Superformance Tops

[frankym]

Fitting these tops onto the SPF cars is a topic I've been searching on club cobra. There was one post about an SPF owner that managed to secure an easier fit but shortening the lower stems of the bows on the convertible frame by 1/4 inch. I have not tried this yet as I think that one must be very careful that shortening the height of the top even by a quarter inch may not allow the side screens to completely close with the doors. Using warm water or some modified form of heat are all helpful, but when you are talking about needing what seems like an extra 2 inches of material, perhaps a modifcation of the top frame must be in order. Anybody with an SPF had any success with adjusting their convertible top??

[Hal Copple]

About three years ago, one really cold night, when i was in another state, i decided to put my top on for the first time. About broke my fingers off.

But now, i can toss it on, snap it up, and be away. I actually have two soft tops, both of mine are the older tops, not the new cloth ones. If you have let it warm up in our house, and tried to put it on, with the bow not extended to the rear, and cannot streatch it to put on over the "lift a dot" fasteners on the rear, then perhaps your top just does not fit your car. I do believe the Olthoff's test fit each top, and keep the top with the car, so it does not get mixed up with some other cars top. But my suggestion is to call them, and ask them what to do about it.

The dealer is always the best place to start with your question. I wouldn't now do any cutting or chopping on your top or the bows. If it really is perplexing to you, i can send you one of my spare tops, so you can see what the difference is.

If you have the new cloth top, it is really nice, but definately takes longer to put on.

[frankym]

thanks Hal,

I think you're the gentleman that they (olthoffs) mention as one of the strongest proofs of the superformance durability. They said you use your SPF almost every day and I think I read you have over 50k miles on your car. I think I will follow your suggestion about calling them. At the very least I would do a mock fitting to see if there is any extra play available in the top material given a lower profile before I do anything rash. This seems to be a pretty common problem with the SPF tops, and since most people are fair weather drivers, they don't need to use the tops. I mainly would like to install the top so I can do some driving in the cold NY weather.

[Super-Snake]

franky:

Where on Long Island are you? Why havent you come down to the Snakepit on a Saturday morning? We can try to help you with your top and at the very least you can meet the guys in the Long Island Club.

-dan

[frankym]

Hi dan,

I just bought my SPF in December but before that I had a Shell Valley and I had been to the Snakepit a few times, met with Bill Compy and Bill O. Very good group of people. It's just been so cold, any trips I make are from the east end and it's a very far when you don't have your top installed. I actually ran into a bunch of you guys in West Hampton in November, Lou and a few others. I will definitely look forward to meeting you at the snakepit,


frank miele

[Super-Snake]

Frank,

I definitely recognize your name and am glad to hear you were treated well at the Pit. Jim and I are working on the 2003 Long Island Cobra Club Calendar during the next few weeks. Hopefully we will be able to post it during early-mid February. Either way the guys still hang out on Saturday mornings for breakfast and a little bs'ing. Look forward to checking out your ride.

-dan

[ERA-FIA]

Just saying hello........any info on the coupe yet?

[Hal Copple]

Bob Olthoff is over in SA doing the final protype testing now, they have hot and cold climates there too. When it is right and done, they will send it over. From what i understand, having been in the original prototype on a road course (passenger only, of course), i can vouch that it is one scintillating super car. It will have AC factory installed.

Boy, would i like to have one of them.

[ERA-FIA]

Thanks Hal,

Me too.....

[Super-Snake]

We are waiting anxiously for our first arrivals. Rest assured when we get one we will have one hell of a party!

-dan

[Carroll DeWeese]

Hal,

Have you seen the coupe? It is going to have a carbon fiber body and probably be priced under $100,000 from what I understand. No other car will be able to touch it for the price.

[Great Asp]

There are coupes in the pipe right now, soon to be here.

Designed by Pete Brock, what will Evan say? Real? or replica>?

Eric

PS to finish with a NICE engine, you will have 80K in it, all carbon fiber body, AC and power windows

[Hal Copple]

Oh my yes! The Oltoff's had it for about six months, is Carbon Fiber, with an engine by ********, very very realistic to the originals, Pete Brock corroborated in the design, full race type suspension, all the goodies, and ungodly fast.

They had it up at VIR about two years ago. I was able to shoot some nice photos of it, my son and i got complementary rides in it.

Bob took my son Chris, who drives our car, out then came back at VIR, and needed gas. So he drove slowly thru the North Paddock, where there was a big Porsche event going on, and that crackling, intimidating engine just sent quivers over everybody's spine.

Bob commented to Chris coming back, "I wish at the end of the straight, i could just keep going straight, and join the Porsche's on the North Track, and blow them all off into the weeds."

A world class sports car. I don't know, but in my opinion, it is a genuine 200+ mph car.

[GeorgiaSnake]

Hal can you share the pics?

Randy

[Hal Copple]

my wife is leaving for a four day seminar in DC, it is bloody cold here in SC, even the dog is too cold to go out and do what it necessary!

I have some instructions on how to post pictures, so i will do my best to scan some and post some, i have a nice one i got by going out to the "Oak Tree" at the start of the long long VIR back straight, with Bob in the Coupe, with his son Dennis hard on his tail in their race roadster. I printed one, and they have it up on their trophy wall at their shop.

Once the aerodynamics of the Superformance Coupe gain the advantage, it just keeps on accelerating way past where our blunt roadsters run out of steam.

Ok, i will try to do it in the next day or so.

What a car. Screw the new Viper, this is the real one.

[Great Asp]

Great Asp

[GeorgiaSnake]

Thanks
That is sweet and beyond my checkbook at the moment.

[frankym]

Seems we got way off the subject, but I wanted to post an update regarding my original post. Dennis Olthoff called me right back after I made an inquiry on Friday and he expained the steps again. Dennis assured me that they test fit each and every top and I wouldn't have believed how simple it was if I hadn't seen it. First, a second set of hands is pretty helpful and second, you need a soft cloth to cover the roll bar while sliding the rear portion of the top over the roll bar, and 3rd, if you're out in the cold, get into a warm space, my garage was heated to only about 65 degrees with the top in the trunk. After securing the front bows, insert the center bow into place, the two bows should be together, i.e. not looking like a "V" and then drape the top over the roll bar. Starting from the DRIVER-side, secure the snaps while your friend pulls the top with both hands at the center of the top below the rear window. The top went on so quickly and then after all the snaps were in, we both extended the second bow to the "V" position.. Everything fits like a glove, no modifications and that thing is about as taut as britney spears' butt!

[Flyin_Freddie]

"...that thing is about as taut as britney spears' butt!"

Wait a minute....

Okay, I got a good visual....

Ooooooooooo...that's tight...!

Me likee...!

[frankym]

Now that I've got my top and side curtains installed and it all works really well, I am curious about the heater. I recall turning it on when I first got the car, heard the fan and at first I thought it was the cooling fan but then realized that this was the defroster (at least this is what I recall). It is the switch with 3 positions all the way to the right on the dash. Well, now that I got the top on, I hit the switch and I can see the amperage meter draw, but feel no heat and cannot hear any blower motor. Could anyone tell me what the defroster is supposed to sound like when you flip it, I am not feeling any wind at the winshield vents, I'm either doing something wrong or there's a disconnect under the hood. If it wasn't drawing I would guess that a fuse is blown but blower must be powering up, perhaps someone else has had a similar experience. I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have.

Thanks

Franky