Hardtops
Author
Discussion

tonyhetherington

Original Poster:

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
Rather than post off topic in the Larini group buy thread, thought I'd make a new one in response to SJA's question about the hardtop on my car; also it's an excuse for me to ask a question!

In response to [b]SJA[/b]; yeah i love the look with the hard top on, in fact put it on yesterday for the winter. No creaks and rattles yet, all is good!

...[b]but[/b] the most annoying thing is that the window glass goes up 1mm or 2mm too much, which means when I close the driver's door it catches the rubber and pulls it down - eventually wearing it out. I've tried EVERYTHING and am now at a loose end! Anybody got any ideas? I've re-glued the rubber up as tight as it will go, even wearing away a little just to raise it a touch but no luck. If you loosen the roof to raise it up it ruins the lines and makes the roof rattle.
Help!

Thanks all
T


I do prefer the ambience of the car with the roof on too!

sja

509 posts

258 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
So any special tips for fitting? Im sure dealer is going to charge stupid price.. I have tried loosening and re tightening but no avail, squeek! The soft top whistles on one corner as well. Car was used by dealer as a guinea pig for a gull wing roof so Im sure the have cocked somthing up when fitting that..

tonyhetherington

Original Poster:

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
I feel ashamed to say that I simply put it on, made sure it all sat right, put all 4 screws in to nip-tight, then went round and torqued them all up. No fiddling or adjustment was needed.

I think I'm very lucky - with even just my canvas roof on, the car is 100% water tight (proved not just when I wash it, but in the most torrential rain known to man in the BlackForest a few weeks ago!), so it doesn't blow or get annoying at all.

I wish I could be more help but only put the roof on yesterday and this will be my first winter with the car!

gooby

9,269 posts

264 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
There is an adjustment.

Hold on... do you have electric windows or manual?

The electric windows have an adjustment. Take off the interior panel.

This is about all I remember, I think it was some sort of grub screw. I was having exactly the same problem and a few mins playing with the adjuster ment it was fine. It fits "snug" and no leaks squeaks or rattles.

tonyhetherington

Original Poster:

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
oh BRILLIANT

I have electric windows (it's an MY '04 car) so I'll see what I can do tonight.

Thanks goob!

gooby

9,269 posts

264 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
It just adjusts the height the window stops at. It was obvious. The morons at autoglass could not find it though and the 2 times I took it back to them they still couldnt find the problem.

Did it myself in no time.

tonyhetherington

Original Poster:

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
gooby said:
It was obvious...morons ....myself...no time.


Yeah, thanks ()

In fairness though, I only put it on yesterday and my 'final fix' had to dry over night - so on the way to work this morning I realised it didn't work.

A screw driver and 2 minutes will set me free...

enjybenjy

928 posts

283 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
I've put my hardtop on now - love the look. It does sork of 'creek' a bit though, might need a bit of lm grease to stop this or fiddling with the tightness of the bolts...fits well though, and is as dry as a nun's m*nge when it rains.

gooby

9,269 posts

264 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
I am hoping for a few more good days before the hard top goes on.

Saying that, my wife and I went for a drive the other evening. She was wrapped up in a huge jumper pulled up to her nose, a hat and the dogs blanket around her legs and all the hot air vents pointed at her. I felt so sorry for her I put the soft top on.

cheekymonkey

1,139 posts

254 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
god isn't it deprressing.. all this talk of putting hard tops back on I might try and hold on a little longer, although like you gooby i get nagged by the missus as she's ALWAYS cold. i took the car out in mid Feb when i first got it and drove 500 mile round tip to a friends place with the roof off... needless to say she was blue by the time we got back that night and she swore not to go in the car again until it was summer

beachbum

2,610 posts

261 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
cheekymonkey said:
needless to say she was blue by the time we got back that night and she swore not to go in the car again until it was summer


As good a reason to keep the roof off I have yet to find....

gooby

9,269 posts

264 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
beachbum said:


As good a reason to keep the roof off I have yet to find....


Can you get in with the roof on? Where does your head go?

tonyhetherington

Original Poster:

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
Though I've put the hard top on, it only takes 5 minutes or so to get it off so if it does get nice at the weekend, a last gasp roof-off blast will definitely be had

gooby

9,269 posts

264 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
tonyhetherington said:
Though I've put the hard top on, it only takes 5 minutes or so to get it off so if it does get nice at the weekend, a last gasp roof-off blast will definitely be had


You can get the roof off in 5 mins?, I have only done it once and by the time I get the tools out then put everything away it takes 30 mins at least.

Perhaps I am old and slow!

tonyhetherington

Original Poster:

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
yeah, literally 5 mins. I have one screw driver weird shaped thingy...pull off two velcro flaps, undo 2 screws. undo the 3 screws holding the front cover on, and undo the 2 screws beneath that.

Lift off and you've got yourself a roofless car!

Admittedly putting it back on again takes slightly longer because you have to line it up, but I certainly would not have said half hour!?

Podie

46,649 posts

305 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
www.productionglassfibre.co.uk/site/lotus_roof.asp

In the words of "Mad Mike" from Pimp My Ride... "Man, that's tight!"

shangani

3,069 posts

267 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
Heck you guys are pessimists - seriously considering the hard top already! Lots of roof off fun to had yet.....probably......hopefully.

November is the earliest I consider. Still, my wife doesn't go in the car so I am not forced on the decision making.

beachbum

2,610 posts

261 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
I can get in alright its sitting in it that causes probs, also the reason why I didnt have the insulated roof. Would have meant it was touching my head.

Biggest prob being this tall is having the Windscreen frame blocking your view when going down hill.

sneakypete

173 posts

259 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
I'm still waiting. Thought about it last week for a fun to Leicester then the sun gets out and had the roof off for the 3 hour drive and got sunburnt. So I'm gonna wait a couple more weeks.

With the hardtop on morons think it's a Ferrari (cos it's red you see) so good for the girls; but not so good for jealous types.

wantalotus

386 posts

273 months

Monday 26th September 2005
quotequote all
All this talk about hard tops seems a good time to ask the question.............
Does anybody want to buy my Lazer Blue 2004/54 hard top?

See clasified for details.......