they wouldnt be all encompassing because youd still have to cut your own roof off, but if i make lightweight easily to disassemble & put in your trunk-convertible hard tops/kits will anyone buy them/what do you all think?
i know id have to add some kind of support to the undercarriage which is why i say "kit".
if i hear good things & people are interested, id be able to make/sell/ship the hard tops themselves as well as the latches/latch mounts required for $500 to your door id say (united states customers-id imagine the shipping to canada might be higher)-this wouldnt include the braces/supports required for the support that will be removed along with the stock roof.
so please, if youd be interested please let me know so i know whether or not i should get molding :P
good luck with that, I would love a GP vert too, but isn't that a whole lot more work than it's worth to do it? not to mention one small F up and you would pretty much be Fd...
cut the roof off my TGP? thanks but no thanks
I highly doubt you'll find anyone interested in such a "kit." The convertible cutlass' look good enough and are the same platform, so if I wanted a vert, I would just buy one of those and TGP swap it...or simply turbocharge the 3.4 DOHC since they take very well to boost. I'd like to see someone try to take a Cutass 'vert and make a cutty/gp hybrid...
hmmm i do plan on making a sawzall gp vert with my friends rolled 96 gp se :laugh:
Quote from: GOT2B GM on March 10, 2009, 06:29:55 PM
hmmm i do plan on making a sawzall gp vert with my friends rolled 96 gp se :laugh:
I think someone already did that to a junk GP a few years ago and t-tops on another one as well. :laugh:
I've always wanted to do a cutty vert/ GP body swap actually...lol
i have a 90 lumina im going to do this to, & i figure being the same platform that the roofs should be the same-im yet to measure this but if they are different i highly doubt it will be much of a changover (id be using the lumina for the mold/molds & then modifying them for the gps as well as cutlasses/sunbirds if people are interested.
also in regards to the comments on the worries about messing up your car, i would include a detailed instruction video & pictures on how to hook it up, as well as a piece of rubber/similar trim to go on top of the cut metal to make everything look nice even if your cuts do not. the big thing is, the worst thing you could do if you mess up & cut a little deep is youd need to fiberglass/bondo the messup-sand it-& touch it up, the skill level involved here wouldnt need to be very high, you will just need to take your time on your cuts so that they are good enough to where the seal doesnt look really wobbly, & you could always throw down the strip-find high spots & grind em down to where they look nice, or fluff low spots out.
basically, if you cant paint, cut a semi-straight line, measure, drill, or use handtools of any sort-you probably shouldnt be making your car into a convertible-yourself. this would be for those out there thatd be willing to spend the time & effort to have a very nice/rare convertible (i mean seriously, how many convertible gps or luminas do you see every year? i dont know about you but any i might have seen have been poorly done hackjobs with sprayfoam & duct tape for seals-and thats just wrong (but funny!).
if i can come up with a working model & instructional dvd is anyone interested?
I for one would like to see one completed before making any decisions.
that would be a MUST-what person in there right mind would spend over $40 without seeing a working finished product, let alone $500!! assuming that i put together the kit on my lumina & post plenty of videos showing it from all angles, how sturdy it is, how to install it, etc... & it is satisfactory to everyone-how many of you would be interested?
also- would a removeable soft top be a better option? much easier to make/ship but i can go either way-and depending on the cost i might be able to throw in the braces for $500 shipped (always nice to have a round number, isnt it?).
also if you are in ohio i can install this for you at a little extra cost-like $100 but youd have to bring it to me & it would take 3 days max
owuldnt be easier to weld a short clip to that back of hte cutlass and do a front end swap?
but then its not a turbo grand prix... THATS my point :)
either way-my point is-is anyone interested assuming that i can show a nice completed model?
if so which would you be more interested in? also i more than likely can make up an electric pushbutton kit but i cant be sure as to how much that would cost as id have to look into the cost of the motors & id imagine that alone would be a few hundred more but im not sure at this point. i have a nice heated shop & access to plenty of tools & materials which is very helpful :)
Quote from: no_doz on March 11, 2009, 02:44:41 PM
also if you are in ohio i can install this for you at a little extra cost-like $100 but youd have to bring it to me & it would take 3 days max
Where in Ohio?, I go there once every year or so since that is where I was raised.
out by mount vernon-about an hour east of columbus
Thats where dad lives now.........I grew up in Millersburg.
thats pretty cool-im about 45 mins from there & go there semi-often.
also unless i find around half a dozen or so people interested im not going to cut up my lumi because im very possibly getting ahold of a z24 convertible with a manual top :D