ZROSSA Posted December 9, 2001 Share Posted December 9, 2001 Howdy all, I had a bit of a play with the old monster yesterday and found truck loads of bog in the roof and some rat shit repairs. I am thinking about going the convertable route. I see that z therapy has a vid. but to see it in nz i would have to have it convereted.........Exchange rate.....Expensive! Can any of you point me in the right direction to find out more inf. on how to go about it. Links and photos would be great. My z is a 2+2, but i belive that could work in my favour. Thanks for yor help. Y'alls Great. goodness i am getting a accent. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 9, 2001 Share Posted December 9, 2001 ZRossa, I'm afraid I can't help you, but you say that you have a 2+2... I have loved the idea of a 2+2 280zx convertible since I got my ZX... I think that will be my next project when/if this one is ever finished. I love my 280zx, and like the idea of a 2+2 so I can haul around 4 people and go cruisin', but I don't like the rooflines, and how cramped the back is, so I've always thought a convertible would be great... Sorry I couldn't help, I just thought I'd comment Keis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted December 9, 2001 Share Posted December 9, 2001 Reaction Research sells two tops for the Z. Two quality levels. E-mail John and see if he can help. He's a great guy and very talented. info@reactionresearch.com <info@reactionresearch.com> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin Richelsoph Posted December 11, 2001 Share Posted December 11, 2001 I just cut the top off of my 260Z over the weekend. Assuming yours is a Z and not a ZX, here's what I've done so far: I purchased the chassis reinforcements from John Washington (Reaction Research - VR Engineering) for his Velo Rossa Spyder kit, and welded these in place. VR Engineering also sells a convertible kit if you are interested. I plan to use the original hatchback (minus the glass) as a trunk lid. I sectioned a wedge shaped area from the rear window back to the rear of the car on each side. I then cut the top off, making the front cut right at the point behind the windshield reinforcement. At the back I cut a straight line just forward of the reinforced area that supports the hatchback. I then bent the hatchback frame downward. Next I will be welding in a piece of 1 inch square tube between the inner rear quarter panels and welding the hatchback frame to this support. The truth will come when I hang the hatch and see if it works. So far it looks good. Finally I will be welding in sheet steel to connect the hatch frame to the fenders and then working to get everything to look right. I do not have a website, but I have been taking photos. I will scan them soon and make them available by e-mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted December 11, 2001 Author Share Posted December 11, 2001 Thanks martin, I have e-mailed john. He has a video he will send me. If you use the stock hinges on the hatch for the trunk, will it open far enough to be usefull? The stock hinge is designed to move around 30 degrees I think. I have seen others with a hinge arangement designed to move around 85-90 degrees. Cheers, Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted December 11, 2001 Share Posted December 11, 2001 Keep us posted ZROSSA as I am looking at the same thing during the winter now that my garage is wired and heated. Thanks in advance!! My only question was about the hinges as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted December 11, 2001 Author Share Posted December 11, 2001 Thanks, I will givee him some mail. What has happened to madmanadams web sit. It seems to have been replaced with s-10 help. I know that some of you have gone the topless route. It looks to me that you use a lot of the metal from the hatch and reat of the cat to put it together. What kind of stuctural mods. need to be done to maintain chassis strength? I am not to woried about the top as its a fair weather car at the best of times. All help would be appreciated. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted December 11, 2001 Author Share Posted December 11, 2001 I have ordered the video from john at VReng. Hopefully it will get here before x-mas. I will have to get the damn thing converted to work on our tv here. I think we have more dot per inch on our scren or something like that. Pain in the arse. Showcars e-mailed back as well. They want around $5000 usd + an extra $800 for the two plus two. Shame really as a lot of there other stuff seemed good value. The hunt for knowledge will continue Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruez Posted December 12, 2001 Share Posted December 12, 2001 Hey Drew... Is that your Gold Z in your pics??? Never cared much for gold but that car is sweet..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 25, 2002 Share Posted March 25, 2002 hey i know this is an old thread but where did you get the video? i couldnt find it on the site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted March 25, 2002 Author Share Posted March 25, 2002 It never came, But I think z therapy has one as well. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted March 26, 2002 Share Posted March 26, 2002 Hey Does anyone have any pictures of their zvertibles. I know one guy has a ford v8 powered one on here and I want to see it if anyone has the link or something. I just bought a convertible myself soon to be a 350 or 383. Im looking for more info especially pics on these though as they are rather rare finds. Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted March 26, 2002 Author Share Posted March 26, 2002 Here are a couple of links: http://www.geocities.com/fulerzoo/zcarsofttop.html http://www.usq.edu.au/users/degroot/240z/Pages/nat2001concours.htm I have more but most are coming up as dead links right now. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagz Posted March 26, 2002 Share Posted March 26, 2002 I am almost certain the top on the light blue Z in in the first link Douglas posted is adapted from a Fiat 124 Spider. I've owned a few Spiders and it looks very familiar. I believe I ran across a write-up a while back on convertible tops for 1st gen. Z cars that talked about using the Fiat top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 27, 2002 Share Posted March 27, 2002 Triumph TR7 ragtop is a popular choice for Datsun Cunvertible but I agree the blue car looks of Fiat Origin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two40MuscleZ Posted March 27, 2002 Share Posted March 27, 2002 At last years MSA Natl's Mike Perrot brought his newly finished British racing green Z convertable. Sweet! He can be reached at Pierre'Z car center, 12579 Crenshaw Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90250. 310.644.3645, FAX 310.664.3647, E-mail pierrezman@aol.com. His fathers shop did all the Z Restorations for Nissan a few years back. Very helpful...good luck! Comps: Van Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted March 27, 2002 Share Posted March 27, 2002 I will definatly check into the tr7 ragtop. Im not really keen on the top from the fiat on that blue z. Too much rear window I still really wanna see the pics of the ford v8 powered convertible that is on here somewhere. If anyone else has any ideas on how to beat the 1500 dollar price tag on a vr engineering ragtop let me know. Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 27, 2002 Share Posted March 27, 2002 Is this the one your talking about: This one is Mike Gibson's car (SCCA Mike), you might ask him about it, this picture doesn't have the nice rims on it like he has now (unless its just a dark picture). Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 28, 2002 Share Posted March 28, 2002 Z Therapy (the carburator people now under new ownership) used to have a video on convertible Z's and TR7 ragtops. John Washington (Vello Rossa) took over Origin (Datsun convertible) which supplied a fiber glass hardtop for their convertible. I have the Origin kit with the hard top that in style was similar to the old XKE Jag roadster hard top.Of course the hard top is nothing you can stow in the trunk. I paid $250.00 for the hard top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted March 28, 2002 Share Posted March 28, 2002 I do remember the one conv. that was mentioned. Is was 383 powered with dual exhaust, but the link doesn't work anymore. This is something I came up with in my large collection of bookmarks. Hope it helps http://www.jasonjarvis.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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