Roof Panel - Chim / Griff

[MPoxon]

After the debarcle I had at the weekend trying to fit the roof in the boot I am considering getting split roof conversion done by DC Trim.

I do not want to chop my existing roof so I was looking to purchase a roof panel from a breakers. Will a roof panel from a Chim fit a Griff?

[pod1069]

Have you considered the Surrey Roof option?

I bought one a few weeks ago and it is worth EVERY penny!

[TVR Beaver]

I looked at the split roof bit... Glen wanted £200 for a top and then you have to chop it etc... I was looking for one about £100 to do this to.... they must be out there somewhere?
The soft top is a good option also.. depends how much you want to spend?

[MPoxon]

I have been looking at this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I like the Surrey roof and think that it is a brilliant idea, however after seeing pictures of Ian's (Griff Boy) split roof he had made up at DC Trim which was trimmed inside in leather to match the interior I have made my mind up.

[Barreti]

The roof panel on the Griff and Chim are the same.

Prices vary wildly. I've seen between £75 and £175 irrespective of the state of it.
Don't forget you will need to have the fabric redone after they've cut it for you so budget for that too unless you have a black roof when you could be lucky and just replace the targa cover fabric without it looking too odd. Colours are likely to be a sod to match though because of their fading.

You can paint it but it will cost almost as much as a new roof because the GRP underneath the fabric wasn't meant to be seen and is of poor quality for painting ie. full of pin holes and bubble holes. Repairing this pushes up your labour costs significantly.

That said, I wouldn't be without my cut roof now.

cue Del & Moose...

[MPoxon]

Barreti said:

The roof panel on the Griff and Chim are the same.

Prices vary wildly. I've seen between £75 and £175 irrespective of the state of it.
Don't forget you will need to have the fabric redone after they've cut it for you so budget for that too unless you have a black roof when you could be lucky and just replace the targa cover fabric without it looking too odd. Colours are likely to be a sod to match though because of their fading.

You can paint it but it will cost almost as much as a new roof because the GRP underneath the fabric wasn't meant to be seen and is of poor quality for painting ie. full of pin holes and bubble holes. Repairing this pushes up your labour costs significantly.

That said, I wouldn't be without my cut roof now.

cue Del & Moose...

Thanks for the reply Barreti.

Mine is a blue roof so no such luck. When you had yours done did you take your car down to DC to have the roof colour matched or did you get your existing roof cut?

[FlipFlopGriff]

The panel are finished specifically for the car. My BV roof is slightly smaller than the 500 panel, so don't assume buying a panel it will fit well. Breakers prices are £250+ plus the dreaded.
FFG

[V8 GRF]

Not wanting to be too pedantic but it's actually Surface and Design who do the roof conversions, D&C trim them.

S&D can actually supply new panels from the mould they made from my roof and they're about £350 but you also have to add the cost of the conversion to that figure. It's another option if you want to splash the cash.

[Barreti]

FlipFlopGriff said:

The panel are finished specifically for the car. My BV roof is slightly smaller than the 500 panel, so don't assume buying a panel it will fit well. Breakers prices are £250+ plus the dreaded.
FFG

I suspect that could just be your BV though Paul, which after all is a bit special
Johno, BB and I all bought spare roof panels without issues with them fitting. £250 + VAT. Ferkin 'ell Mine was about £75 off ebay

As for my roof, following on from Moosehunter chopping his, DEL203 chopped his and egged me on to join the club, so I duly obliged last spring. We also did Ballistic Bananas and he's done a nice job of creating an 'S' type overlapping piece and had it recovered.

I took my newly cut panel to a local guy who finished my prep work and painted it for me.
Like an idiot I scratched my nicely painted panel not long after having it back and before I had separate panel bags made
So as I was about to leave for Le Mans I had a Union Jack sticker made and it still sports that.
In fact I like it so much I am going to remove the sticker and have the Union Jack professionally painted on then covered in the same stuff used for bodywork stone protection.

[Johno]

I've now got a split sitting in the garage unfinished. . . I've still got the original on the car . . but the Surry roof seems to answer all the demands I want. A split still doesn't save enough space if you're away touring for 2-3weeks (camping gear etc etc )and a full roof is a real PITA to live with, pretty much allthe time. A split, although a significant improvement still demands a chunk of space in the boot, esepcially if you build it with a lip between the 2 panels in the style fo the S series . .

I know you can do it without the lip and everyone says it doesn't leak, I've been with Ian at Le Mans with his in torrential rain and it didn't become a swimming pool, but I just don't seem to be able to jump through the mental loop to leave a big split from front to rear of the roof

I think I'll finish the split over next winter and have all 3.

Full one for those wets runs. . . the split for when we're away for the weekend or racing . .. the Surrey roof for those longer European tours. .

Edited by Johno on Wednesday 10th March 14:32

[MPoxon]

V8 GRF said:

Not wanting to be too pedantic but it's actually Surface and Design who do the roof conversions, D&C trim them.

S&D can actually supply new panels from the mould they made from my roof and they're about £350 but you also have to add the cost of the conversion to that figure. It's another option if you want to splash the cash.

Thanks for clarification David. I was not aware that it was infact Surface and Design who do the roof conversions, so cheers for clearing that up.

I can find a webiste for Surface and Design
http://www.surfaceanddesign.com/

Do D&C Trim have a website?

[MPoxon]

Barreti said:

I took my newly cut panel to a local guy who finished my prep work and painted it for me.
Like an idiot I scratched my nicely painted panel not long after having it back and before I had separate panel bags made
So as I was about to leave for Le Mans I had a Union Jack sticker made and it still sports that.
In fact I like it so much I am going to remove the sticker and have the Union Jack professionally painted on then covered in the same stuff used for bodywork stone protection.

Have you got any pictures of yours Barreti?

[Barreti]

Yep. I'll send some later, but I did give most of them to TheGriffithPages (shame its not up)
There was also a picture on here somewhere of my union jack roof at the Griff Growl this year. You could try searching for that thread.

[V8 GRF]

MPoxon said:

Do D&C Trim have a website?

No website for D&C although there are several threads on here with examples of their work.

Not decrying the DIY split roof's of Barreti and others which work well and (I believe) are 99% watertight but S&D's split roof is much more than just a roof cut in half, it does infact have a stepped joint in the middle to ensure complete water resistance, and some nice finishing touches.


(Thanks to Nigel Print(Taven) for the image)

[Del 203]

Barreti said:

cue Del & Moose...

Johno said:

I've now got a split sitting in the garage unfinished. . . I've still got the original on the car . . but the Surry roof seems to answer all the demands I want. A split still doesn't save enough space if you're away touring for 2-3weeks (camping gear etc etc )and a full roof is a real PITA to live with, pretty much allthe time. A split, although a significant improvement still demands a chunk of space in the boot, esepcially if you build it with a lip between the 2 panels in the style fo the S series . .

I know you can do it without the lip and everyone says it doesn't leak, I've been with Ian at Le Mans with his in torrential rain and it didn't become a swimming pool, but I just don't seem to be able to jump through the mental loop to leave a big split from front to rear of the roof

I think I'll finish the split over next winter and have all 3.

Full one for those wets runs. . . the split for when we're away for the weekend or racing . .. the Surrey roof for those longer European tours. .

Edited by Johno on Wednesday 10th March 14:32

Hi Johno

If you dont do an over lap & make up a good seal they don't leak (tested for the last few years of torrential Froggy rain ) & store on top of a full boot which takes up very little space


I'll reply to your mail later just taking the dog to the pub Again

[Johno]

Cheers Del, no huge hurry . .

[Murph7355]

pod1069 said:

Have you considered the Surrey Roof option?

I bought one a few weeks ago and it is worth EVERY penny!

It'd be good to see one in the flesh..would you be up for demoing it? (And if so, where abouts are you based? )

Is it lined? And noisy with it on?

And would you be able to take some additional pics (inside, side view etc)?

I suspect I'll be doing some touring in the car and whilst the roof is manageable, boot space is cut massively with it in there. This sort of thing would work...

[pod1069]

Murph7355 said:

pod1069 said:

Have you considered the Surrey Roof option?

I bought one a few weeks ago and it is worth EVERY penny!

It'd be good to see one in the flesh..would you be up for demoing it? (And if so, where abouts are you based? )

Is it lined? And noisy with it on?

And would you be able to take some additional pics (inside, side view etc)?

I suspect I'll be doing some touring in the car and whilst the roof is manageable, boot space is cut massively with it in there. This sort of thing would work...

No problem, you are welcome to take a look at any time. I live in the Cambridge area.

I bought the Surrey option as I wasn't going to get eveyrthing in the car for Le Mans and this seems the best option (for me anyway)

I am out of the country on business for a couple of weeks but will get some shots done when I get back

Or, I am booked up for Chatsworth and/or plan to be at one of the Ace Cafe nights in the near future (although I am away for the next one)

Let me know

[Johno]

pod1069 said:

Murph7355 said:

pod1069 said:

Have you considered the Surrey Roof option?

I bought one a few weeks ago and it is worth EVERY penny!

It'd be good to see one in the flesh..would you be up for demoing it? (And if so, where abouts are you based? )

Is it lined? And noisy with it on?

And would you be able to take some additional pics (inside, side view etc)?

I suspect I'll be doing some touring in the car and whilst the roof is manageable, boot space is cut massively with it in there. This sort of thing would work...

No problem, you are welcome to take a look at any time. I live in the Cambridge area.

I bought the Surrey option as I wasn't going to get eveyrthing in the car for Le Mans and this seems the best option (for me anyway)

I am out of the country on business for a couple of weeks but will get some shots done when I get back

Or, I am booked up for Chatsworth and/or plan to be at one of the Ace Cafe nights in the near future (although I am away for the next one)

Let me know

I'd definitely like to see more images of the Surrey roof, in place, where the bars go on the inside (6'3" so want make sure they would clear my head), where to stow it, it looks like it would have to go across the parcel shelf, how well does it fit in the boot with it full of other stuff . . . etc etc . .

If you're only Cambridgeshire, I'm Suffolk so it'd be good to try and catch a look in the flesh so to speak . . although mine's off the road for the next 2mths

[Murph7355]

pod1069 said:

...
No problem, you are welcome to take a look at any time. I live in the Cambridge area.

I bought the Surrey option as I wasn't going to get eveyrthing in the car for Le Mans and this seems the best option (for me anyway)

I am out of the country on business for a couple of weeks but will get some shots done when I get back

Or, I am booked up for Chatsworth and/or plan to be at one of the Ace Cafe nights in the near future (although I am away for the next one)

Let me know

Ta.

Will likely have to make it an Ace night. Need to get to one of those anyway, so let me know when you're likely to go