Hard Top Discussion

[topperge]

Since we all know that the Solstice has a hardtop available from GM, I'd like to get some conversation going about one for the Sky. Has anyone done the measurements to see if the Solstice tops would fit the Sky? I know the look doesn't fit, but it would definitely be a start.

Personally I would rather run my car with a top on it and a roll bar rather than being open air.

Discuss amongst yourselves...

[Maverick]

Remember, the Sol HT is for racing and is not available for sale to the general public.

With that said I would like a hard top for the SKY that follows the original lines of the soft top like the MX-5 top. I don't want a permanent conversion type top that replaces the factory trunk lid.

[C20LET_50]

Originally Posted by Maverick

Remember, the Sol HT is for racing and is not available for sale to the general public.

With that said I would like a hard top for the SKY that follows the original lines of the soft top like the MX-5 top. I don't want a permanent conversion type top that replaces the factory trunk lid.

Maverick,

the tops that replaces the trunk lid are not permanent but it seems to be a good bunch of work to assemble them. If you also take the soft top out in the meantime just a little more of work.

Trunk lid exchange type of hard top

There are also hard tops possible which allow the further use of the trunk and the mounting / dismounting should be more easy. Our member REDSKY showed a really beautiful photochop some weeks ago:

Short type of hard top without exchanging trunk lid and usable trunk

I think there would be another person necessary for a minute just to put it on, possibly screwing or fitting in the trunk one person could do all alone.

I wish someone would decide to produce such a nice top, there are more and more Skies on the raod and not to forget the Sols.

[brentil]

None of those tops exist though, only the carbon fiber top designed for racing exists. As mentioned you have to have an SCCA Club Racing license to get one too. I'm pretty sure it'll fit a Sky, but it might not look right since it's rounded/

[JohnD]

Originally Posted by brentil

I'm pretty sure it'll fit a Sky, but it might not look right since it's rounded/

I dunno... We got pleated humps that I think would keep the roundy notches on the back of the top from seating properly. The SKY is peaky where the Solstice is hilly. My guess is it would take some serious hacking to get a Solstice hardtop to fit flush on the rear deck of a SKY. I got the Jay Senoff windscreen which I think was cut to fit the humps of a Solstice. Look how low it is compared to the peaks on the SKY...

[HotSky]

i like the look!!

[marklynn70]

It would have it's possibilities. I bet the owners up north would like it for the winter months.

[brentil]

Originally Posted by jdigiant

I dunno... We got pleated humps that I think would keep the roundy notches on the back of the top from seating properly. The SKY is peaky where the Solstice is hilly. My guess is it would take some serious hacking to get a Solstice hardtop to fit flush on the rear deck of a SKY. I got the Jay Senoff windscreen which I think was cut to fit the humps of a Solstice. Look how low it is compared to the peaks on the SKY...

It might, it might not. I'll have to ask around. Also I don't know anyone doing SCCA Club Racing SSB in a Sky anyways so it's not like anyone could buy it. Since GM decided to not make a Z0K Club Sport Sky I don't think it's very likely we'll see any in the near future either.

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by topperge

Since we all know that the Solstice has a hardtop available from GM, I'd like to get some conversation going about one for the Sky. Has anyone done the measurements to see if the Solstice tops would fit the Sky? I know the look doesn't fit, but it would definitely be a start.

Personally I would rather run my car with a top on it and a roll bar rather than being open air.

Discuss amongst yourselves...

I have never understood the reasoning to buy a roadster and then put a hard top on it... if you want a hard top buy a sportscar with a hard top... I like the ease of putting the top down any time i want to....and not have to worry about storage of a hard top...

[Trebuchet]

Speaking for those of us up in the northern parts... a hardtop would be for use when it gets cold, and there's no way the top will be going down. Say November through March... The rest ofthe year, it would be stored in the garage (the hardtop, not the sky)

cold and snow are just a reality that we live with up here...

[Rick Tinley Park]

Originally Posted by Trebuchet

Speaking for those of us up in the northern parts... a hardtop would be for use when it gets cold, and there's no way the top will be going down. Say November through March... The rest ofthe year, it would be stored in the garage (the hardtop, not the sky)

cold and snow are just a reality that we live with up here...

Coming from Chicago - I too deal with the cold.... The SKY has a roof and it is insulated. I know it won't be as warm as a hard top -- but a hard top could nevr be as cool as a convertible (in all ways). I would never dream of putting a top on a SKY!
If one wants a hard top -- one buys a car with it...

[brentil]

Originally Posted by SkyMan 07

I have never understood the reasoning to buy a roadster and then put a hard top on it... if you want a hard top buy a sportscar with a hard top... I like the ease of putting the top down any time i want to....and not have to worry about storage of a hard top...

I agree. Only reason I would put the hard top on is it's required for some racing classifications.

[C20LET_50]

Originally Posted by brentil

I agree. Only reason I would put the hard top on is it's required for some racing classifications.

And the ONLY second reason is winter driving in snowy/salty areas with winter tires and a nice hardtop on

There are ~ 85,000 Z3/Z4, 80,000 MX5, 25,000 Boxter actual running in Germany, a lot of them are all-year-cars with a hardtop on in winter.
This should be better for the lifetime of the soft top.

[Lil GTO]

Originally Posted by C20LET_50

And the ONLY second reason is winter driving in snowy/salty areas with winter tires and a nice hardtop on

.

Is there such a thing as a winter tire that will fit the Sky/Solstice?
maybe this is another potential market for the likes of Kappasphere - a tire/wheel combo for winter use - something perhaps not quite so suceptible to the corrosive effects of salt for the wheels.

My dad had some damage to the wheel on an Acura he recently traded in - when he went to buy a new rim the dealer had a full set - so he bought the set and a set of winter tires - and rather than having to go to the hassle of the tires needing to be swapped and rebalanced etc - just changed the entire set of wheels-with-summer-tires-on for wheels-with-winter-tires-on when the seasons changed.

edit - I think I just answered my own question: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....1=yes&place=11 - they have others - but that one has a very agressive looking tread pattern and excellent to superior ratings for things liek wet and dry handling etc.

[C20LET_50]

Originally Posted by Lil GTO

Is there such a thing as a winter tire that will fit the Sky/Solstice?
maybe this is another potential market for the likes of Kappasphere - a tire/wheel combo for winter use - something perhaps not quite so suceptible to the corrosive effects of salt for the wheels.
....

Lil GTO,

out of my point of view (here from Germany) we have a lot of rims fit on the Kappas because that 5x110mm bolt pattern is used by Opel for long years.

In my opinion it's better to use winter tyres in the smallest version which will fit, for example if you want to hold the outer diameter nearly constant

Summer: 245/45x18 > Ø = 678 mm (26.68 inch)

Winter-a: 225/55x17 < Ø = 679 mm (26.74 inch)

Winter-b: 205/60x17 < Ø = 673 mm (26.49 inch)

Winter-c: 205/65x16 < Ø = 664 mm (26.16 inch)

I personally would prefer version b or c (if 16 inch will fit, we had a dicussion here some weeks ago).

The corrosive effect should not be a problem if you use special aluminium winter rims (we have in Germany, but don't know the situation in USA).

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by Trebuchet

Speaking for those of us up in the northern parts... a hardtop would be for use when it gets cold, and there's no way the top will be going down. Say November through March... The rest ofthe year, it would be stored in the garage (the hardtop, not the sky)

cold and snow are just a reality that we live with up here...

I would still wait to see how cold you would get in the car, you may not need a hardtop if the top is insulated as well as it seems and the heater gets as hot as it does... when it got down in the 20's the first week I had my sky it about burned my feet off when I had the heat set on high..... just wait to see if you actually need a hardtop before assuming you do...besides the hardtop design i saw for the solstice looks like you cannot open the trunk at all with it on....

[Trebuchet]

I'm not really as concerned about the temperature as I am with having a hundred pounds of snow on the ragtop after a good Nor-Easter... (no, I don't have a garage)

I'm toying with the idea of garaging it Dec-Mar. Renting a stall at the local self storage lot....

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by Trebuchet

I'm not really as concerned about the temperature as I am with having a hundred pounds of snow on the ragtop after a good Nor-Easter... (no, I don't have a garage)

I'm toying with the idea of garaging it Dec-Mar. Renting a stall at the local self storage lot....

sounds like it is time to move... LOl, Seriously I didn't even think about snow loading.... but since you do not have a garage where would you store the top during the spring summer and fall?

[SPooN]

Found this forum yesterday since im in love with the Sky and hope to get a redline within the next year but i hate how they look with the top up and ran accross this today on a local car club im in be nice if they make one like this for the sky

hope you like..


http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=6/15511481387.jpg&s=f5
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=6/15511490061.jpg&s=f5
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=6/15511495298.jpg&s=f5

[topperge]

I work with a shop on my GTO that has been creating hardtops for the Vipers for the last 10+ years. They are all SCCA sanctioned with their Viper tops and already know the right people to make it possible for the Sky's. They just aren't sure that there is enough of a market out there. I've been trying to push them into making one, but they think b/c of the factory support for the Solstice there aren't going to be many of us wanting to race our Sky's. The company is Autoform Group out of Holland, MI. If you guys are serious about it give them a call at: 616-392-4909. I'd be willing to loan them my Sky for a few months to get it made.

Matt