Cleanshots

iTrader: (2)

i wanna know too, i have something else in mind... targa..

millertime

what about like the "roll bar" that convertable mustangs have as an option

something like that?

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

I don't think that will do very much overall. It may improve torsional flex, but not the tendency for the car to buckle across the door opening. You really need reinforcement along the rockers, and possibly up the tunnel. X bracing behind the back seat area, and some good through floor subframe connectors.

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

the best way to do it properly is to speak to someone that has did it.

Most people here including myself can just speculate on what needs to be done.

you might even learn a few things from black batman, hes a member here.

xspsi6

iTrader: (31)

I cut the roof off a 400 whp evo that I bought for parts as it had rolled and I launched the crap out of it and did awd donuts and absolutle 0 signs of flex as most all of the strength is contained in the unibody as it has to be for impact absorbtion, I went to college for colision repair technology and have studied structural integrtiy in great depth and I can 100% for sure tell you that it can be done and be driveable however if you ever got in to a wreck then the car would not absorb the impact properly and could be unsafe , Remember we are not talking frame on body cars here.

cmh

u should post pics of what u have so far... this sounds interesting... and i seen a yellow convertible too its not just that one white one. theres a place in california that makes ur car convertible. google search and call them, im sure they will have a good answer for u

gunyvw

dont let anybody kill your creativity if done right the car can look very good.


here are some close shots of the white sc5.0 top off from before.
maybe you can see something in the closeup's to assist you.

5spd97

I'm not saying that it can't be done, I'm saying that anyone that says that the roof doesn't contribute much to the structure of the body, is wrong. In fact the roof plays a much bigger part of the structure of a unibody than it does on a body on frame. That's why real pickups which have beds that are completely independent of the cabs are built on frames and why pickup manufacturers all brag about having fully boxed frames.

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

I have turned a car into a vert before, so I also have some experience in this. Once the roof was cut off, you could grab the back bumper and move it enough by hand to see the joint at the door seams open and close up. The car would have crumpled like a paper bag in a wreck. I put a 6 point cage in it which made it drivable, but ultimately deemed it too unsafe and got rid of it.

Yes, this can be done, but I would go overkill on the bracing because "enough" to drive down the road is nowhere near "enough" to make the car safe in a collision.

GF 400

@ 93MSB. The Sebring comments are always funny. That must mean you think the SC resembles it in a close way. That must mean the Sebring doesn't look that bad. You have no idea what I'm doing to this SC besides cutting the top off.

GF 400

We do have plans for resupporting in all the places described except a full roll cage. If I start drifting then I'll go to a full roll cage. I definitely want it safe but it's just one of my SC's and it's my toy. Pray to God I don't get in an accident but there will be no track days or high speed chases to chance twisting it. I still have my hard top coupe to play in. It will be the best of both worlds.

I'm like the President. I can't and won't please everybody. Please believe I'm very meticulous and if everything gets done the way I want this SC is going to be the one everybody will love to hate.

BigSticks

look up meister sevco he runs a few of the xdc events he has a topless caged soarer

GF 400

Will look him up. Thanks

GF 400

Exactly what I'm trying to do. I tried to get ahold of Black Batman a few times and no response. Heard he's selling his now. Hmmm... Also waiting on a response from Newport convertibles. We'll see.

GF 400

I will support that area but I don't like the way the roll bar looks sitting so high. It will be low and out of sight.