• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.

    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Hardtop

61frogeye

Jedi Trainee
Offline
According to my British Heritage Certificate, my BE shipped with a white (Ivory) hardtop as one of it's accessories. I am seriously considering buying the white AH Spares HT. After comparing all costs (purchase, shipping and paint) I figure it is actually about equal in total cost to the Streamline top which is unpainted.

Before I pull the trigger, does anyone have any knowledge/experience with either of these hardtops? Any comparison? Any other options out there?
 
I'm curious as well. The original factory hardtop just looks 'right' on a BE.

Kurt.
 
Maybe I have your old hardtop. :devilgrin: I don't think my car ever had one, but my brother picked up this original one sometime back in the mid 80's. It needs a bit of paint. :rolleyes:

It's a very good quality top. I would definitely recommend the AH Spares one. And the price really isn't too bad.

IMG_8114s.jpg
 
So you have my hardtop! It was reported stolen in 1986, I am sending the police. :lol:

REC, Thanks for your opinion on the AHS HT. Since the AHS top will be pre-painted the color I want, the cost of it, plus shipping will be about the same as: the Streamline top, plus shipping plus getting it painted.

Your original top looks to be in VGC compared to most of them I have seen. They are truly rare and usually in terrible shape, as well as quite costly.
 
Just curios, but what would the total cost of a hard top from AH spares be? Have you considered getting a good used one?
Kevin
 
Geez, I just checked out the price of the hardtops. I was just offered a hardtop from my aunts husband who restores British cars for a living for free. I better jump on that before he changes his mind!
 
The BE Hardtops look so much better than the stuff available for later Spridgets. Square and Boxy and Portholes. I like the rounded look.
 
bugedd said:
Geez, I just checked out the price of the hardtops. I was just offered a hardtop from my aunts husband who restores British cars for a living for free. I better jump on that before he changes his mind!

Soooo, Bugedd, did you check on shipping since the price for the AH Spares original does'nt look that bad to me. Shipping I don't know about.

Kurt.
 
Total cost of a white AH Spares Works Hardtop plus shipping to Ohio is $1600.00, they have them made on demand which takes 3-4 weeks.

I would love to have an original, but they are very hard to find and sellers want very high prices for tops that are trashed. If I had the skills myself to properly restore and paint one I would do so, unfortunately I don't. My guess is that I would have to spend way more than $1600.00 to get an original and have it properly restored and painted.

AH Spares Works Hardtop
 
61frogeye said:
Total cost of a white AH Spares Works Hardtop plus shipping to Ohio is $1600.00, they have them made on demand which takes 3-4 weeks.

I would love to have an original, but they are very hard to find and sellers want very high prices for tops that are trashed. If I had the skills myself to properly restore and paint one I would do so, unfortunately I don't. My guess is that I would have to spend way more than $1600.00 to get an original and have it properly restored and painted.

AH Spares Works Hardtop

I picked up an original with glass window for $260 on craigs list. Guy did'nt know what he had. Considering condition I'll have over $1600 in my labor in it before I'm done!

Kurt.
 
The top is just about an hour drive from here. And apparently its in nice shape. I'm going to get in touch and see if I can pick it up in a week or so. Gotta love free!
 
bugedd said:
The top is just about an hour drive from here. And apparently its in nice shape. I'm going to get in touch and see if I can pick it up in a week or so. Gotta love free!

Go for it! :iagree:
 
Back
Top