Perspex roof panel for Griff/Chim

[IPAddis]

Anyone though about having a perspex/glass substitute roof panel made for a TVR? The one on Corvettes is very cool and even euro boxes are coming with fixed ones these days.

I wondered if you could have one made to the same shape as the existing panel?

Just an idea.

Ian A.

[JonRB]

Its been discussed. Clive from Zertec said* that it would be feasible to mould a replica of the Griffith and Chimaera roof panels in polycarbonate. Sounds great to me.

Alas, the idea was never developed.

Perhaps Leven would like to look into it?

(* This was a year or two ago)

>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 12th February 16:16

[RCA]

It is possible to be done and I know just the company to do it!!, the same one that makes the tuscan rear screens. If there is enough interest on here then i'll find out at what cost it would be. The main cost is having the mould done and then after that its not to bad.

[coach]

Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me!



I looked into the "hard roof" thing for the Chim...didnt get very far, so this could be the next best thing

Count moi in

Coach

[simpo two]

I think scratching would be a problem as you manhandle it in and out of the boot, and in glass it would be too heavy to manage safely. Maybe time to resurrect the twin panel idea with a glass section in each? (C) Me 2004

[tweety]

Surely it would be no more problem than the Tuscan rear screen and I don't know of any probs with them.

Al.

[simpo two]

tweety said:

Surely it would be no more problem than the Tuscan rear screen and I don't know of any probs with them.

OK, the Tuscan rear screen is glass but it's (1) much smaller than a roof panel, and (2) doesn't form part of the structure in the same way that the c/f roof panel does. I don't like the idea of handling a heavy 5' x 2'6" chunk of glass, especially when it's wet and slippery with rain or blowing a gale - drop it once and it's broom time....

I don't fancy carrying it round in the boot either - one emergency stop and your footpump or whatever else that's loose and heavy would go through it.

[whitey]

simpo two said:

OK, the Tuscan rear screen is glass but it's (1) much smaller than a roof panel, and (2) doesn't form part of the structure in the same way that the c/f roof panel does. I don't like the idea of handling a heavy 5' x 2'6" chunk of glass, especially when it's wet and slippery with rain or blowing a gale - drop it once and it's broom time.... I don't fancy carrying it round in the boot either - one emergency stop and your footpump or whatever else that's loose and heavy would go through it.

It's not. It's perspex.

[just trouble]

Sounds like a very good idea. I know a few Griff and Chim owners who would be very interested if the price was right, me included
plus most of us already have a cover/sleave for the existing roof panel to be stowed in the boot.

>> Edited by just trouble on Friday 13th February 09:11

[GarryM]

As JonRB said, polycarbonate is the material to make it with. Incredibly strong and more scratch resistant than perspex. Sounds like a good idea - but who uses the roof anyway Certainly not you Just Trouble (last seen driving in a thunderstorm without the roof! I kid you not!)

[RCA]

With polycarb you can also pay a little more and get a scratch resistant type. Will investigate further!!

[s1nrr]

same type of mold for the Tuscan except for the catches etc....it would give the tscan the "Roof off" look all year round!!

[IPAddis]

Can you also find out if they can tint them? My mates Corvette (boo hiss) is glass (and fecking heavy) but it has a blue tint which is pretty cool looking. I've heard a few girls say how he took them to a secluded spot to look at the stars from the warmth of the car.

I've always thought the Tuscan rear screen would look less like packing material if it was tinted slightly.

Also, given that poorly fitted roof panels tend to achieve low earth orbit on motorways, we'd better check it wouldn't flex too much. And you'd need to be able to fit the rubber strips above the windows.

Still sounds interesting though.

Cheers,

Ian A.

[simpo two]

whitey said:

It's not. It's perspex.

OK, you've got a Tuscan so I defer on that point, though I have a Griffith and am very familiar with its roof.

How do you plan to fit the rubber sealing strips to your piece of polycarbonate/perspex/lexan or whatever, and then make the front of it thick enough to fit tightly in the gutter above the windscreen?

I'm not really being negative, it's just good to get the problems out of the way before everyone starts ordering them!

>> Edited by simpo two on Friday 13th February 13:43

[matthewbinns]

a bit of conservatory roof and some gaffer tape?

you can get the lot from wickes for under a tenner.

[p7ulg]

I think the TVR roof is the most elegant soft top around, personnally think the perspex would look a bit tacky.Puts me in mind of the MG midget I had in my teens with a bermuda hard top (blue tinted perspex).

[trefor]

IPAddis said:

Can you also find out if they can tint them? My mates Corvette (boo hiss) is glass (and fecking heavy) but it has a blue tint which is pretty cool looking. I've heard a few girls say how he took them to a secluded spot to look at the stars from the warmth of the car. I've always thought the Tuscan rear screen would look less like packing material if it was tinted slightly. Also, given that poorly fitted roof panels tend to achieve low earth orbit on motorways, we'd better check it wouldn't flex too much. And you'd need to be able to fit the rubber strips above the windows. Still sounds interesting though. Cheers, Ian A.

Someone on the Tuscan forum has had a tinted rear screen made.

[Graham]

I think you'd have to mould the edges in grp and bond a perspex middle section into it.


Now i do have a friendly grp chappy...

Just need someone to donate a roof panel

G