Sunbeam Alpine GT: Fitting a REMOVABLE soft top

[Tim R]

This video shows how we built a fully removeable soft top set up for a GT Alpine several years ago. The only changes from standard that are required to be made to the car are threading the hard-top locator holes in the boot hinges. The whole soft top assembly can be removed from the car in a couple of minutes. When fitted the soft top looks very similar to the standard “Sports” set up.

We drove this car across Europe twice with this soft top set up fitted and it worked well both when the soft top was up and when it was folded down.

This example was made to show that it was possible, it is quite ‘agricultural’ but worked well and provided good weather protection. If you have a soft top frame and front bow it would be relatively easy to make a much more professionally finished example than this one.

 

[DanR]

Thanks again for a fine video explaining a solution to a GT being caught away from home without a top.

I an currently restoring an Alpine early Series IV GT BW35 and have at times thought of converting it to an ST just so I could have te top available at all times.

But I prefer the GT style and Intend to keep the body style original. I am currently looking for the quarter window pieces that are wider that the st style. I have a right hand one but would like to purchase the Left hand.

Your video has strengthened my resolve to keep it GT

 

[Tim R]

Dan,
Amongst the Alpines in our family we have a Series IV Automatic Sports and a Series V GT. Being able to fit a soft top that you can completely remove is a great option on a GT as it makes virtually no changes to the original car. The B Post hard top fixings regularly pop up on E Bay as do Soft top frames. The hardest part to find in order to do this conversion is the front bow section for the soft top. If someone started to make these I think they would sell very well.

The quarter light chrome parts are also quite common on E Bay. There were two for a Sports on there just a day or two ago.

Tim R

 

[alpine_64]

The quarter light chrome parts are also quite common on E Bay. There were two for a Sports on there just a day or two ago.

Tim R

Tim,

I think Dan is looking for the deeper 1/4 window bases as used on the GT.
Not that easy to come by as only used on GT alpine and square cotner Tigers

 

[DanR]

The hardest part to find in order to do this conversion is the front bow section for the soft top.

You are correct about the Bow for the optional soft top on the GT!

I utilized one of my soft top bows for the "new" front piece on a hard top that was very rusty and near impossible to restore. the front section could hardly be recognized. Rebuilt the top seating on the Alpine as a work bench and template.. Project turned out beautifully too.

I have not given much thought to having the Soft Top Bows fabricated.

The GT quarter window piece seems the hardest to find due solely to the GT being the only Alpine that utilizes it and the small number made.

 

[Warren]

I have one set of the late Tiger window frames complete. Plus I have at least four of the soft top header bows. I've put away some dreamer projects of a bikini top for the foreseeable future. Don't like to make other's postings into a f/s ad.
Not to correct M. but crappy chrome bits are much easier to find and that's what I have. Steve A has had some Bronze castings on ePay for some time.

 

[alpine_64]

I have one set of the late Tiger window frames complete. Plus I have at least four of the soft top header bows. I've put away some dreamer projects of a bikini top for the foreseeable future. Don't like to make other's postings into a f/s ad.
Not to correct M. but crappy chrome bits are much easier to find and that's what I have. Steve A has had some Bronze castings on ePay for some time.

Yes the pot metal castings pit badly and they require a lot of work to prepare for re-chroming.
IIRC steves bronze castings require quite a bit of work to get them ready for chrome.. That said.. if you had a badly pitted pair the bronze ones are probably a better long term solution