Advise on hard tops

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Hi all!

I'm looking to buy a mk3 '2, but rather keen on grabbing one with a hard top for extra security.

unfortunately (or not), i'm finding loads that are easily affordable but don't have a hard top.

I remember reading somewhere on here about the hard top kit (although im not 100% sure what said kit comprises of)

Hopefully, a picture is attached with this post, of an mr2 with what looks like a hard top kit. What I wanted to ask, is if the car has these silver "hooks", can i presume that a hard top can be fitted to this car? Is there something else it needs??

If thats the case, i could pick up a cheaper mr2, then still have money left to buy a hard top off ebay or something! yeehaa

(I guess i also need to ask where i'd be able to buy a hard top from, other than ebay. Is £500 a fair assumption of price?)

[uktotty]

looks like it has half a hardtop kit.
2 rear fixings but missing the 2 front fixings.
I think from memory about £160

[enid_b]

im not sure russ, i think it does have the front bits.

anyhow, what we are talking about is the bits you have circled are correct for the hard top, the back of it slides under those hooks.  just next to the seatbelt there should be two other bits sticking up vertically, (a bit like the ones for the soft top above the sun visor).

if it has those two bits, you are in business and its a slap it on and go job, if not then like russ says, its a trip to the shops, and not a lot of change left over.

E

[uktotty]

Looking at it on the works PC I think Enid may be right, just see if you have 2 black posts by the back of the doors.

Ooh and get your "Ears" sorted too.

[Liz]

Well I can see one of them by the drivers seat..

and there is a hardtop for sale on here at present by Markiii - its in yellow but of course sprayable!

[uktotty]

And 3 blue ones on a famous auction site

[ad_car_08]

Thanks for your help!

Can I be extremely cheeky and ask for a picture of the front posts to fix the hard top. I cant quite make out what's what on that picture I've attached.

Thanks again for your help   s:D s:D

[StuM]

Can I be extremely cheeky and ask for a picture of the front posts to fix the hard top.

Hi,

Here you go:



The hard top has two clips (same as the front ones on the soft top) at the back that clip on here once you've slotted it onto the hooks at the back.  There are two clips at the front, as with the soft top.  The hard top cars came also with little 'boxing gloves' that go over the rear posts when not in use - I think a lot have been lost over the years, but thought it was worth posting in case you saw a car with them on.

Hope that helps.

As per above, no problem to retro-fit a hard top.  The merits of having a hard top have been discussed a lot on here - I wouldn't see the lack of a hard top as being a deal breaker.  I, like you, wanted a hard top one specifically.  Having got one, I'm not sure I'd bother again.  It might be different in the winter.  That said, the security issue for me was one of the reasons I went for a HT.  If I had a garage I'd feel differently - for me, removing the HT means storing upstairs in a spare room and that is a bit cumbersome.. hence moving it a couple of weeks back to a friend's garage.

Cheers
Stu

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A massive thank you Stu!

So, if there are the chrome hooks on the back, and posts on the side near the headrests, I'm pretty much in business then!

I'm uber keen on finding an MR2 for sale with the hard top - a, because of security    and b, because I'm worried that if I buy the HT seperate, it'll look a totally different colour to the car, and look pants.
Unfortunately, with my tight budget, I guess I'll have to stop being so picky &take a gamble with whether the car I buy will mate with a HT.


Armed with the info you guys have provided, I'm sure I cant go wrong!   s:D s:D  


Thanks again!!

[StuM]

Another thing to bear in mind is that often people are selling their hard tops because they don't want or need them anymore, but are keeping their MR2.  This being the case, you might be able to 'do a deal' that includes you swapping over the hard top kit with them.

Good luck with your search - it is a buyer's market at the moment IMO, but with the arrival of proper summer weather that is variable!   s:) s:)  

Cheers,
Stu