soft top/hard top and side window questions

[Grubby]

Guys,
I have owned ERA 178 for about 1 year. It is a blast to drive and I am thinking about adding a top.

Do the plexiglass side windows that are used with hard tops and soft tops open with the door? Or do they open gull wing style to get in? Do the hard tops mount to the body using the ferrule that is behind the door or is another anchor point typically added to the body? There is no rear ferrule on my car; is it something that can be added?

Pictures would be a plus if you guys have any.

Thanks.
John

[Spoooky]

Check out my gallery. I have an SPF and the hard top is great. It clamps to the windshield and then at two points, one behind each door. works great. never had the side windows in though. In Arizona not really a need for them. I do have them and I can't see driving in the snow here.

[LudicrousSpeed]

Very nice hard top, who makes it and where did you get it from?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Grubby

Do the plexiglass side windows that are used with hard tops and soft tops open with the door? Or do they open gull wing style to get in? ... There is no rear ferrule on my car; is it something that can be added?

The side curtains that are used with a soft top fit in to ferrules in the door. If you have no ferrules, you can install them. Here is a shot of my side curtains. As you can see, they slide open.

[428street]

Grubby:

Not an expert on this but I'm fairly certain the side curtains fit into the three holes in the door and do open with the door horizontally or with the swing of the door. As for the hard top I've never seen an ERA with one but I am sure someone else can give you feedback. Best to call Peter on this one. My guess is because ERA cars are very exact you could get a third party top for an original style car...

[428street]

Patrickt:

Roughly what did the side curtains cost?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 428street

Patrickt:

Roughly what did the side curtains cost?

The side curtains from ERA are $750.

[Spoooky]

My hard top is a Superformance. Ordered direct for their plant. Delivered by boat.

[jdonne70]

I'm interested in ERA's new slabside 289, but I'd like a hardtop/side curtains. Unique offers them (not the LeMans, just a bubble top). Any reason why it wouldn't work on the ERA?

[Excaliber]

I ordered my side curtains months ago, there still on back order. It's a bit frustrating because I'd like to put on the soft top, which arrived months ago, but am a little afraid to proceed with having the side curtains at the same time.

The windshield will need to be adjusted (tilted) to get a good seal on the side curtains. Once the windshield position is set, THEN you can stretch/cut the front of the top to fit the windshield.

Bob P. sent me a pattern of the side curtains so perhaps I will have to proceed with that...

If you ask Peter about side curtains you better be darn sure you really really want a set. They leak, their noisy, they don't fit well, they will likely not line up perfectly with your exisiting holes in the doors and Peter doesn't like them in general. But I still want a set in spite of that,,, so I'm waiting,,, and waiting,,, and waiting.

[skippy]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

little afraid to proceed with having the side curtains at the same time.

Your right don't do it, at any given speed i know on my SPF without sidewindows would not be strong enough to withstand the flow of air flowing into the compartment area.

Skip....

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

If you ask Peter about side curtains you better be darn sure you really really want a set. They leak, their noisy, they don't fit well, they will likely not line up perfectly with your exisiting holes in the doors and Peter doesn't like them in general. But I still want a set in spite of that,,, so I'm waiting,,, and waiting,,, and waiting.

He's absolutely right. I got them, and you want to know why I got them? So that when I pass on and leave my car to one of my kids they don't say "I wonder why dad never got side curtains, and it's too late now as the company that built his car went out of business when all of the guys there died as well." I'm not kidding you Ernie, that's the only reason I bought them (and I'll admit that's probably the lamest reason one could possibly come up with). You know I don't even open the garage door if the weather is below the high 50's or if it looks like rain.

[Fullchat289]

Patrick:

Any chance you could post some really good close-up photos of your side curtains off the car to show all the different sides (inside/outside/top/bottom) and what the tracks look like that the plexi section slides in?

I'm looking to add a LeMans HT to my car and may just venture into fabricating my own.

My email is allen.bishop@volvo.com

PS. And I promise to never make fun of your duel rollbars.....ever!

Thanks!

- Allen.

[Excaliber]

I had side curtains on my Excalibur and I used them a number of times, not a lot, but they were nice to have when I needed them. At times, even in Hawaii, it actually does get cold and rainy. I lived in a sort of mountainous area, higher elevation and definitely colder than town. I DO drive in the rain and now being in Oregon I expect to see more of that than I did before, so for me, side curtains (along with my newly installed heater) are a must have.

This past winter I was riding my motorcycle down into the 40 degree range, thats just about as cold as I can go though.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

I'm looking to add a LeMans HT to my car and may just venture into fabricating my own.

Before you get too far, check with Mr. Bruce. He's in your backyard and can fit the top right to the car.

[Rickd]

Spooky - could you post photos of the connection points behind the doors? On the ERA FIA there are two ferrules, part of the chassis, behind each door latch, for installing the soft top frame. If the Superformance top could be "modified" to fit the FIA body - I would be interested in purchasing one!!!!!! What does Superformance charge for their hard top? Thanks, Rick.

[Excaliber]

I drove me Excalibur a LOT with just the soft top on, no side curtains. I used it primarily for the shade, it's HOT in Hawaii. I wouldn't go over more than 60-65 mph with it though, at that speed it did fine.

Also, it was Hartz cloth, unfortunately ERA does not offer Hartz cloth as an option, just the standard vinyl stuff (or what ever it is). I to considered a hard top, but a friend of mine in Hawaii said he was disappointed with his. Here's why. He would start out on a nice cruise and at some point would want to put the top down,,, cannot!!! Once the hard top is on your stuck with it until you get home, I like the flexibility of a soft top.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

Patrick:

Any chance you could post some really good close-up photos of your side curtains off the car to show all the different sides (inside/outside/top/bottom) and what the tracks look like that the plexi section slides in?

I'm looking to add a LeMans HT to my car and may just venture into fabricating my own.

My email is allen.bishop@volvo.com

PS. And I promise to never make fun of your duel rollbars.....ever!

Thanks!

- Allen.

Deal. They're packed away down in the basement, but if you give me a few days to unpack them I'll take a couple of dozen shots, with tape measures and all, and set up a page for you with thumbnails linked to hi-def shots. I should be able to bang that out by next weekend. Sound good?

[Excaliber]

...wish you were a neighbor Pat, I'd borrow those side curtains, lock in my windshield setting and get my darn soft top installed!

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Fullchat289

PS. And I promise to never make fun of your duel rollbars.....ever!

Thanks!

- Allen.

I sure hope he had his fingers crossed behind his back when he said that.