Quote:
Originally Posted by smashwebs
This is not true, the coupe is NOT designed to accommodate the convertible. Why do you think the coupe was out an entire year earlier? There is a lot more design and testing involved in building a convertible. I'm not sure exactly what the differences in the supports, but I guarantee that the coupe is NOT going to be as solid as the convertible if you just remove the roof. It takes Nissan about an extra 100-150lbs to gain the same rigidity and an additional 50-100lbs for the difference in weight of the soft top and mechanism, and I promise anybody else isn't going to be able to do it as well for reasonable cost.
I'm not saying it's going to fall apart, but I'm just trying to point out that you are removing a huge structural member in the car. I would be very worried about what would happen in the event of ANY kind of accident. Furthermore, selling a targa top vehicle would more than likely be a huge liability issue for yourself when the car inevitably cannot react the way it was designed to in certain collision events.
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We don't have an answer for you about the year earlier. I am not sure what the difference in the supports are either, but how can you guarantee something when you don't know the differences? I'm not attacking you. I am sure you do know way more about this Z34 than me and my wife put together. This seems to be a huge unknown for us, and everyone I spoke to. Our builders say it is the same if not better than the z33, from their research. What
exactly is the difference in the underbody? Can anyone tell us? Is the z34 more rigid than the z33? From what we understand it is. Nissan did make structural improvements to the z34. If we are wrong, let me know. So, removing a section of the roof will naturally diminish some structural aspects, but will it be diminished so much as to revert even lower than a z33? We don't know for a fact. There goes the test. We want to prove it is as strong as or stronger than a stock z33. If it is not, then we will stand corrected, but we feel secure and safe with our builders that it is. When it is proved without a doubt it is - line-up t-top and targa fans because a ton of tops will be coming off. lol
If it proves it is not, then we can always add 100-150lbs of reinforcement to compensate so it will be. Then, we all will know what it will take to have a targa top. We are here to find out the facts, and have fun. Win - win.
As far as selling the car, which we will never do. Ok, maybe one day we will. We still would feel safer in a targa than in a convertible. I am not a lawyer by any means, but I think “as-is” speaks for itself? I do agree that it will not react the same way a stock car would, but does any car react the same as a stock vehicle with any huge modification?
This is a huge modification- maybe over the top. All your points are very logical and noted with respect, and we are not poo pooing them at all. It is the unknown or the lack of raw data that is troublesome for us all. We are willing to spend our money to be the guinea pigs and really test this modification out, and have that raw data we all need. Even after that, this modification will always take away some safety features of this car. Is it worth it? Heck yeah! We are just some Z fans pushing our car to the edge - don't most of us do that anyway? ~ Dean and Amy