Hard top wanted

[tomcat]

I realise this is a very old thread. I can't locate anything on a search of the facebook group.
Did anyone locate the cabrio/hunter hard top mould?
I ask because I'm a profficient laminator, having built boats in past years and would be keen to produce a cabrio hardtop.

[J_Haines]

Re: Hard top wanted

A chap on the Marlin Facebook page claims to have a Hunter hardtop mould!!

[HairyDave]

Re: Hard top wanted

On a slight tangent, I had an LWB Roadster hardtop made from a mould which has been mentioned on the forum. I have an SWB Roadster and spent a while looking at it trying to think how to shorten it. I got epoxy resin and some bias fiberglass cloth. I cut out a slice just behind the screen and taped the two edges together, simples? NO No No!! Making edges meet not simples. but we are on the way. Shame I was too busy to take photos. I'll try tomorrow. I passed on the mould but it was a complicated bit of kit with lots of bits and would have been expensive to make. As has been said, the Berli hardtop looks great but designing one for a Cabrio will not be easy.

[billjackson54]

Re: Hard top wanted

My earlier suggestions regarding costs etc still stand as I anticipated a unit cost for a bare GRP hard top with fittings ready for individuals to go their own way with regarding finishing: I would probaly have mine covered in Vinyl. to complement the colour of the body. A heated rear window would (perhaps) have to be custom made, which would indeed add hugely to the cost, but I'm not sure I would bother...I have excellent door mirrors. As to ownership of the mould, the Club does not (as far as I know) have premises for storing one...so I had assumed that the creator / manufacturer would retain ownership. I wonder what the Matthews did with the original SWB Cabrio hard top mould ?

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Hard top wanted

Not wishing to put a damper on this , but who would own the mould supposing enough parties were interested? Cost of having said hardtop painted /trimmed/heated rear window etc seemingly hasn't been taken into account. It's not going to be a couple of hundred quid I'm afraid.

[dcunn]

Re: Hard top wanted

That was Victor Shadforths S918... I understand that he built the Targa Top.

It's now on Dave Kitsons E948...

This 2014 pic is in the Gallery

[David]

Re: Hard top wanted

Found another hard topped Cabrio in the gallery whilst looking at fuel caps.

https://www.marlinownersclub.com/wpp...&image_id=2430

[David]

Re: Hard top wanted

I suppose the most difficult step would be to get a design that pleases everyone. The couple of examples I've seen on this thread to date wouldn't get me hurrying to get my cheque book. Its a case of getting one that looks as good on the Cabrio as the hard top looks on the Berlinetta.

I second that, the blue Berli I posted a pic of above looks great. I think the Cabrio hard tops pictured are too square.

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Hard top wanted

This is the reply I received to my enquiry from a reputable GRP expert: The easiest and cheapest way (to make me a hard topfor my Cabrio ) would be to make you a hard top by modifying the SWB one, as a one off.

To make a mould and to cost it I’d ideally need to see what is involved regarding return edges and other undercuts requiring a multi piece mould. To make a durable mould with moulding gel coat and resin the cost could be anywhere around two to three thousand pounds.

It is often underestimate how much time and materials are required to make a good set of moulds, one offs generally are a great deal cheaper.

At 3k to make a mould, if 20 LWB Cabrio owners were keen, the development cost would come down to £150 each....and I imagine (wild guess really) the actual usable hardtop would cost another £200 on top....so for £400-£500 we could each have a hardtop for our car. For myself, at that price I'm keen...and I'm certainly interested in a SWB hard-top to modify if there are insufficient numbers of LWB owners to justify making one from scratch.
Comments, please!
Bill

I suppose the most difficult step would be to get a design that pleases everyone. The couple of examples I've seen on this thread to date wouldn't get me hurrying to get my cheque book. Its a case of getting one that looks as good on the Cabrio as the hard top looks on the Berlinetta.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Hard top wanted

For what it is worth I can confirm that the hard top on Bryans Cabrio was produced by Marlin

[billjackson54]

Re: Hard top wanted

This is the reply I received to my enquiry from a reputable GRP expert: The easiest and cheapest way (to make me a hard topfor my Cabrio ) would be to make you a hard top by modifying the SWB one, as a one off.

To make a mould and to cost it I’d ideally need to see what is involved regarding return edges and other undercuts requiring a multi piece mould. To make a durable mould with moulding gel coat and resin the cost could be anywhere around two to three thousand pounds.

It is often underestimate how much time and materials are required to make a good set of moulds, one offs generally are a great deal cheaper.

At 3k to make a mould, if 20 LWB Cabrio owners were keen, the development cost would come down to £150 each....and I imagine (wild guess really) the actual usable hardtop would cost another £200 on top....so for £400-£500 we could each have a hardtop for our car. For myself, at that price I'm keen...and I'm certainly interested in a SWB hard-top to modify if there are insufficient numbers of LWB owners to justify making one from scratch.
Comments, please!
Bill

[bryannewell]

Re: Hard top wanted

OK, I've been looking for Cabrio hard top pictures and found these two - assuming these are the Marlin ones
I can see why Mark M made his comment !


Brian N, I think the dk red one was you car

David B, good to see you now have a Cabrio, and ref your earlier comment elsewhere about the site's history
document, I'm on it

Stay safe everyone Rgds DC

Hi DC yup that is the one, You've just reminded me how ugly it was! Not sure who made it but it sure didnt belong on my car IMO, I hope the new owner liked it better than me

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Hard top wanted

OK, I've been looking for Cabrio hard top pictures and found these two - assuming these are the Marlin ones
I can see why Mark M made his comment !


Brian N, I think the dk red one was you car

David B, good to see you now have a Cabrio, and ref your earlier comment elsewhere about the site's history
document, I'm on it

Stay safe everyone Rgds DC

Yes, those two examples are a bit challenging from the aesthetic perspective I'll admit. Looks like I'll have to get my crayons out and see what I can come up with........

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Hard top wanted

I've recently been looking at hard top Berli's. The main reasons being I wanted something more practical for longer runs than a 'roadster' and I suffer quite badly from hay fever so a roofless car has never been the best for me, one reason you don't see me at anything other than local to me shows. I can do short trip OK.

I was thinking about buying the dark blue Beli for sale in Germany but he wants £11-12k for it. Pic here, looks like a good car.

I'll probably end up with a Cabrio so hard top maybe on the list.

Actually a hard top may not be much better unless you make sure you install a pollen filter into your ventilation system.

Alternately stick with a Cabrio soft top and invest in some beconase...... sorts me out for the summer and I really suffer with hayfever.

[dcunn]

Re: Hard top wanted

OK, I've been looking for Cabrio hard top pictures and found these two - assuming these are the Marlin ones
I can see why Mark M made his comment !


Brian N, I think the dk red one was you car

David B, good to see you now have a Cabrio, and ref your earlier comment elsewhere about the site's history
document, I'm on it

Stay safe everyone Rgds DC