Optional hard top for 61 Cab

[Charlie White]

There's no question a hardtop can be a PITA to remove and install. I have done it by myself a few times. That's the primary reason I left the hardtop on once I discovered I liked it better than the softtop, and why I now have a Coupe (65-C Coupe since 1972).

CW

PS: Not trying to start a Coupe v. Cab argument here, just my personal preference!!!

[Freddy Rabbat]

My early, 159 001, SC Cabriolet came with a soft top and a hard top. Most of the time I preferred having the hardtop mounted. Driving around on coblestore German streets in the early 70's could really shake up a car. The car always seemed more sturdy and together with the hardtop in place. With the softtop the car seemed to shake and twist on those German streets as there seemed to be less structural rigidity. Wish I still had it. Here is a pic from about 1971.

CW

I agree with Charlie that the car shakes less when the hardtop is mounted.
Out of 12 years of ownership I drove my Cab for less than a month without the hardtop and the feeling was less rigid than I am used to. With the hardtop on it seems to be as rigid as a Coupe.

I have to say that the hardtop with the manual sunroof is the best of both worlds... and very similar to a Coupe with the same sunroof, except that you still have the option of driving it open top if you like!

Hardtops sell for close to scrap value, but restoring one can be very expensive depending on what you have. Latches, aluminum trim, rubber seals, etc can be unobtainable sometimes... specially the rear aluminum trim that is specific to the hardtop and can't be replaced for anything else... I have to say that restoring my sunroof hardtop was not cheaper than $15k... there goes a picture of the final result:

[Bill Sargent]

I am with Freddy on hard top economics. If you have a car delivered with a hard top you are ahead of the game since it fits the car. Even more ahead if you have all the parts. If you try to fit a hard top not original to the car things can get interesting. I know of two instances (my 64 cab and a recent thread involving a car in France) where metal work was required on the front of the hard top to make it fit the car properly. In both cases when the top was properly fitted at the rear of the car (B pillar lines up with lock post etc) the front would not latch to the windshield - too short. Solution in both cases was to unfold the skin, cut and lengthen the frame, extend the skin, re fold skin and metal work same. Also, most of the used tops I see for sale are missing mount hardware, latches, the unobtainium tirm etc. Here are my rough hard top economics for a hard top without a sun roof (probably double if it has a sun roof that does not work):

Metal work to get top to fit car $2000 skip if top original to car
Paint top $1500
Re chrome latches etc $ 500 + $400 if all missing
New head liner & installation $ 500
Rear inside quarter panels $300 different than cab. skip if top original & have
Rear quarter panel upholstry $300 vynal with installation
New rubber seals $ 500
New turn buckles $50 old ones missing or buggered
shims and single pin mount parts $150 skip if top original to car & present
curved mount parts on sides $75 skip if top original to car & present
Hard top trolly - store off car $200 $175 @ automotion + shipping
Misc hardware $50
TOTAL $6,075

And these costs assume that the Owner does most of the labor. Now you can see why used hard tops sell for less than $1,000 and Hagerty places value at $7,000 for one that fits a car in excellent condition. If you search on "hard top" there are several prior threads with photos of the various parts on a hard top that are different than a cab.

I agree with Freddy, the cab does feel more solid with the hard top. As for colors, my miessen blue 59A cab was originally a hard top only car with a light ivory top.

My 64C cab with non original hard top.

What my 59A will look like when completed.

[George Zariff]

Thank you for all the comments and insight on the history of the hard top. I still feel fortunate to have both a soft top and a hard top, even though I won't use it as much as I did when my 61 Cab was my year-round transportation. I thought I would contribute photos of my top while it was being painted. These were taken a few months ago at the body shop. The top was in excellent condition but it needed some work and a color change. I wanted it to match the new paint job on the car body that brought the car back to the original color. I decided to leave the rubber and metal trim, since it would have been too difficult to replace. Now that I saw the cost of restoring the top, submitted by Bill Sargent, I made the right decision. Plus, it didn't need that much work. I still have to do some touch up on the headliner and cleaning of the metal trim (it is dull and lifeless).

[Bill Sargent]

Hi George,

Great looking top! All the rubber for a hard top is available from International Merchantile (rear & side windows, rear base seal, window seals, seal to windshield). It would be a few hundred $ for all. Installation is not that bad. Unobtainium are the metal trim pieces that go in the rear base seal and around the rear window. I had the red top on my 64 all apart to restore and did the installation of the new rubber myself. Plan to do the same for the top on my 59.

[Rusty Ferrell]

And what about that little aluminum strip that wraps around the lower rubber seal. I bought a hardtop in Maine a few years ago for 450 just to get that piece of aluminum. Any body producing it?

[Bill Sargent]

The alloy trim strip in the rear base rubber seal is not being reproduced to my knowledge. And the early top trim strip is different than the later top one. Non opening side window tops for A and B T5 were narrow alloy like the A windshield trim. B T6 and C/SC are wider. All part of the high cost of restoring an incomplete hard top that was not originally on the car.

[Jay Aldeguer]

Hello Charlie,

Sorry for having to go back to this thread but may I know the color of your cab as well as the color of its hard top.

Thank you.

Jay

My early, 159 001, SC Cabriolet came with a soft top and a hard top. Most of the time I preferred having the hardtop mounted. Driving around on coblestore German streets in the early 70's could really shake up a car. The car always seemed more sturdy and together with the hardtop in place. With the softtop the car seemed to shake and twist on those German streets as there seemed to be less structural rigidity. Wish I still had it. Here is a pic from about 1971.

CW

[Charlie White]

Here's a picture of my 63 SC Cabriolet, serial # 159 001, taken sometime in 1970 in Worms, Germany when I was in the US Army stationed there. The car had been repainted when the picture was taken, but the original color was white. The black hardtop was never repainted. I had the car repainted the same color due to a wreck that damaged the front end. The factory removable hardtop was black. Wish I still had this car!!

CW

[Jay Aldeguer]

It IS a beautiful car. I'm sure your memories of your drives in it continue to resonate today.. Thanks Mr. White. Thanks, too, for the vast and invaluable info you have on your site.

SIncerely,

Jay

My early, 159 001, SC Cabriolet came with a soft top and a hard top. Most of the time I preferred having the hardtop mounted. Driving around on coblestore German streets in the early 70's could really shake up a car. The car always seemed more sturdy and together with the hardtop in place. With the softtop the car seemed to shake and twist on those German streets as there seemed to be less structural rigidity. Wish I still had it. Here is a pic from about 1971.

CW

[Jay Aldeguer]

Having spoken of sturdiness and rigidity, or lack thereof when using a soft top, would anyone know of any stiffening kit in the market we can install for cabriolets?

Thanks.

Jay

[Charlie White]

Jay,

Having had two "soft tops", one with an additional removable hard top, and a
coupe, I would not recommend "modifying" an existing convertible top. You
would only devalue it! Look for a factory removable hardtop, or secondarily
an aftermarket removable hardtop, or get a removable roll bar! JMHO!

CW

[Jay Aldeguer]

Hello CW,

Yes of course; wouldn't dare touch the soft top mechanism. I meant stiffening kit for the body not the soft top to minimize "roll".

Thanks.

Jay

[Charlie White]

I think the best stiffening you could put on a cabriolet would be
a factory hardtop~

CW

[Jay Aldeguer]

CW,

Just bought one actually

Jay