hard top on or off

[Don S.]

Planning on getting 396 car judged in fla this coming jan. We have two tops . Should i display with 2 tops or just the convertable top or both.
Don Steele

[Tom H.]

Re: hard top on or off

I don't know about the seasoned veterans, but if it came with two tops, you can bet I'd display it with both. Hardtop on ! I think if it is shown as a two top car, it should be judged with the hardtop secured.

[Eric Eade]

Re: hard top on or off

Don, It's been a little while since I was last on a judging team so a few others can add in but if I remember correctly the judging was based on which top was brought and not on having them both there. If a hard top was on, it wasn't asked to be removed to see the soft top. I would think that if one top was in better judging condition than the other, that's the way I would display it. Eric 31337

[Tom H.]

Re: hard top on or off

If a car was clearly a 2 top car and is displayed/judged with a soft top only, is there no deduction for the missing hardtop ?? I understand the manual says only 1 top is judged, but I can't believe a missing option can pass without deduction. Can anyone elaborate on this ?? Just curious as to how this situation is handled.

[John H.]

Re: hard top on or off

It's the owner's choice for how a 2-top car is presented for judging - you can present it with the soft top up and no hardtop, or with the hardtop installed. If presented with the hardtop installed, the judges will check to see that the soft top is present.

[John H.]

Re: hard top on or off

Tom -

The only circumstance where a 2-top car must be presented with both tops is for a P.V.

[Eric Eade]

Re: hard top on or off

On that same line, I don't think any judging is made for the retracted soft top condition unless it is noticably worn or damaged.

[Tom H.]

Re: hard top on or off

Thanks John !

[Joe R.]

Re: hard top on or off

You get to choose which top to use for judging. Study the judging manual and your two tops and use the top that you think will judge the best. There are a lot of points allocated to the top (interior and exterior), so choose carefully.

When I bought my car it had a generic replacement soft top that was in good condition, and a nice hardtop that needed some minor restoration. I decided to restore the hard top for judging purposes. The hard top only goes on the car when the car is being judged, and I typically get full credit for all the judging items allocated to the top. The soft top, if it were judged, would lose a lot of points.

Whichever option you choose, make sure that you get all the associated details correct. There should be a hardtop wrench in the glove box, and if you use the soft top, the hard top mounting holes in the rear deck should be plugged with the correct hard top bolts.

[John H.]

Re: hard top on or off - Addendum

A 2-top car should also have the two rubber sealing washers for the hardtop bolt heads - on the bolts if the hardtop is not installed, or in the bag with the wrench if the hardtop is in place.

[Joe R.]

Re: hard top on or off - Addendum

Hi John:

I thought about mentioning that, but I didn't know if it was "official" yet. Per the earlier discussions here on the Tech Board, I put the washers in the wrench bag for judging at the recent Boston Regional just to see if they would draw any comments, but the judges didn't comment on them.....

[John H.]

Re: hard top on or off - Addendum

Joe -

Yup, revised 4th edition, page 36, Glove Box Contents.

[John A. Salce (#21388)]

Re: hard top on or off - Addendum

I have two questions. If going for a PV, do you need to bring both tops? I have a C1 with a Power Top and I know that will be checked but I am not sure about the hardtop. The second question is can someone point me in the right direction as to who makes or has a correct wrench bag for the hardtop wrench?

Thank you!

John A. Salce (21388)

[John D.]

Re: hard top on or off - Addendum

John, The wrench subject was just covered on the DB less than 30 days ago. You should be able to find it very easy in the archives. John

[Gary C.]

PV's require both tops if so equipped *NM*