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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ sratoga top on ebay

Posted by: wilchek Apr 8 2005, 05:17 PM

If anyone is interested. I remember someone a little while back was looking for one. Seems kind of $$$$.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4541930345&category=10076

Posted by: Brando Apr 8 2005, 06:49 PM

Zoiks! That's expensivo for a top that looks really scratched up.

Posted by: ppickerell Apr 8 2005, 07:02 PM

Does anyone know whether the material these are made of can be polished?

Posted by: Jeff Bowlsby Apr 8 2005, 07:06 PM

They can be polished. Its just plastic.

Posted by: Rand Apr 8 2005, 08:22 PM

Thanks for posting this wilcheck.

Mequiar's Mirror Glaze and Plastic Polish will make that thing look like new. It fills scratches and restores the finish to perfection. We also use this stuff on motorcycle goggles and face sheilds with great results.

I want a Saratoga top... let the light in during the day, see the stars at night... I know some people don't like these things, but I live in the NorthWest where it doesn't get too hot under there very often... and when it does, I want the top off anyway. But dang, I'm not paying that much!

Maybe I need to make something... Has anyone done any vacuum forming of lexan or plexiglass? Probably easier to cut the center out of an old top and fit/seal some plexiglass into it. I want to do it right... water tight, well-made, and good looking. If anyone runs across an extra top they would let go cheap, I would love to hear about it.

Posted by: Tom73 Apr 8 2005, 08:23 PM

How does that thing fit? Does not look as long as the stock top. Does it just run back to the front of sail panel or ????

Posted by: Brando Apr 8 2005, 08:25 PM

QUOTE (RandyLok @ Apr 8 2005, 06:22 PM)
Maybe I need to make something... Has anyone done any vacuum forming of lexan or plexiglass? Probably easier to cut the center out of an old top and fit/seal some plexiglass into it. I want to do it right... water tight, well-made, and good looking. If anyone runs across an extra top they would let go cheap, I would love to hear about it.

That's an awesome Idea. Cut out the middle area of a stock top (minus some frame around it to install), then make it line up flush, use some silicon RTV and rivets... you're good to go Remember to tint it...

Posted by: vsg914 Apr 8 2005, 08:36 PM

QUOTE
Cut out the middle area of a stock top

Someones gotta say it.

Posted by: boxstr Apr 8 2005, 08:39 PM

I have tops coming out of my butt. Well not really but I have a lot of targa tops for the 914. Someone come and take one away. Do with as you will.
CCLINTOPSAREUS

Posted by: Rand Apr 8 2005, 08:51 PM

vsg914: I hear ya, but... if the car keeps the lines of the side profile and looks as good as it does with a standard top, but yet lets you see the sky or stars from inside... Oh yeah. Quitchyerbitchen!

To each his own, but I'm in Seattle where I crave all the sunshine I can get. Most of the time I drive with the top OFF, but when it's not hot I love the next best thing!

Posted by: Rand Apr 8 2005, 09:00 PM

boxstr:
I'm not interested in coming near your butt.... but I would love to visit Camp914 and see your facilities and projects. Scoring a deal on an extra top would be a bonus.

Hmmmm.... are you around this weekend??? Or first of week? My son and I need a road trip in the 914! The weather was great today... may it will hold up.

Posted by: vsg914 Apr 8 2005, 09:15 PM

Rand, I've seen a couple that were just generic sunroof stuff you buy at flaps. The ones with the aluminum trim. Looked like caca. Just a 12 X36 opening. Might look better if the plexi was as big as possible. Do it to an extra top so you can have both.

Posted by: boxstr Apr 8 2005, 09:24 PM

Rand I will be around this weekend, Silver Car auction this weekend , I will be there and at CAMP also next week. Call me at 503-799-5794.
Look forward to meeting you and showing you around CAMP 914.
CCLINTOURGUIDE

Posted by: Rand Apr 8 2005, 09:27 PM

QUOTE
Rand, I've seen a couple that were just generic sunroof stuff you buy at flaps. The ones with the aluminum trim. Looked like caca. Just a 12 X36 opening. Might look better if the plexi was as big as possible. Do it to an extra top so you can have both.

Oh, definitely... I'm not touchin' my current top - it's nice. But if I can pick up an extra top cheap, I may experiment... and it would be as much plexi as possible, just keeping the stock frame for a good perimeter fit with seals and hardware latches.

Posted by: jgiroux67 Apr 8 2005, 09:33 PM

I have an extra top that the previous to the previous owner had installed a sun roof so I think I'll just experiment with this one. I want to make as big of an opening as possible on it with clear plexiglass. It will probably turn out bad but its worth a shot.

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Apr 8 2005, 09:43 PM

Have a Saratoga top and...

Ups:
-From the outside, the top looks great in place, slightly shorter than the stock one and curves down to meet the back of the roll bar instead of the way the stock top hangs over it. Different, but in a good way. That said, its rounded rear leaves just a tiny bit of hard corner exposed on each corner of the sail panel aluminum trim. A concours freak would probably say it looks unfinished...but it suits me fine!

-From the inside, it makes the car seem like a bubbletop, as if there is very little anything but glass. The difference between the top Plexi tinting -- which looks like shiny black paint fro moutside -- is oddly close to the way the door and windshield glass looks tinted from the inside. Whoever picked the tint really got this right -- it keeps the cockpit cool, but lets enough light in to feel like real glass. WAY cooler than a sunroof, and an important part of the effect is that the Plexi goes ALL the way to the tops of the side windows

Downs:
-It's awfully flexi Plexi, meaning it's awkward to fit in place (but not terrible) and the fit isn't that great to begin with. They also warp in the trunk if the tranny gets REALLY hot. Ask my friend Ernie how he knows.

-Overall quality is so-so at best--when it was new.

-Forward edges are too thick at the sides. The center is okay, but the side/front leading edges are almost squared off and make for a LOT of windnoise.

-Squeaks.

-Ill-conceived latches.

-Laughable (and unobtanium) rubber seals to side windows...glues right onto the Plexi.

It is TOO wierd that you guys are talking about turning a stock top into one of these, sort of. I've been running the stock top this week in the rain and it is better in everyway, except for looks. I was thinking about trying to do this, too...but will probably never get around to it! But I would try it before spending $900 on a Saratoga top! That's nuts!

Hope this info is helpful...

pete

Posted by: dmenche914 Apr 9 2005, 09:26 AM

My saratoga top got the car too hot in the sun, so I cut out a larger opening in the top, and installed a portion cut out of a stock targa top to supply shade. Works really well now.

Because we sometimes get cloudy days out here, when I do want to see the sky, I took the section I cut out of the saratoga top, and grafted it into the hole in the stock top (from which I got the solid section to graft in the saratoga top).

Now I have the very best of both, a see thru top that shades me, and shady top I can see thru. I am a happy man!

Posted by: Rand Apr 14 2005, 02:58 PM

Got a couple extra tops to work with. (Thanks Craig!!! And thanks again for the Camp tour!)

Planning on cutting out the largest area possible, getting some plexi from http://tapplastics.com/ and sealing it with molding that will make it flush with the rest of the top.

user posted image

Should look decent and eliminate the problems with the Saratoga top. It will fit as well as a factory top. If it gets too hot inside, I'm going topless anyway.

Posted by: vsg914 Apr 14 2005, 04:36 PM

QUOTE (RandyLok @ Apr 14 2005, 02:58 PM)
If it gets too hot inside, I'm going topless anyway.

Come spend a summer in this part of the world. When it gets too hot, you put the top back on so you don't fry your brain. 100+ degrees, scorching sun, and 90% humidity.

Good luck with it BTW.

Posted by: Rand Apr 14 2005, 05:10 PM

Ouch, yeah it's a different thing up here. Pretty mild overall. We have beautiful summers - I just wish they lasted longer. The hottest days are perfect top-off days for my taste. We typically get 3 months of perfect weather, with the hottest 2-4 weeks in the 80-90 range and low humidity. The rest of the year I miss it.

Posted by: vsg914 Apr 14 2005, 05:57 PM

Well, at least we only have to put the top on in July, and August, and maybe a week in Jan, or Feb. Forecast for the next ten days is 60 at night and 80 in the daytime. I love springtime in tornado alley.