to ask. Thanks.

[Angelo]

Car I started with

[Vette1972]

That's a slick conversion! Congrats!!

[Rome]

Wow, that may be one of the best tops I've ever seen, beautiful

[wareaglescott]

looks sharp!

[Angelo]

Thank you guys. These shots show the roll bar with the second bar behind it. That's the bar that raises and lowers the top for trunk access. When the car goes topless the second bar is also removed leaving only the roll bar. I installed a reverse polarity switch on the dash which holds the top at any position

[Angelo]

Shot of the side glass I made. Just about water tight. No whistles in the wind either. Center piece slides out for nicer temperatures. Second shot is the car getting a two stage polish and Arctic Coating which is a seriously hard ceramic coating for paint protection and a windshield that doesn't need wipers. Water wants nothing to do with this coating. Better than Rainex

[cgundermann]

Very nicely done! She's a looker...

[R. Button]

well done!! Nicely thought out too!

[KDubU]

Love the Lemans top too and yours looks awesome. Mr Bruce makes a nice one but concern for me is all the extra work to get it to fit and finished. Looks like you did just fine.

[cfriedman67]

Looks beautiful! Where did you get the roll-bar? Did you buy it or fabricate it? I love the idea of a single roll-bar that covers both passenger and driver.

[RoadRacer]

Stunning looking car!

[Angelo]

Fabricated st a chassis shop. I made sure that the verticals were not 90° to the horizontal bar because it looks too much like a truck to me. They are angled to mimic the shape of the rear quarter. With a tiny peek in the centre of the crossbar. It's all one piece but it is slightly tilted back just above the body. Comes within half an inch of the hard top inside the car.

[Angelo]

Thank you. My background is in design in the construction industry but great lines are great lines and to me the Cobra's focus shifts from the center of the car, at the driver seat with no top on, to just above the rear tires to a more slung back look when the top is on.

[RoadRacer]

And such a difference bigger lettered tires make..

[wareaglescott]

Looks great. That first picture you posted is amazing. Love the non traditional look! Well done!

[Railroad]

One of the few tops that looks good on the roadster. Nice!

[Gumball]

WOW!!! love that addition and the work that you did to accomplish it. Thanks for sharing.

[Derald Rice]

It's great to see that you had a plan and then followed through to a well executed completion.

Nicely done, and on top of that, it is not an often seen combination that works very well.

[Yama-Bro]

Good job. It looks really nice. The wheels and tires make a big difference too.

[Avalanche325]

Beautiful! I have a thing for the Le Mans tops.

[Angelo]

Agreed. If it's a drag racer then I like the Dragon Snake top. Fat slicks, gasser stance, gold engine turned graphics. Ya!! Dragon Snake. As for a road/track car, it has to be the Lemans top with that whole low fastback look. I thought I'd add this link to the build for more clarity and detail.

http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/123160-ROADSTER-COBRA-65-Before-amp-After

[Paquette173]

Wow looks amazing !! I got my top from bruce in realy ruff shape with missing hardware. I will have more hours on my top then the mk4 body !

Any pictures of the latch hardtop to windshield ? What weatherstrip did you take ?

[Dan Babb]

I got my top from bruce in realy ruff shape with missing hardware.?

Heard that from more than one person...that's what's stopping me from buying his hardtop. People don't realize how far news of a bad experience travels.

[Angelo]

Not to defend Mr. Bruce. I'm sure he.can speak for himself. My experience is that it's 1500 bucks for basically a good starting point. I know what it takes to make fibreglass pieces and to have a top that needs just a scuff and paint would be far more than that. I'm in the process of makeing a widebody 71 mustang fastback and all my new parts are in glass. Your right about his top being ruff but it's a one top fits all and there are many manufacturers of cobra kits. Each kits body has a slightly different profile so the top is undercut by the purchaser to fit their own car. There is a place in the UK that makes one but it was 7 or 8 grand Canadian plus shipping from the U.K. No thanks. If there is anyone that wants the top bad enough, like I did lol, I'd be happy to give a play by play to get you there on your own for no more than 4 grand in parts and paint and many many hours. 300 in my case but that's for a lot of discovery to make the top electric and design all the brackets and roll bar. I also have a template for the rear glass that I could trace and ship off to anyone who needs it. Cheers.

[AC Bill]

It is a wonderful looking car all around, and the hardtop does not take away from it. If anything, it adds to it.
If I could still get in and out of my roadster with it on, I could easily live with that..lol

I wondered though, how you deal with such a large blind spot, and not having a right hand rear view mirror of any sort? Can you get away safely, with a shoulder check out the rear windscreen?

[Angelo]

I can't say it's been a problem Bill. I barley rely on my drivers side mirror either. I'm just very aware of who's next to me and I accelerate to pass then it's never an issue. I always drive with escape routes in mind with all my cars so I'm never left with no options if I can help it. There are still those brainless people on their phones to concider and that's why I still have to make a couple of head rests so I don't snap my neck on the body line just above the seat in the event that of a rear end. I've been driving about 23,000 miles a year for over 30 years so almost 3/4 of a million miles with no accidents but in the past two years I've been rear ended and side swiped in my F150. Both by people on their phones. Besides all that. I find that although the car draws people to it, but nobody , with their window open wants to be beside my side pipes and sitting in my blind spot !! Lol.

[Angelo]

I dread the day one of my classic cars gets done in that way. Especially for stupidity. I'd like to think I'd stay cool but......let's just say I didn't spend any time building my F150

[Angelo]

First cruise night of the season and we ran into a sweet Kirkham and a CSX. Stunning as they were, my son and I were amazed at the amount of attention our car got. We were sitting further away from the car and observing and the reaction to the top was very uplifting. Looking forward to hitting more shows as much as I look forward to driving it. Such a fun yet sexy race car.

[Mark Dougherty]

you nailed it
I really like this build
Now if I could get Bruce to pick up the phone.
I have a customer who wants to do what you did.
Ill be talking to you more about your hinge

[Joecobr]

Great make over. The top looks great. It is so difficult to get the right lines but you nailed it. I am about a year away from completing my build in Ancaster, Ontario.

[Angelo]

Fantastic! I was at Knollwood Golf course in Ancaster yesterday with my wife and kids. Then I went home, shined up the Cobra and hit that show in Woodbridge at the AMC theatre lot.

[Angelo]

Hey Mark. I'm happy to help. When your ready send me an email address and I will send you a vid of the way it's set up. Can't figure out how to send vids on any of these forums I'm on.

[Connedale]

Angelo, can you provide details on how you sealed up front and the position of the pivot? I am having a hard time visualizing how the pivot can be below the front lip and the lip not interfere with the windshield when opening. Great job by the way! Love for this kind of car and good taste seem to be mutually exclusive judging by some of the custom choices I have seen!

[flynntuna]

I have the same question, this is a great idea! Thank you for sharing your ingenuity.

[Angelo]

I am sorry for the late reply. I have been doing more driving and less surfing on this site this summer. It is far easier for me to show you a video then to try am verbally explain it. If someone can show me how to post a video on here I would be happy to. Otherwise PM me your email account and I will send it that way.

[Connedale]

Sent a PM Angelo

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Very Nice!! First top I have seen that I would look into if I lived in a less roadster friendly environment.