Elise Hardtop - are they any good?

[kambites]

LRGS2 said:

If it is a S2 hardtop then mine is insulated and therefore warmer, a lot less noise and doesn't leak. It goes on when the clocks go back and comes off when the clocks go forward.

My soft-top is insulated too; and it doesn't leak either. I honestly can't tell the difference in terms of noise levels or insulation.

[Cotty]

Ireland said:

Cotty said:

I just prefer having a solid roof above my head, can't really explain it, just like it.

Hard to find a tougher material than soild fiberglass, eh?

Like I say I can't explain it. Its not really safer than a soft top.

[gentlemangreen]

Just to add I loved the hard top on my S1. It kept what little warmth the hamsters threw out in the car and gave it a lovely closed feeling.

All Elises look fantastic with a hardtop, no question.

[anonymous-user]

My S2 came with a hardtop as part of the package. It was an '02 without the rain funnels at the top of the door rubbers and used to leak more with the soft top on than the S1 ever did. I've been told by other owners on here that there's no such thing as a leaking S2 which is, of course, complete rubbish and why Lotus changed the design of the seals in about 2003. Other than stopping the leaks the hard top made no difference for day to day use. The big issue for me with both S1 and S2 was always one of the car misting up in the winter and taking ages for the windscreen to clear. A\C fixes that problem nicely.

I did have some rattles but they turned out to be due to overtightening the fasteners when putting the roof back on the car. Loosening them off a tad solved it.

It is possible for water to gather on the hard top and roll off into the car but you'll soon learn to move the car just a little to let the water roll off before opening the window.

You may also have people warn you that you've left a window open as the lip of the hardtop can leave a shadow at the top of the window making it look like it's open a bit even though it is fully closed.

[grumpy]

I put mine on for the first time in 2 years acouple of weeks ago, it looks great but we've some realy sunny weather the last couple of weekends and to be honest it't just not the same driving experience with the roof on.

[shirt]

thread resurrection!

i'm looking to buy a hard top [toyota elise] for the opposite reason most of you would, to keep heat out not in! we're nearing summer in dubai and i just don't think the soft-top will cut it. i'm 'desert-proofing' the car with cooling upgrades and i think driver comfort also needs attention.

i'll be going with a lotushardtops one as i've been in touch with them via seloc and they seem very accomodating from my enquiries so far. thought i'd ask on here with regard to people's thoughts on how best to insulate it.

current thinking is for a single layer of dynamat extreme with a layer of dynaliner on top. both would be fixed to the upper skin before the two are bonded together.

thoughts?

also, do these tops come lined? and also what are people's thoughts as to carbon vs GRP?

[RobM77]

kambites said:

LRGS2 said:

If it is a S2 hardtop then mine is insulated and therefore warmer, a lot less noise and doesn't leak. It goes on when the clocks go back and comes off when the clocks go forward.

My soft-top is insulated too; and it doesn't leak either. I honestly can't tell the difference in terms of noise levels or insulation.

Bear in mind that the S2 had two short tail soft tops in its lifespan - the first one was what I had on my 2004 111S, just plain canvas type material like the long tail S1 nd early S2 hood just shorter, and the one that came in later was known as the 'NVH hood' and had insulating material built in. I had a hard top as an alternative to my earlier hood and the difference in noise and insulation was well worth it in winter; I've not compared the later NVH hood with a hard top though - obviously it'd be a more subtle difference.

[cre8toruk]

gjf764: Might be interested for the right price you can email me if you like...

My S doesn't have a hardtop, but the soft top seems to work pretty well with no leaks (so far).

8.

[K2iss]

I'm surprised no one mentioned top speed and track days. I suspect the hard top, being bolted, is safer if you are planing to max up your car. How does it feel under a soft top at 140Mph on the German motorbahn?

Or is it only bolted in exige/s cup cars?

Edited by K2iss on Thursday 21st May 12:10

[RobM77]

K2iss said:

I'm surprised no one mentioned top speed and track days. I suspect the hard top, being bolted, is safer if you

I've maxed my Elise on the autobahn a few times with the soft top and it's absolutely fine. The interesting thing is how much the Bernoulli effect lifts the soft top off the struts. At 100mph+ you can easily get your fingers completely between the struts and the roof, but at rest the two are held tightly together.

[hajaba123]

cre8toruk said:

gjf764: Might be interested for the right price you can email me if you like...

My S doesn't have a hardtop, but the soft top seems to work pretty well with no leaks (so far).

8.

Sorry mate, sold it years ago

[deltashad]

Has anyone tried the cheap trackday roofs?
As a tight old git I was thinking about buying one of these and adding some deafening and finishing off myself to a decent standard. Although I have no idea how to make it weatherproof, in a cheap diy way.