It's just my opinion, but why wouldn't you sell your SR coupe to someone who wants one, and then build your convertible out of a less desirable non-SR coupe, maybe one with a messed up roof to begin with? Chopping the roof off of a perfectly good original SR car seems a shame to me. That said, I'm a big proponent of the "it's your car and you should feel comfortable doing anything you want to it" mindset, so proceed as you wish.
Jon, your sunroof should be worth maybe $10k more than a regular coupe assuming that it is in rough condition. The value gap is much greater when comparing restored cars. So, how does it make sense to sell the clip for much less than $10k, spend a lot of money on building your Outlaw, and ending up with a car that has much less value than a restored sunroof car? Greg is correct, don't chop up a sunroof to make an outlaw that could be made from a much cheaper car.
'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion
Jon:
If you decide to do make a coupe an open car, Ron Roland's book "Restored by Hand" has an article about doing just that beginning on page 215 under the title of 'Coupster'. Sounds like the conversion is not for the 'faint at heart'.
i have seen 356 coupes made into convertibles (due to roll over crashes), and they don't look right - the coupe and convertible bodies from the doors back are different - i did read an article where a conversion did address these issues, but that is big bucks and big brain damage - 356 hardtop 61 & 62's (notchbacks) are based on convertible bodies and make much more sense for conversions, but that too costs money and headaches - lastly, i don't see a converted coupe being worth more than a s/r coupe - just my $.02 - good luck brad
Just thinking out loud. A side from the clip removal and modification to the rear area below the window, reinforcing the frame and mating up a top; it cant be that hard. Right...
Jon E. Askins wrote:I have been offered up 15,000 by one person and 18,000 by another for the top clip
I just noticed that Joe Ruiz still has for sale a V-sunroof clip(super rare) for $7995. I think that has been listed for about a year. I recall seeing newer clips for less money. Has anybody bought/sold one lately that can report a price?
'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion
Standard price for sunroof clips range between $3500-5000 normally, I normally get about one a year and they sell. People can ask anything they want, this is America and a free market but I live by the Jim B rule of selling parts which is, (drumroll!)
"I'm not running a F*^King museum, I am selling Porsche Parts."
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.
Thanks Cliff, the new eBAY has created a false market where people ask insane prices in hopes of maybe getting it. Twice yesterday I had people trying to sell me parts on the phone, both quoted something they saw on eBAY, both prices they quoted me were double what the part was worth in the real market. I told them both this fact. One guy agreed and we did the deal, the other person is holding out hope...and holding a big and greasy part in the garage. Hope they like it.
I tell everyone the same thing, eBAY is great for checking prices, check completed auctions, see what stuff actually sold for, or didn't sell for, not the inflated asking prices in the 30 day/run forever auctions.
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.
