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hardtop identification

B

bbonner

Donation Time
Hi I have a metal hardtop. How do I know if this one fits my series IV 1964 alpine. Not sure I am going to keep it but still need to know how to tell what it fits for sure...any identifying details that I should look for It looks like it will fit and was told it would when I bought it about 7 years ago
 
I will do that tomorrow..I will have to take some pictures and upload them. I thought of that after I posted it but it was too late.
 
If it is rounded off, has no side windows and is made of aluminum, it's Series 1 or 2. If it is steel, has side windows that are hinged on the front edge and a metal handle at the rear to open it, it is for a Series 3,4 or 5 ( or Tiger ). If it is for the later Series cars, depending on condition, it could be valuable. Almost all of the steel hardtops have rust-generally at the rear corners, along the bottoms of the side windows and under the rear window. If you have one with no rust it's a rare one and worth more. The later Series hardtops are angular when viewed from the side. The early Series hardtop looks nothing like the later ones and it is easy to distinguish between the two. I hope this helps you determine which one you have.
 
It has the wing side windows and is not rounded and is steel. It did have rust as described but my husband has repaired all of that. I know they are valuable but have had no interest in putting it on my car. It has no lining/headliner in it yet but it is primed.
 
Cactus, or anyone else , this thread came up in my search, I have a chance to pickup an alum roof, the guy says for a `58 but I suspect its a couple years newer É, when did Mk 1`s start É, but more importantly will this fit my`67 series 5 even if its originally for a series 1 or 2
Ron
 
Dzynr_Ron said:
Cactus, or anyone else , this thread came up in my search, I have a chance to pickup an alum roof, the guy says for a `58 but I suspect its a couple years newer É, when did Mk 1`s start É, but more importantly will this fit my`67 series 5 even if its originally for a series 1 or 2
Ron
Click to expand...

No

Bill Blue
 
Thanks Bill, Its sits on my SV and true its short of the windshield by an inch :-( so if any S1 or S2 owners want a roof needing a bit of work ( clean up, paint, headliner and front latches) and are on vancouver island or can come to victoria, shoot me a PM...
I bought it just to keep it in the sunbeam realm, or it may well have gone to the dump, guy was selling reasonable and so will I ..
 
Its too bad they will not fit. I really like the looks of the early tops with the nice arc in the side window. I have on occasion thought of adapting an early top to the Series V. Doing such things requires a sort of "sweet spot" of intelligence. Smart enough to do it and dumb enough to try.

This is one of those rare occasions where I'm too dumb to do it and too smart to try.

Bill
 
hardtop ID

BeamerBill
Its been done so no need to strain yer noodle looking for a sweet spot.Ive seen it on a green Slll floating around and a buddy of mine did it twenty five years ago on an SlV.All you do is swap doors windshield and soft top.Its a no brainer.I thought it looked weird on the SlV but right at home on the Slll...
Agm
 
Bill Blue said:
Doing such things requires a sort of "sweet spot" of intelligence. Smart enough to do it and dumb enough to try.

This is one of those rare occasions where I'm too dumb to do it and too smart to try.

Bill
Click to expand...

This forum really needs a "like" button.
 
agmason54 said:
BeamerBill
Its been done so no need to strain yer noodle looking for a sweet spot.Ive seen it on a green Slll floating around and a buddy of mine did it twenty five years ago on an SlV.All you do is swap doors windshield and soft top.Its a no brainer.I thought it looked weird on the SlV but right at home on the Slll...
Agm
Click to expand...

Okay, maybe I'm smart enough to do it, but I"m not "dumb enough to try".

Bill
 
Last edited:
agmason54 said:
BeamerBill
Its been done so no need to strain yer noodle looking for a sweet spot.Ive seen it on a green Slll floating around and a buddy of mine did it twenty five years ago on an SlV.All you do is swap doors windshield and soft top.Its a no brainer.I thought it looked weird on the SlV but right at home on the Slll...
Agm
Click to expand...

No, not quite.

The shape and angle of the sheetmetal under the windscreen is different between the early and the later cars.
The result is that you need to fill the open area under the early windscreen when adapting it to the later cars.
The easiest was is to fiber-glass up the area so the frame contour matches the sheetmetal on the car.
The hardest way is to take the SI/SII sheetmetal and graft it to the later body.

I have personally seen the latter done.
 
Bill Blue said:
Its too bad they will not fit. I really like the looks of the early tops with the nice arc in the side window. I have on occasion thought of adapting an early top to the Series V. Doing such things requires a sort of "sweet spot" of intelligence. Smart enough to do it and dumb enough to try.

This is one of those rare occasions where I'm too dumb to do it and too smart to try.

Bill
Click to expand...

Don't know about "sweet spots" but as much as I like my Series 1 hardtop, the blind spot is a pain in traffic and angled intersections. Fitted some of those little fish eye lenses to the side mirrors, it helps some but hard to judge the distance as vehicles approach from the rear.
 
beamdream said:
Don't know about "sweet spots" but as much as I like my Series 1 hardtop, the blind spot is a pain in traffic and angled intersections. Fitted some of those little fish eye lenses to the side mirrors, it helps some but hard to judge the distance as vehicles approach from the rear.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I do seem to remember that problem with my Series II, oh so many years ago. They do look cool, though.

I also remember there was no place to mount the outside mirrors so they could give you a clue to the traffic behind or around you. I guess if you drive a finned car it is, as a female coworker once said, "every man for herself".

Bill
 
Top Rehomed...

Was lucky enough to meet Ron and acquire his top for my kid and my Series 2 project. Lovely road trip to Victoria, multiple ferry rides and a long day. Will be siccing the kid on stripping it down, repairing a small ding and painting it up. Nice non-technical project for him. Plus he likes spray paint. Meeting Ron just reinforces how nice Alpine owners are. Thanks again...
 
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