I know Autoform is working on one, and I imagine ASC is also. There is enough demand out there, that it will surely be accomplished this year.
Any Progress On a Hardtop?
- Thread starter Bill Pemberton Woodhouse
- Start date
cstegall
Enthusiast
Okay Craig...where are you? Give us an SRT w/Photoshoped hardtop. You are the best...and I would really like to see what it SHOULD look like
No Flame Intended...Just Observation,
CStegall
No Flame Intended...Just Observation,
CStegall
Tom Shapiro
Enthusiast
I spoke to Jerry at Autoform friday and they are about 30-45 days away from producing SRT-10 hardtops. They will also have a rollbar available. Like Viper Days, the Illinois VCA will require SRT-10's to have either a roll bar or hardtop at our Gingerman Racetrack events. The hardtops will come in red, black, or silver. The soft top will stay in the car. With the trunk open you will place the top on and latch the front of the top into the factory latch on the windshield frame. The only alteration will be a rear latch installed in front of the trunk. Fasten the rear latch, then close the trunk. When the trunk is closed the rear flange of the top will be covered. Cost will be $3200 minus a 10% discount if you are a VCA member. That saving alone will pay for your yearly VCA membership and an SRT-10 trunk kit. The first 10 tops are already sold. They are taking deposits. If you have an interest give Jerry or Steve a call. 616-392-4909 www.autoformgroup.com
Wild Bill- I talked to ASC and they said that at this time they have decided not produce a hardtop.
Wild Bill- I talked to ASC and they said that at this time they have decided not produce a hardtop.
BlackVenom
Viper Owner
Tom,
How much of a modification will the rear latch require and will any of it be visible? Also, do they have a drawing or picture of a prototype on an SRT?
How much of a modification will the rear latch require and will any of it be visible? Also, do they have a drawing or picture of a prototype on an SRT?
Tom Shapiro
Enthusiast
Black Venom I haven't seen the alteration in person, but Jerry didn't make it sound like it was anything drastic. Now the rollbar will probably require some cutting. Maybe the guys at Autoform could post some pics. Jerry, Steve would that be possible?
SERPENT INDIANA
Enthusiast
The top has a "double bubble".....looks very good.....
dblankenbaker
Viper Owner
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Ok, exactly what safety benefit does the hardtop provide<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've been wondering this myself, especially given that the "soft" top is actually a hard magnesium roof overhead.
I've been wondering this myself, especially given that the "soft" top is actually a hard magnesium roof overhead.
kverges
Enthusiast
I actually think the top has no mag in it. The front section that doubles as a tonneau was pretty flexy and feels like plastic or a composite. I could be wrong, but I think the big mag piece is the section at the cowl & dash area.
Weight is one area where GM really did get it right compared to the Viper - I would sure love to have a Viper under the 3000 lb mark. Then again, the SRT is awesomely stiff and I detected no hint of cowl shake; that takes some beef in the frame.
Maybe I'll weigh my '01 GTS and see how it stacks up on the same set of scales.
Actually, if the car has to have a roll bar or hardtop to track drive, it will be quite a pity, as the car doesn't even begin to tap its potential on the street.
Weight is one area where GM really did get it right compared to the Viper - I would sure love to have a Viper under the 3000 lb mark. Then again, the SRT is awesomely stiff and I detected no hint of cowl shake; that takes some beef in the frame.
Maybe I'll weigh my '01 GTS and see how it stacks up on the same set of scales.
Actually, if the car has to have a roll bar or hardtop to track drive, it will be quite a pity, as the car doesn't even begin to tap its potential on the street.
kverges
Enthusiast
Ok, exactly what safety benefit does the hardtop provide to make it "required" to drive the car on track? I really don't see autoform claiming any rollover protection and I sure can't imagine any other organization claiming protection. The only thing I can imagine is that the hardtop would prevent broken top frame parts from becoming skewers.
Now a very cool hardtop conversion would replace the top and trunk and could be shaped to get very close to the Comp Coupe look. This would likely be a semi-permanent change that would take several hours to attach, but could get you your coupe several years early.
Keith
Now a very cool hardtop conversion would replace the top and trunk and could be shaped to get very close to the Comp Coupe look. This would likely be a semi-permanent change that would take several hours to attach, but could get you your coupe several years early.
Keith
Steve Ferguson
Enthusiast
Keith, the front section is made of magnesium, and there is also another 100 Lbs of magnesium used to keep the SRT/10 weight down. I don't know if you made it to VOI, but they did a whole presentation that showed exactly which sections have it.
SRTRICK
Enthusiast
Tom - I PM'd you this, but you probably don't usually get to the area that those show up, so I will just ask it here. Gingerman does not require that the Honda S2000 have any added safety equipment to run track days, and it has a similar setup to the new Viper. They don't even require them to run with the top up. Why has the club decided to require anything beyond the stock setup and the possible addition of a harness? It doesn't seem as if the addition of a hardtop would really help anything if one actually rolls the car, and it would seem possible for the top to come loose and do it's own damage if you were to hit something hard. I am really disappointed to hear this requirement, & hope that it can be revisited.
RK
RK
Steve Ferguson
Enthusiast
RK, I would think that the power difference between a Honda and the Viper would be reason enough to insist on maximum safety. I don't know, but I would bet the insurance company may have more to do with the rule than the track. You could still go for touring laps?
SRTRICK
Enthusiast
Steve, my point & Dave B's point is that it doesn't seem to be safer to add a hardtop to the stock car, particularly without any solid bolt down attachment. It would almost certainly crush and twist in an actual rollover, and as I mentioned could come off and take off one's head in a really hard impact with a solid object.
Regarding your comment about touring laps, perhaps we are talking about two different things, if you are talking about requiring a hard top for race laps with passing and a winner, you will get no arguement from me, but I don't believe you are.
I don't have an interest in non timed "parade" type laps, if that's what touring laps are. I would actually rather run time trial type events with the car, but know that it will probably not be allowed by MCSCC without an actual competition cage, which I am not willing to do.
If the bolt in roll bar replacement from autoform allows complete return to the stock setup, I might be able to do that if it will allow me to run timed runs. Really hoping the top can be down with that bar as I run much better with my face in the sun.
Thanks - RK
Regarding your comment about touring laps, perhaps we are talking about two different things, if you are talking about requiring a hard top for race laps with passing and a winner, you will get no arguement from me, but I don't believe you are.
I don't have an interest in non timed "parade" type laps, if that's what touring laps are. I would actually rather run time trial type events with the car, but know that it will probably not be allowed by MCSCC without an actual competition cage, which I am not willing to do.
If the bolt in roll bar replacement from autoform allows complete return to the stock setup, I might be able to do that if it will allow me to run timed runs. Really hoping the top can be down with that bar as I run much better with my face in the sun.
Thanks - RK
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