installation manual SPC hardtop wanted

[HJ2]

Dear colleagues,

Does any kind soul have a copy of the installation manual for the SPC hardtop that they are willing to email to me?
I want to know a little what to expect and what's involved in mounting a hard top.

[lotusflasherman]

I went to Simon many years ago and had the man himself fit it so know the procedure but nothing written I can send..

The hardtop uses the hood clips on the front screen and some adjustable over-centre catches that use hooks fitted to brackets at the B pillar which are held by the hood securing bolts.

I made another set of brackets and hooks so I can swap the hardtop from the older SE to the current SE and fitted them when I was swapping the old black hood for a blue S2 one because it uses the hood securing bolts to attach a bracket with a hole for a bolt that holds a long retaining strap. Older SE, hardtop and brackets are not conveniently local but current car is in my garage so have taken photo of B pillar hook in situ that might help ...

the brackets are out of sight but are triangular with a bent offset that makes them handed, two holes to secure with hood bolts and one hole for the hook bolt you can see in the photo. Hook is slotted to give coarse vertical adjustment with fine adjustment on the over-centre catches.

hood bracket.jpg

Fitting those brackets is a bit time consuming as several trim panels need to be removed to get to the hood securing bolts.. so it's basically -
Remove the hood stowage cover, which is remains off when using the hardtop, remove carpet and corner trim panels.
Remove B post trim - I think rear speaker panels have to come out first, seem to remember they did when I changed the hood.
Then remove hood securing bolts and refit with handed triangular bracket in place.
Replace trim panels and carpet.
Fit hooks to bracket with bolt and nylock nut.

I'll take some photos of the old SE, which still has the trim panels off, when I'm next at where it is. (I rent a unit to keep my 'boy's toys' as my domestic garage isn't big enough, but it's very dangerous as it's tempting to collect more toys !)
I used that car with hardtop fitted when away on business for several months but had petrol leak so removed the hood to investigate it and made up spacer tubes to refit the hardtop brackets. Found it really useful having that shelf available again, but a it's a bit of 'a procedure' to refit the hood for summer use.

[HJ2]

Thanks a lot for the info Phil! this helps a lot.
I believe there should be an installation manual around.
Would it be possible to install the rear hooks @location? And more important: Does anybody knows if the rear deck (the panel) fits in the boot?

[dapinky]

Would it be possible to install the rear hooks @location? And more important: Does anybody knows if the rear deck (the panel) fits in the boot?

Henk-Jan,

I fitted my plates/hooks without having to do too much dismantling - one hole is 'slotted' so just needs the nut loostening, the other is a normal hole and needs the bolt to be withdrawn - but if you do one at a time, the hood shouldn't move too much.

I have never tried to get the deck in the boot as that is always fairly full with other stuff, but it definitely fits on the passengers' lap

[GeoffSmith]

It's even possible to fit it quite quickly with the front latches and a couple of cable ties… in a car park at Donington… in the freezing cold.

[lotusflasherman]

Henk-Jan

think I may have described what I did to change the hood and Dave is more accurate (as usual!).
Thinking back I'm pretty sure Simon didn't remove the B post trim - but it was March 2007 so a lot has happened in between, anyway that's my excuse ...

The deck (hood stowage lid) will go in the boot if you have nothing else in there - but it's a fiddle and likely to get scratched doing it. For a run down to the south of France with the hardtop on I wanted to be able to remove it when I was down there if the weather was nice - it usually is, but still be able to use the hood. So I bought another deck, sawed it in half, engineered a system to clip it back together and then had it sprayed - it was BRG to start with.
It/they go in the boot easily or stand behind each seat where they are less likely to get scratched.

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[theelanman]

I LIKE THAT.....!!!

[Saltire]

I LIKE THAT.....!!!

[HJ2]

TOP info and TOP solution!

[lotusflasherman]

TOP info and TOP solution!

Saw this and thought the link might be useful ..www.lotusm100.com/manuals/Fitting-a-hardtop-roof.pdf

Looks to me like Simon's (SPC) instructions..

[HJ2]

Thnx

I'll hope to make use of this soon

[HJ2]

Thanks to Aoki Magicpants and Shiply I am now the proud owner of one SPC CF Hardtop!

[lotusflasherman]

Thanks to Aoki Magicpants and Shiply I am now the proud owner of one SPC CF Hardtop!

We are waiting for photos of it fitted...

[Kuching]

TOP info and TOP solution!

Saw this and thought the link might be useful ..www.lotusm100.com/manuals/Fitting-a-hardtop-roof.pdf

Looks to me like Simon's (SPC) instructions..

That was written by myself
I'm a bit late to comment on this but I don't have chance to get here very often now. Looks like it's all taken care of anyway.