I have a spare hardtop for a series 2 Sunbeam Alpine. Thinking about fitting it to my Crossfire SE when it warms up.very light aluminum build. Opinions? detachable no mods gary

 

Gary are the dimensions even remotely similar? I mean width, shape of windshield header, side window opening, etc. Being aluminium, I'd hate to see you hack up a perfectly good Alpine removable hardtop.
I always thought the C1 (53 thru 62) Vette roof would make an excellent starting point for a XF roadster roof. But unfortunately they're in short supply as well.
I knew a guy who would fabricate large body panel molds using huge blocks of styrofoam. He said he would take all the measurements he needed, then he would use an electric carving knife to cut off everything that didn't look like the part he was trying to build. Then use sheets of fiberglass and resin to build up the part.
I think the easiest way to do a mock up for a fiberglass mold, would be to use an existing XF convertible top, and then just smooth out the ribs that show thru the top.
Here's a thread I started awhile back
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...e-hardtop.html.

 

If you can find a way to make it, I'm suspecting you could have a market for it. Let us know what you come up with.

 

The alpine cockpit and the Crossfire are very similar in size. I fitted Crossfire seats in a Sunbeam Tiger just to see how it improved ride. much more comfortable. Kept the Tiger seats and can put the Crossfire seats back in my SE if desired. I bought powered leather seats from LQK. Can't do a damn thing until snow is gone and I can find the top. It is not my car or top in picture. Gary

 

I used to have a Mercedese with the removable hardtop. It was a real pain to put on and off and was left off 90% of the time. It required two people so as to not damage the cor in any way. I suppose it might be good for winters back East. Storage was also a pain. I think that is why they perfected the retractable hardtop. They are more practicle but not as sporty looking.

 

Gary
I agree. Unless you have the time to do it, and are going to have fun doing it, it's not something that adds any value even to a car for which it was an option. It's something that few use.
My 356 Porsche cabriolet had a removable hardtop, and it was something that just took up space. It's a novelty.

 

Hard Top Hoist Lift - Hardtop hoist lift for Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, Honda, Ford, Corvette, Cadillac Allante hard top

 

They still never get used. They're just a storage problem. Anyone who lives on the sun coast leaves it off or never wanted one. For those who live in the snow coast and are trying to keep their car nice, they don't want them either because they don't drive their car in the winter. I'll bet 99% of Mercedes-Benz SL owners would tell you the same thing.

 

my SL exact same thing..... gary

 

I've owned 26 "Sports Cars" over the years, and only one had a removable hardtop, a 1972 Triumph Spitfire.
I had the good fortune of finding it in January of 1975, and I couldn't pass up the great deal that I got it for.
Since gasoline was pretty expensive back then (probably around $.60 a gallon) and my daily driver got about 12mpg, I went ahead and drove the Spitfire for the rest of the winter. I really liked the "Coupe like" feeling I got from having the hardtop, and because of the way it was designed, visibility was much better than the convertible top offered.
Come spring time, I used an old "wooden" block and tackle that we had hanging in our garage, and fabricated a strap system out of some leather belts to hook up to it. The roof hung in our garage all that summer and posed no storage problems at all, but I did bump my head on it a couple of times.
I think I put the top back on it at the end of October, when I sold the car.
Not everybody has the luxury of parking there Crossfires during the winter months, and having a hard top makes winter driving a little nicer.IMO
I would think it would help prolong the life of the Canvas top not having to be out in the elements as well.
If a nice looking "hardtop" could be designed, it would give the roadster a completely different look. Not that the convertible top looks bad in any way. Just something different.

 

My '57 Tbirdhada removable HT and a removal rag top which was in terrible shape. I put the HT on and off a lot. Set up a rig for it in the garage.

My business partner has a Caddi Escalante' with a matching removable top. The Dealer has kept it for almost 20 years, in storage. He has never had it on the car.

If you have an easy to use ragtop the HT is kind of a dunsel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunsel

That said a removable HTon the Crossie is interesting.

 

I do have a hard top I use and like. It is on my Sunbeam. Lucky to find it and then have fun restoring it. gary

 

I ordered my 74 TR6 with the removeable hardtop (should never have let the dealer talk me out of overdrive, though) and used it every winter for the 8 years I drove the car. It was definitely warmer and quieter, and sealed very well. It was a two man job to remove and install it and took up a small chunk of the garage in the summer. My regret was not the hardtop but driving the TR6 those many winters. It went through just about anything with 15" snowtires but the salt ate it alive. As previously stated, that is why the Crossies hibernate for the winter.

 

The snow left. I was able to get the SE and the hardtop together. Not workable due to the small size of the hard top. Not worth the effort to fit. Besides the Crossfire top is so good i won't kick a sleeping dog. No other use for the Sunbeam top so back in storage. Gary