Convertible G?

[chronic69]

Okay, what you think about my 00 ES a convertible? My wife wants a Black Rag Top. I have mixed feelings. What do you guys think?

[matrix8228]

Well if you have the money, go for it.

[Prophet]

I would say do it. You will be the first. Rding it in the summer will be fun but might have a pain in the neck leak by the time winter rolls around.

[galantv600]

thatd be tight but i agree with prophet about winter time...

[Fishboy55]

Have you even thought about the mechanics of that? You'd need some type of Targa support or roll bar to be legal, you need a spot for the top to go in to when it's down...The tops of all four doors would need to be cut, etc. It's an engineering nightmare and probably not possible without mad expenses.

[tim888tim]

You would also need some serious supports added to keep it from folding in the middle. I agree with Fishboy55 that it would be an engineering nightmare. However if you got plenty of the green stuff and lots of time, I would love to see the results and some picts.

[mrjaydeeone]

I would love to see the finished product...no doubt

[BXNYMitsu01]

That would be awesome to see, but it would probably cost you another car to make.

[escoson]

my cousins father-in-law did this to his 5 series bmw. if you have roughly $10-15,000 i say go for it!

[Dram3000]

The comments above about this mod needing a lot of mechanics and so for, are absolutely right. Although it can be done. I know for a fact, I did this back in the day to a 1991 Honda Civic 4-door.

If you are ever dead serious about doing this, I can offer you a detailed breakdown of exactly how I went about it.

Just off the top, I'll mention a few factors that come into play, that maybe you haven't considered yet.

For starters, as I'm sure you know, the G is a uni-body designed car. Meaning it does not have a true frame...like say, a truck. Therefore the roof section of the car, isn't there just to keep the rain off your head, but it's the main support system between the front end of your car, to the rear. Once you remove the roof, the structural integrity of the car will be lost. Thus losing virtually all safety strength.

You might be wondering what you need to do to gain back that original structural strength and safety...you can't. Once the roof is removed, that's it, you can never get it back. Even if you fabricated the roof back on, it would not be the same.

The biggest and most hardest part about doing this mod...is deciding if you want to do it, and then staying commited to finishing it. This was a wildly popular mod back in the day, and got massive points on the car show circuit. But I also saw and heard of many people who started this, never finished, with the end result being the car just got parted out.

Another factor - it is hard enough to do this mod to a 2-door car, nevertheless a 4-door car. Even some of the most respected custom car shops in Cali, refused to do a 4-door. The main reason being - that is how much less structural strength it has compared to a 2-door. And there has to be extra work just to get it in the neighborhood of a 2-door. (For example, on my car, the rear doors no longer even opened. They were welded and sealed shut, from the inside, with 1/2" steel plate bars we fabricated...that went from the bottom of the "B pillar" to the top area of the "C pillar", then back across to the top of the B pillar.)

Also, even if you went about everything correctly, reinforced the car the best you can...no matter what, in the long run, the car will succumb to damage. The main thing would be the body just actually twisting and bending. You'll notice this, by monitoring your door opening tolerances.

Back in the day, I saw cars that had doors that could either barely close, or could just not be opened without risking paint damage or other, so they just hopped in and out of their car, Fonzie style. (If you jack the front end of your car up really high, then open and close your doors, you'll notice it opens and shuts very roughly...the door slightly rubbing the door opening. That's cause the body is out of alignment. Imagine a car body without a roof.)

I know it might seem like I am trying to talk you out of it. I'm not, to each his/her own, do what yall want to do, it's all love. I just want to offer some legit thoughts from someone who has been there and done that.

If you think driving a slammed car is hard enough, you have to drive a custom convertible like you got crystal glasses balancing on the hood of your car. I no longer approached driveways at angles, in fear of twisting the body and so for. I had times, "if" I was able to notice some rough road conditions ahead, I would literally, stop and turn around, etc. And, no more quick accelerating or cruising the freeway at high speeds. Them little 1" road changes at 80+mph could easily result in body damage.

If you are as hardcore into tricking out your ride, as I was back then, the trade-off is worth all the hard work. Even after all of the above mentioned, cruising my ride out in the summer Cali sun, was better than many other things I've done in my life. There's no other feeling that can replace the feelings you get when your car enthusiast peers see your ride, knowing what you had to do to get it like that. Rolling up into the parking lot, gets eyes on you, red carpet style.

Let me not forget to mention, my car stayed convertible. It had no alternative roofing system...i.e. custom removable hardtop, softop, etc. Resulting in the car no longer being a daily driver. And I live in sunny Cali where it rains maybe only 30 times a year. Couldn't go anywhere and park and leave my car. Well not at least with someone babysitting it.

Hmmm, maybe I am trying to talk you out if, hahaha. I'm really not...but please understand, the type of effort in successfully completing this mod, let alone, upkeeping everything, and how fragile you will have to baby the car...takes an extreme relaxed attitude.

Well, let me shut up for now. But I'll keep an eye on this post, in case I can answer any questions.

Peace.

[chronic69]

Thanks to everyone on your feedback. Dram I think has got me reconsidering. I knew it would weaken the integrity, but I figured if I suiceded the rear doors and added a welded in place roll bar behind the front seat I could make it work. I want the car as tricked out as possible. I'd love to do the convertible. Apparently it will need more research. I'm not willing to lose the car over a speed bump. https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

[Dram3000]

Like I mentioned above, I'm sincerely not trying to talk you out of it. I just know how major an effort it takes. You may have a better game plan than I did 10 + years ago, and know of better ways to go about it.

About the roll bar concept - some people used this approach back in the day also. The thing about reinforcing the body and the roll bar in particular, the roll bar only helps from "left to right" strength. You still have "front to back" and "corner to corner" strength issues.

A car roof, does more than cover those three main perspectives. It's like a spiderweb covering the whole car body, giving support from every angle.

Although the roll bar would probably be the best bet to support "left to right" strength, the drawback to it, is that it might encourage the other two main perspectives to become even weaker.

When trying to reinforce the body in a mod like this, you have to try your best to add reinforcements to cover as many angles as you can.

Even as much as I mentioned in my first post, about how much I had to baby my car. That was even after the fact we reinforced the front end at 4 major points, the rear at 4 major points, and 6 points total from "front to back" "corner to corner".

Once again man, this is my facts and thoughts from having done it. This isn't me hatin' on you or the idea or anything of that nature. I would just feel bad, if I read your post, was too lazy to offer some valid input, you make the attempt on what is probably an otherwise perfectly working car, and possibly regret it later, if anything wrong happens.

This mod is not reversible, if your attempt is not 100% successful, then for the most part, it's a failure if it keeps you from being able to drive your car anymore.

[chronic69]

I'd be more p'd off if I did all this to a perfectly good G and then have to use a Taxi. Your advice is well taken. I know you're not trying to rain out my parade. https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif I even thought of a sub body underneath, but even with that, wouldn't hold too well too long. I'd rather scratch the idea than ruin my ride! Who cares how tricked out the car is if it's in the junkyard!

I guess I'll have to go with either custom T-Tops or Sunroof then. https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif Only thing left. https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[sj420]

How about a coupe instead? 8)

Not that you wouldn't have serious issues with this either, but just not as much. Damn it would be so sick...

[balln8g]

Ever thought about doing a hollywood top instead of making it a convertible?????????