DB Hardtop - Expressions of Interest

[boxhead]

With the "Body Fixings" how obvious are these when the roof is off?

And your measurements now make perfect sence

[sambo]

Boxhead, the body fixings are much like a soft top ferrule but slightly bigger and threaded on the inside. They're machined from a large bolt if memory serves me correctly. Will organise a photo to illustrate things better.

[Zedn]

I havnt done any research on hard tops but arent they available here?

I believe RCM make them.

[Philm]

Thats not real positive Liam.

[db replicas]

Some fitting info here guys:-
db replicas hardtop fitting images pictures by v8cobra - Photobucket

[sambo]

A few more photos to compliment Dave's gallery above.

Some of the hardware. Note the four ferrules along the bottom, these are M10 bolts machined down and second in from the left is what you would see on the rear deck of your Cobra with the hardtop removed.



Interior shot showing two of the three headlining panels. There is also a bolt embedded behind the door for the side window cams to latch onto. The CNC'd hinges are also a nice touch.



Toughened rear glass, E-marked. Although heavier than plexi it makes the tailgate more rigid and I think this will be important when closing the tailgate against the gas struts.

[sambo]

Originally Posted by Zedn

I havnt done any research on hard tops but arent they available here?

I believe RCM make them.

Liam, you're right, RCM do make a hardtop. I had the pleasure of inspecting one tonight as it would happen (truth).

[Merv and Sharon]

Looks very neat indeed Paul. We have a mould here for the Harrison (long or short) and are throwing out a couple of tops now (another thread). That rear edge over the body is a complex set of curves and takes quite a while to get right.

[sambo]

Merv, is yours a Le Mans style hardtop with tailgate?

[Merv and Sharon]

No way Paul. Like the one above and in the other post. Yours reeks of class!

[Gav]

Sambo, would the rear hatch latch be available on it's own?
Yours looks very slick.

[sambo]

Gav, if by "rear hatch latch" you mean the lock, wire and "bear claw" catches these would be coming from DB Replicas. I could ask for an extra set as part of the bulk order. Another idea might be to drop Dave a line yourself. Shipping wouldn't be much on those items.

[Gav]

Will do, I certainly wouldnt want to be a burden on you.

[BJ's Snake]

Do you get a set of seat warmers with the Hard Top....!!!
Sorry Gav.

[Gav]

Bet you have a set now BJ

[mr bruce]

Gav, don't you Hoons have VWs down under, go over to SmashPalace and git one of these- VW Bug Beetle Engine Lid Deck Lock Latch on eBay!

[Gav]

You're the man Brucey.

[sambo]

Half a dozen people have expressed interest in the hardtop so I've worked out some pricing based on 6 orders.

The rude shock to most people is that it costs around $5200 AUD to import one of these kits yourself, based on the current exchange rate which is about 1.55. This includes 800 GBP in crating and shipping by air to Melbourne, GST, duty and brokerage fees. Then you will need to pickup the crate from the airport yourself or pay further costs to your door. Shipping by sea takes 7 weeks and will save you around 100 GBP.

I'm offering the hardtop kit for $4000 with shipping at your expense or pickup from Melbourne. I've been able put together a deal with DB Replicas to bulk order the hardware (parts list here). Based on 6 orders, the hardware alone runs to $1300 per kit and I'm passing this on at cost.

I'm prepared to say that this pricing does not cover my costs on 6 orders and in that calculation I'm excluding the purchase price of the original hardtop. However, I will own the mould at the end of the process so this is a long term investment.

I appreciate that $4000 is still a large chunk for many people, but these are the numbers that work for me. I could look elsewhere for a cheaper mould, but I want to preserve the quality and appearance of what is a great looking and well engineered hardtop so in my view this is a necessary cost.

Where to from here? I'll be looking for deposits of $500 to be paid by around the end of Feb 2012, to partly fund the making of the mould. I can wait until May 2012 for full payment to be made via an escrow service and once this happens the hardtops will go into production. You notify the escrow company when you've received the hardtop and they'll release the funds to me (exact terms to be agreed on by all). I'm told one hardtop can be produced per fortnight, so it will be a staggered delivery on a first come, first served basis.

The "drop dead" date for full payment (May 2012) is when I plan to modify the hardtop to suit my car and this will go ahead regardless of whether there is enough interest in copies being made.

For the interested parties, what is your level of interest based on the pricing and timeframes above? Feel free to PM or email me.

And just a reminder that we can arrange a trial fitting on your car if that helps with the decision.

Over to the pundits!

[berzerko]

Originally Posted by sambo

As many of you probably know, I took delivery of a DB Replicas hardtop earlier this year. Full details can be found in this thread.

A number of people expressed interest in getting a copy of the hardtop and I'm finally ready to get the process moving. This hardtop will fit a Dax bodied or Dax-derived Cobra shape with minimal rework. Most other kits require varying degrees of modification, and in some cases such as the Harrison you may need to extend the roof. Please be under no illusions about this! See the link above for dimensions and other info.

The original hardtop is available for viewing on a Dax bodied car in Noble Park (Melbourne) along with all the hardware such as hinges, rear screen, latches, fixtures, gas struts, body/door seals, window channels, etc, which I can bulk order from DB Replicas to share the freight costs around.

To preserve the high quality finish of the DB hardtop, I'm outsourcing all of the fibreglass work (including mould) to an experienced professional. This guy's composite work is second to none, so if you like the one on display you won't be disappointed by the copy.

With the right amount of interest I could have the mould by end of year and the first copies in late January.

For those who'd like to discuss further, please PM me your number and I'll give you a call.

A big thanks to Dave at DB Replicas!

Regards

Paul

I copied the design of the windows with the struts on a lemans top I got from
mr Bruce. Lexan, aluminum Channel and the wind wing hinges reversed
works great And looks real trick, the db replica top really looks good on these cars

[Gav]

Hooly dooly Sambo.
We bought three of Bruces tops including freight for about 4k and that was when the dollar was alot lower than it is now!