Author Topic: Pics of my new Smoothline Hardtop (and problems) (Read 10788 times)

MattM · « **on:** January 08, 2019, 01:52:20 PM »

Didn't know where to post this on here, but I did want to show everyone the new Smoothline Hardtop i got for my car. So far I really like it and the fitment is good...The one problem is that they didn't really think about the window weatherstripping as well as they should have because I am definitely getting leaking which is really frustrating me. Once it gets warm out I'll start in trying to fix that, but for now here are some pics.

Night Shots (really look awesome!)

Also a pic showing a circle where it's leaking from:

I know the last pic doesn't show the weatherstripping on but I do have it on. Here is a pic with the weather stripping on:

And:

MattM · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2019, 01:53:46 PM »

Anyone out there who has or had a Smoothline top and had leaking where mine is and fixed it....Please please let me know what you did to get the leaking to stop! It's the only thing that really sucks about this top!!!!

Sly Bob · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2019, 06:45:10 PM »

Looks from here as though you just need to adjust the window as others have done when early cars had trouble with the window rubbing the convertible top.

MattM · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2019, 08:58:15 AM »

How do you do that?

Johnny_gxp · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2019, 01:21:35 PM »

Sweet. How much did that run you?

Steelmesh · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2019, 03:12:29 PM »

Quote from: MattM on January 09, 2019, 08:58:15 AM

How do you do that?

Window adjustment originally linked by DaveOC, attached below

MattM · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2019, 07:00:25 PM »

Awesome! Thanks! I'll have to start in on that when it warms up..

DaveOC · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2019, 10:36:21 PM »

Quote from: Steelmesh on January 09, 2019, 03:12:29 PM

Window adjustment originally linked by DaveOC, attached below

Wow, I had completely forgotten about that file. Thanks for posting it.

.

Steelmesh · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2019, 09:48:55 AM »

Quote from: DaveOC on January 09, 2019, 10:36:21 PM

Wow, I had completely forgotten about that file. Thanks for posting it.

.

Helped me out greatly when I had to fix window leaks, thanks for posting it originally

MattM · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2019, 11:55:45 AM »

Quote from: Johnny_gxp on January 09, 2019, 01:21:35 PM

Sweet. How much did that run you?

A lot! Wound up around $2200

MattM · « **Reply #10 on:** January 17, 2019, 01:13:45 PM »

God I can't wait to get some warm weather to fix this!!!! Ridiculous!

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #11 on:** January 17, 2019, 02:07:40 PM »

It's supposed to get colder here this weekend so it should be headed your way soon.

Steelmesh · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2019, 03:43:33 PM »

Quote from: MattM on January 10, 2019, 11:55:45 AM

A lot! Wound up around $2200

$$$ I am seriously considering installing the roll bar with the cloth top installed (while losing the ability to put the top down). It appears I may be able to pull the cloth off the vert frame work and then snake the roll hoop through it, then recover with the cloth. The buttresses have some type of pocket that the rear down bars can penetrate, then cut slots in the trunk lid to clear the down bars. Would need an engineered solution to manage water seeping into the trunk because the point of all this is to be weatherproof with a roll bar, avoiding going perma-vert. If this fails, like you I need a hardtop to do the roll cage. I am okay with people installing the RPM bar, but I am not considering that type of design for my car.

MattM · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2019, 01:18:39 PM »

You know....If I were you...I'd look at that as an opportunity. Since you will have the cover off the convertible top frame....You should look to have fiberglass sections of a hard top made then attach those to the stock convertible frame making a foldable hardtop. It seriously wouldn't be all that difficult to design with joints that would allow the folding and unfolding of the top. Hell I think....if done right by a body shop you could actually use the cloth top of the convertible and keep it on the frame stil, but look at it more as a liner...Then fasten the fiberglass sections to that specifically.

MattM · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2019, 01:20:02 PM »

Quote from: Sol Asylum on January 17, 2019, 02:07:40 PM

It's supposed to get colder here this weekend so it should be headed your way soon.

Oh it's here!!!!!! I'm still kicking myself for buying a house without a garage! I'm sick of looking at my car in my driveway under the cover....I hate that!

elff · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2019, 07:16:56 PM »

That's the only reason to buy a house.

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2019, 09:09:30 PM »

I bought a garage, it just happened to have a house attached to it.

MattM · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2019, 01:49:18 PM »

Quote from: MattM on January 18, 2019, 01:18:39 PM

You know....If I were you...I'd look at that as an opportunity. Since you will have the cover off the convertible top frame....You should look to have fiberglass sections of a hard top made then attach those to the stock convertible frame making a foldable hardtop. It seriously wouldn't be all that difficult to design with joints that would allow the folding and unfolding of the top. Hell I think....if done right by a body shop you could actually use the cloth top of the convertible and keep it on the frame stil, but look at it more as a liner...Then fasten the fiberglass sections to that specifically.

Steelmesh,

Do you think you will try to go the route I described to see if it will work?

Steelmesh · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2019, 03:22:30 PM »

Quote from: MattM on January 22, 2019, 01:49:18 PM

Steelmesh,

Do you think you will try to go the route I described to see if it will work?

It's a compelling idea, we should definitely look at it. The top of the top looks straight forward, looks like it gets complicated around the buttresses:

My short-term goal is to install a roll bar that uses rear brace down bar supports while significantly reducing time and money costs, and keeping the interior rain proof. With the rear brace bars going to the frame in the rear, it would be impossible to use the vert top anyway.

My current understanding is my only options to buy my way out of this issue is to spend $2-$4k on smoothlines, Norm's, or used GM CF unit.

Here is the GM carbon fiber top, you can see the rear window sits back farther to clear the rear bracing (smoothlines club race looks similar too):

MattM · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2019, 01:31:04 PM »

Quote from: Steelmesh on January 22, 2019, 03:22:30 PM

It's a compelling idea, we should definitely look at it. The top of the top looks straight forward, looks like it gets complicated around the buttresses:

(Image removed from quote.)

My short-term goal is to install a roll bar that uses rear brace down bar supports while significantly reducing time and money costs, and keeping the interior rain proof. With the rear brace bars going to the frame in the rear, it would be impossible to use the vert top anyway.

My current understanding is my only options to buy my way out of this issue is to spend $2-$4k on smoothlines, Norm's, or used GM CF unit.

Here is the GM carbon fiber top, you can see the rear window sits back farther to clear the rear bracing (smoothlines club race looks similar too):

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

The buttress issue could be overcome with one simple hinge going the height of the buttress from the trunk area to the top. When you want to open the trunk you just hinge the butresses just like the cloth ones out of the way.

Here is an example of the hinge I'm thinking of just a long thing hinge that would go the length. Actually that hinge type could be used to connect all portions of the hardtop exterior.... Once the convertible frame bent to fold the hinges would allow the hard sections to follow the routes that the normal cloth would take.

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2019, 02:16:44 PM »

Just be aware that a piano hinge like that will only work on a flat surface. If there is any curve to it the hinge will not pivot. Take a ruler to the surface in question and hold the straight edge to it, if you see a gap between it and the surface you will have an issue.

MattM · « **Reply #21 on:** January 25, 2019, 01:10:45 PM »

Could use shorter versions of piano hinges too. Doesn't have to go the whole way.

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #22 on:** January 25, 2019, 04:34:26 PM »

Right but if you are using more than one piece along the joint the pins will have to be in line or it will still bind.

Steelmesh · « **Reply #23 on:** January 25, 2019, 05:57:03 PM »

Look at this, the middle of the top also folds, but you have the radius on both sides to deal with at that hinging point.

My initial armchair assessment is that to do this reliably and make it look good/great would probably be a couple hundred hours of work by someone like Norm or Wade and I cannot imagine the cost to pay them for this, and would probably start leaking because they don't have time to redo parts and iterate seal designs.

I can imagine a team of GM engineers investing months to CAD design and prototype a folding hardtop alternative that would meet reliability, fit and finish standards and most importantly weatherproofing (10 year min. life). Likely they would need a ground up redesign the framework to nest the hard parts to accommodate radius' and curves, similar to factory style hardtop verts on the road today.

I'll look at it when I try to take the cloth off, but I am not into body work and styling at this stage in the hobby, so I have some lazy bias when it comes to any cosmetic enhancements

MattM · « **Reply #24 on:** April 01, 2019, 12:34:15 PM »

So...I haven't been able to drive my car forever because of the leaking I keep getting. With that I started looking at difference approaches and landed on trying to create a "drip guard" for the top. I came across carbon fiber fender flares that perfectly match the color and surface of the top and decided to put them on. For myself I actually like how they look (correctly because of the need I have they look ok to fix that need, and I don't think they take away from the aesthetic of the car). We haven't had rain yet either but I'm hopeful they will at least greatly reduce the leaking I get. Here are two pics of the "drip guards" I did. Tell me if you like them or not:

P.S. I know I didn't get them perfectly straight.lol... I'll update if if/when they work

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Author Topic: Pics of my new Smoothline Hardtop (and problems) (Read 10788 times)