Soft top noise question

[usafajk610]

In pre planning for a build. Haven't decided on what car I would prefer to have though the coupe is winning out at the moment. But I can be into the mk4 for a lower initial investment.

That being said, I'd want to have a roof for the roadster (hence why the coupe is more appealing currently) and was wondering what anyone's experience was with the FFR soft top for the roadster?

Noise? Airflow with and without wind wings? Water resistance?

Or if I want a car with the roof go for the coupe? All options selected for each kit (complete kit, would use same engine and Trans from blueprint in either car) the mk4 comes in about $4k cheaper not including wheels and tires (which is yet to be decided on). But is the soft top worth it if I want it at $3600 or for the difference spend the extra on the coupe?

[Avalanche325]

Here is real world soft top advice.

The top itself is very quiet. There is no flapping. You can get a pop when on a bridge in a cross wind and it pulls up hard on the bows.
The top is not 100% waterproof. In heavy rain, you will get drips. I have a black hand towel that lives behind my seat.
You will want wind wings top or not.
Overall road, exhaust, engine noise is a little louder with the top on.
My top goes on for most of the summer here in Florida to stay out of the sun. Off for Florida driving season the other 9 months.

If you want a roof 100% of the time, there are hard tops for the roadster. They add a bit of work.

My advice is get the car that you really want. Even if you have to wait longer. When I was younger, I had several cars that there was a better version of. So I liked my car but really wanted the GT or whatever version. I would never do that now. Get the one I want, or not at all is how I am now.

[Papa]

My experience with the top is somewhat limited. I also bought the top more for the sun protection than for the wet or cold weather. I installed the top when my car was first completed and drove with it for the first couple of months. The top fits very well and does not flap in the wind. I never installed the snaps and haven't used the side windows. The airflow seemed fine to me with no buffeting, etc.. It isn't advertised on the FFR catalog site, but Rod Tops (the manufacturer) can customize the top in several ways at additional cost. I took advantage of the option to make the rear window zippered so I can open it if I need more air flow through the cabin. They can also add quarter windows to improve visibility, and can even make your top with different colored fabric if you don't want black. I love the top, and feel the quality justifies the cost, but I'm actually considering a Bimini top for a more open feel with sun protection.

[Avalanche325]

Good point Papa. Quarter windows and the roll down rear are a must in my book.

[GTBradley]

I have some decent experience with my Whitby soft top now and I like it for long trips on the interstate highway. At 80+ MPH the wind really wears on you. The Whitby is half the cost, but not as refined looking and requires the studs mounted on the body, which is partly why I went with the old style. For sun, its excellent, for rain it’s good but as said it will leak at the top of the windscreen. It does not help with engine noise, but does knock down wind noise if you use the side windows. Wind flow is very good without the windows and with them you’ll need fresh air vents. I’ve found it to be decently warm with a heater, as well.

Overall, I wouldn’t do one of these cars without it, but it depends on how you’ll use it.

[usafajk610]

Thought process is for trips to visit family in the Charlotte area. We'll be about 3 hours away in northeast Georgia. The coupe seemed like a no brainer in that regard but otherwise just driving around I don't necessarily need a roof other than random rain storms the south tends to get. Was more for comfort interstate wise. I've been riding motorcycles the last 2-3 years and there is nothing worse than lack of wind protection on a longer trip.

Space for bags for a 3-4 day trip is better in the coupe but for 2-3 times a year I'd make that trip is it worth buying the coupe or the roadster. Being more enclosed all the time in the coupe I was advised to do AC which I didn't originally think I'd do and adds to the higher cost there. If I forgo AC the difference in initial investment is a little closer

[rich grsc]

The coupe is way louder than the roadster, almost like setting inside of a drum.

[usafajk610]

That's the kind of feedback I'm looking for. I figured it would kind of be noisy, enclosed car and such. I've seen some in car videos of cup series trucks owned by individuals and they're loud inside. So I think the roadster may be the way to go. I won't have to do AC, can get the top at a later date and just drive and enjoy the car after I finish it.

[Avalanche325]

My opinion. .... Build the car for the 98% of the driving that you will do. Not the other 2%. I need a pickup maybe twice a year. I hate driving trucks, so I borrow or rent one those two days. I enjoy my car the other 363 days a year.

[GTBradley]

The only way to get away from the noise is quieter pipes, which are available.

I just did a 14 hour trip over two days. On the first leg I really couldn’t exceed mid 80’s and still control my wide-brimmed hat. It felt like an adventure, but the return leg was with the top on and half of that was with windows in for rain, still adventurous, but less stressful.

[usafajk610]

Avalanche325
For the daily driving I have my Ranger. So it would be for the enjoyment of just driving. I'm trying to get away from motorcycles at this point but still want that visceral feeling. I think either car would suit the 98% of driving I'd do in it. Even forgoing AC in the coupe if that's the car I go with. The roadster offers the option to go top or not. Which I enjoyed when I had my jeep.

GTBradley
I'm expecting more "rattle echo" from the coupe due to it being enclosed. Loud pipes don't bother me. I've got a 2 into 1 on my current motorcycle that dumps out the right side 6" back and 3-4ft down from my right ear. I don't notice the noise there until I stop and then can't hear anything for a little while. I was just concerned that the top would flap around a lot like my jeep did.

Something else I'm considering is price difference between the kits and if I go for one over the other allocating the savings towards the motor/trans. If I do coupe and no AC I'll probably do the 306/tkx. But the roadster being cheaper (and not needing the soft top right away) I save some money on the kit and maybe do the 347/tkx instead

[CraigS]

I haven't owned a coupe but did have a roadster for 15 yrs w/ an APE fiberglass top. My top was on the car all year. The windows were in and out depending on temp. There was a big difference in road/tire noise as soon as I put the windows in. If I were to do it again I would go w/ a soft top to see if that reduced the noise. I would also be sure the soft top had 1/4 windows and a rear window that zipped out. I did my own 1/4 windows on the APE and the extra vision made a ton of difference in regular around town driving. My favorite mode was top on but no windows so I get the shade but not the extra noise. The top reduces the wind beating the side of your head by maybe 60% even w/o the windows. BTW a top makes it a lot harder to get in and out of. BTW2. Look at the coupe carefully to see how the side windows get sealed for rain. I am not sure of the solution to that, especially the small rear side windows.

[edwardb]

I haven't personally owned a top for a Roadster. But I've been around the premium top that Factory Five sells (Rod Tops) and it's very high quality. The guy who bought my very first Roadster (Mk3) added one to it and I saw it a lot since it was local. He had it to get out of the sun mainly. He said it didn't flap and sealed reasonably well. Consistent with the comments others have made. I didn't put a heater (or A/C) in that build. And he commented more than once it would have been a good add. For comfort but also for defrost since there's more of a tendency for the windshield to fog up when enclosed. So I would consider that if you go that way. I personally don't particularly like the look of a Roadster with a top (don't hate me...) but the Rod Tops version is probably about the best looking I've seen.

Having said that, I think it's a bit of a mistake to consider a Roadster with a top equivalent to a Coupe. They really are quite different cars as I already described at some length in previous threads. Not saying one is better than the other. Just different. The sliding windows and somewhat marginal door seals (my experience) means I wouldn't expect the Coupe to be DD tight in the rain. But still similar if not a bit better than a Roadster with the side windows installed. Haven't been caught in the rain yet with mine. Probably shouldn't say that out loud...

I will only say one more time that a Coupe without A/C would be a huge mistake. Again obviously my opinion, but many others have said the same thing. You will very quickly not find it pleasant and it would not be easy to add once completed. It's a tight fit on the Gen 3 Coupe and with the body installed would really be a pain. I would highly recommend that any decision between the two includes A/C in the Coupe. But I will also add (at the risk of offending...) that if that budget difference is a deal breaker either build is maybe a budget stretch. No matter what you do, either will end up costing more than you think. Just saying.

[David Williamson]

I have both Coupe and Roadster with a soft top. We use the soft top for rain or if it is too cold and when the car is left in a parking lot outside at night (over night trips) otherwise it is in the trunk 95% of the time. Mine is the old FFR version with the hard side windows and it takes up most of the upper trunk space. You are drier but there are leaks. I have not been out in the rain in the Coupe yet but I expect leaks around the side windows.
David W

[Avalanche325]

If I were going to build a coupe. I would 100% put A/C in it.

[GTBradley]

I wouldn’t hate on you for saying that, Paul. In fact, on my 3500 mile video review I got a negative comment that my roadster looked hideous with the top on. I thanked him saying “that’s exactly what I was going for - just like the originals.

[usafajk610]

I've posted a new thread in the Roadster forum deciding that the coupe is out and I'll be doing a MK4 in hopefully 2 years. By that point, either car wouldn't be a stretch. Came down to a comment on this thread, for 98% of the driving I'd do in the car, I don't need to have a roof. So why spend the extra on the coupe. It also opens up the option to go with a 347 instead of sticking to a 306. Part of it is also my impatience in wanting to get started on something. By no means making an apples to apples comparison of the coupe vs roadster with soft top. Just thinking of options. Wouldn't need the soft top right away. Do the shake down driving locally, order the top once I've done that in advance of first trip out of town for a long weekend. As most comments have said, wind protection on the highway is the reason for a top.

I don't have a particular car I like the look of over the other. The coupe is cooler to me because of the history, though the GT40 was in the picture around the same time, but both are beautiful cars. Build wise, I think the roadster will be a better bet for me. I intend to do my own paint work and the body work I've read on a few threads, is "easier" on the roadster simply by the fact there is less body. But for just driving around and enjoying the car on nice days, similar to what I do with a motorcycle (though not my current bike as it spent almost 2 months in the shop and still isn't fixed), the roadster would be enough for me. It's really initial investment to get started is the sticking point. I could start sooner doing a roadster than coupe because of initial cost.

I'm stubborn and will stick to my guns and learn from my own poor decisions despite warnings for those more knowledgable. So if I did the coupe, I'd probably have done it without AC, regretted it, and moved on. I plan to do manual steering in the roadster, again, against others better advice, simply because I want to. But my thread titled After some thought, I've come to a decision has my plan outlined. And no saying that once I build the roadster, I won't decide to do a coupe down the road. I like projects and working on and tinkering with things, so once I'm done with something, I need to move on to something else.