Could you use it without the targa bar in the mean time, as a temporary solution?
Two piece prototype Collins and Aikman Dura hardtop
Starting a new thread here regarding this unique top i just acquired thanks to Choptop's FB link and some gentle prodding from 4501Safari (Richard).
Let start with the information from the seller.
-Seller's company specializes in liquidating industrial warehouse when companies go bankrupt.
-Around '08 or '09 they were contracted to liquidate 17 of the Collins and Aikman Factories. Two of those factories were known as Dura Convertible Top.
-Dura apparently had a "North" and a "South" plant.
-When they originally acquired this prototype two piece hard top it was on a functional mock up with electrical actuators that allowed it to be demonstrated as a functional hard top.
Guessing here:
I suppose Collins and Aikman being the softop manufacturer for GM for the convertible Kappa's make this not quite a genuine GM part, but I would assume a prototype they had put together to pitch to GM as an aftermarket option, or possibly an official GM option had it not all gone belly up with the loss of Pontiac and Saturn.
One of the tings that makes this hard top unique is that it is the only one i have seen (outside of Nankoo's one off artistry ones) that allow you to open the trunk with the top still on.
I just closed the deal with the seller and do not have it yet however i wanted to post all the photos i have on it as of this moment.
Feel free to ruminate and speculate below.
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Let start with the information from the seller.
-Seller's company specializes in liquidating industrial warehouse when companies go bankrupt.
-Around '08 or '09 they were contracted to liquidate 17 of the Collins and Aikman Factories. Two of those factories were known as Dura Convertible Top.
-Dura apparently had a "North" and a "South" plant.
-When they originally acquired this prototype two piece hard top it was on a functional mock up with electrical actuators that allowed it to be demonstrated as a functional hard top.
Guessing here:
I suppose Collins and Aikman being the softop manufacturer for GM for the convertible Kappa's make this not quite a genuine GM part, but I would assume a prototype they had put together to pitch to GM as an aftermarket option, or possibly an official GM option had it not all gone belly up with the loss of Pontiac and Saturn.
One of the tings that makes this hard top unique is that it is the only one i have seen (outside of Nankoo's one off artistry ones) that allow you to open the trunk with the top still on.
I just closed the deal with the seller and do not have it yet however i wanted to post all the photos i have on it as of this moment.
Feel free to ruminate and speculate below.
221 - 240 of 333 Posts
I can but i had to remove the entire latch mechanism and chrome grommets on the trunk to be able to fasten the targa bar.
So i have two big holes in the trunk where the grommets were until i can put that all back.
Is it possible the trunk bar portion was meant to sit on weather stripping and thus be slightly higher on the trunk decklid? Maybe when norm was fixing and fabbing he might have made them level but the original design spec was for the trunk spoiler to be slightly shorter and sit on rubber like a tradition car rear spoiler does.........
example from my daily driver New OEM Rear Right Passenger Side Spoiler Pad For 11-15 Genesis Coupe 872582M001 | eBay this rubber pad sits between the spoiler and trunk giving it roughly a eight of an inch rise, it's likely the original design would've had something similar instead of having composite sitting directly on the paint, would that roughly give the clearance your missing?
edited #2 how certain are you the chrome scuff guards/circles are removed for installation? it almost looks like the spoiler section wants to sit higher and tilt forward instead of being flush with the rear deck..... wish I could be there to assist with this
example from my daily driver New OEM Rear Right Passenger Side Spoiler Pad For 11-15 Genesis Coupe 872582M001 | eBay this rubber pad sits between the spoiler and trunk giving it roughly a eight of an inch rise, it's likely the original design would've had something similar instead of having composite sitting directly on the paint, would that roughly give the clearance your missing?
edited #2 how certain are you the chrome scuff guards/circles are removed for installation? it almost looks like the spoiler section wants to sit higher and tilt forward instead of being flush with the rear deck..... wish I could be there to assist with this
Wont fit with the chrome rounds on as the base of the targa bar sits on them half on half off..Is it possible the trunk bar portion was meant to sit on weather stripping and thus be slightly higher on the trunk decklid? Maybe when norm was fixing and fabbing he might have made them level but the original design spec was for the trunk spoiler to be slightly shorter and sit on rubber like a tradition car rear spoiler does.........
example from my daily driver New OEM Rear Right Passenger Side Spoiler Pad For 11-15 Genesis Coupe 872582M001 | eBay this rubber pad sits between the spoiler and trunk giving it roughly a eight of an inch rise, it's likely the original design would've had something similar instead of having composite sitting directly on the paint, would that roughly give the clearance your missing?
edited #2 how certain are you the chrome scuff guards/circles are removed for installation? it almost looks like the spoiler section wants to sit higher and tilt forward instead of being flush with the rear deck..... wish I could be there to assist with this
Also the base is not flat on the bottom. (Will post pics later)
I had thought initially it would just go over the chrome circles but it does not.
knowing that the composite should not sit directly on the paint of the trunk i traced and cut a pattern of 1/16 rubber. I tried both with and without the rubber and it does not affect the geometry.
Some thoughts after a night of sleep.
The only geometry that makes sense to me would be to lower the tulip panel.
Because the current gap between the t bar and the top is a “V” where it is close on the outside edges and wider on the center top the place where the two pieces meet needs to come down. Since i cant lower the targa bar anymore as it already wont allow the trunk to close, that leaves lowering the rear side of the top.
- so big question is since the top sits on the tulip panel, is it possible to lower the tulip panel?
i doubt it but maybe someone here has experience with it. Is it actually adjustable?
And even if it is, i think that would misalign the interior plastic wouldn't it?
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The only geometry that makes sense to me would be to lower the tulip panel.
Because the current gap between the t bar and the top is a “V” where it is close on the outside edges and wider on the center top the place where the two pieces meet needs to come down. Since i cant lower the targa bar anymore as it already wont allow the trunk to close, that leaves lowering the rear side of the top.
- so big question is since the top sits on the tulip panel, is it possible to lower the tulip panel?
i doubt it but maybe someone here has experience with it. Is it actually adjustable?
And even if it is, i think that would misalign the interior plastic wouldn't it?
I will try to contact Norm of course.
its not that complicated though and i cant imagine i missed something. If you go back to photos i posted from Norm when he first got it and mocked it up, it had the same issue.
Except that the top had a squared corner to match the targa and now it is rounded there.
It also had a rubber gasket which it no longer does.
221 - 240 of 333 Posts
