What should I do with this tropical top. Restore or take out the parts.

[derek]

I just picked up an old beaten up tropical top for my 88. The glass is in great shape but the rest of the top is beaten up pretty good.

I was thinking of transferring the glass and vents to my other top that is in great shape



As you can see it has some serious dents and a hole cut out in the back. It appears there was a roof rack on it.

I think it might be easier to cut new holes in my good top for the glass and attempt to remove the spot welds in the 2nd layer of the tropical top

Cutting the holes for the glass should not be difficult but saving the vents will be a lot more work.

Has anyone removed the spot welds on the vent tops? and transferred them to another top? Anyone think it would be actually easier to restore this beaten up top instead of moving the components?

[I Leak Oil]

I'd keep the sun sheet and supporting Z strips. Keep the vents and windows. Ditch the main top section, or pass it on for good karma.

[thixon]

Damn,
I've been looking for one forever here in Georgia. It seems like you can trip over one on the west coast, but they're as rare as hen's teeth in the south. I'm actually considering just fabbing a sun sheet for my top, putting in the vents and alpine glass and calling a day (or week, or however long it takes).

If you swap the sheet to your top, just drill out the spot welds, and weld them back up.

Personally, I don't think it would be a big deal whichever way you go. Those holes won't be a big deal to repair, nor will the dents.

[Les Parker]

Looks like that top has some stories to tell. I would keep it as it is, though a coat of paint and general tidy up would not be amiss.

[TedW]

Question for those who have a tropical roof: Do those vents actually work?

[LaneRover]

Question for those who have a tropical roof: Do those vents actually work?

Yes

[stomper]

^^what he said.

[Rat Patrol]

Fix the top! They are too damn hard to find. I spent 5 years looking for one and I'm not in the NE and couldn't find one in the NW either. That being said, I had to strip, fix holes, dents, and weatherstrip mine and after spending well over a grand to even get one.

[Andrew IIA]

Looks like that top has some stories to tell. I would keep it as it is, though a coat of paint and general tidy up would not be amiss.

That top looks like it just needs to be scrubbed clean and it'll be ready for service. Patch over the hole. The vents work great ! I love mine.

[Bud]

Save it. Fixing it will be less work than transferring parts.

[o2batsea]

While you will never get it looking like it did on day one, you can get it back to "pretty good" without too much trouble. The dents can be worked back out, but unless you have some hammer and dolly experience, they're probably best left to a pro.
A nice square patch piece, rivetted in place over the hole and painted to match won't bother you as much as throwing this away...

[derek]

Got the top cleaned up, and one of the corners is nice and straight now.

The vent opening springs are extremely rusted, thinking of removing the pin and dropping it in a rust remover and cross my fingers that the spring does not break once removing the rust.

[o2batsea]

The Galvy on the vents is in great shape. Dremel off the rivet head on the pins and you can get the latch thingy out and put it in to soak.
I just put in a order with a guy here in DC who has made new seals for these. If you need some, I can let you in on the info.