mismatched hardtop

[wile coyote]

I have a S5 and have come upon a hardtop from a S1 or S2. Is there a way to use it on an S5? Would cutting new side window glasses to fit the opening work? Is the shape of the top of the windshield the same and the 2 cars? I am not necessarily concerned about the fact that it would not be true to the S5 original top.

 

[alpine_64]

The answer is yes.. But its a lot of work and you wont have a soft top anynore.

The windcreen arc profile at the top is different as is the rake. You would need to switch screeen. You also would need to remove the 1/4 Windows and cut new side windows.. Or use early series doors.. But then you'd have to add metal to fill the gaps between a round door and the square openings of a SV.

You then need to modify the B post area to switch the B post caps.

After all this you have an early top that will fit a later car...

But you no longer have a soft top as the frame, clips, shape of windows amd header rail wont work...

If you want a hardtop buy a parish top ( the fibreglass ones that look like the early tops that fit the S3-V) or buy a honeybourne moldings top the fibrbegalsss replica ones that look like the factory S3- V top..

Cheaper and you wont have to cut up and fabricate to gain a hardtop and lose a soft top

 

[sunalp]

The early hard top won't fit the later cars. The windscreen is a totally different shape and you also have
the wing windows on the later doors that won't work with the early hard top either.

I have seen an early windscreen fitted to a later car without the windows, but it looked strange.

Cheers!
Steve

 

[alpine_64]

I have seen an early windscreen fitted to a later car without the windows, but it looked strange.

Cheers!
Steve

Ive seen a rally Tiger in Germany (iirc) that had it done nicely with vertical slinding windoes in metal frames.. Looked great...but no soft top anymore... Also one of the SV UK track cars has it.. Again no soft top anymore and that has fixed perspex side windows

Imho the early tops and screen a much nicer... More rake less frame for the screen and the bubble top and wrap around rear screen is better looking... But a LOT of trouble to fit one and you loose the soft top function...

The current aftermarket fibreglass tops are a much more logical choice.... And you could modify them to use factory clips and add a nice headling.