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05-09-2016, 11:16 AM | #1 |
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hardtop installation onto z4m roadster
Well I bit the bullet and drove @12 hrs. roundtrip to pick-up a hardtop for the roadster from Chicago, Illinois to Waterford, Michigan. Thanks to Mark Garcia for the sale and hospitality while in his presence! What I purchased was the hardtop w/shattered windshield a la fedex, new oem windshield, stand, 2 covers, retro fit kit for both sides, lock down tool and trim covers. Mark bought this top last year and in transit from North Carolina to Michigan it was shattered. The top now being in my possession and of a lighter color silver was professionally painted by Abra auto body to match my car's color. Prior to paint, my son and I disassembled the headliner, spoiler, window weather stripping and fasteners making it just a shell. I now have it back from painter and will have the new oem rear glass installed by a buddy who is an auto glazer. Once the rear windshield is installed, I will reassemble the main headliner and rear headliner piece. Then it's onto the hard top prep kit install. This top has taken quite a journey. As I have found a few tutorials on the hard top prep kit installation, I have not seen any directions on actually installing the hardtop onto the vehicle and what is required in doing such. Any help in the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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05-09-2016, 11:35 AM | #2 |
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Two people lift the hardtop into the correct mounting points. Use the tool provided to lock the sides and top center into place. Plug in the wire for the rear defroster. You will probably have to make adjustments to the top due to wind noise. That information can be found with the sear tool, but involves the adjustment nuts where it mounts on the sides.
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05-10-2016, 09:45 AM | #5 |
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The tops range from $600 on the cheap to $2500 on the expensive side. I've only seen a handful for sale including that of this website, bimmerfest and ebay for the past few years. The biggest problem is shipping. Most sellers do not want to ship and are looking for a local sale. These tops seem to be somewhat delicate and the cost for shipping/insurance is outrageous. They don't manufacture the tops or some of the parts for them anymore, they are obsolete. To my understanding all of the European spec z4's were outfitted with the fittings for the top at the factory, but U.S. spec vehicles didn't receive the same treatment (go figure). Retro kit for both lft./rt. side adaptation is @$140 per side and you do the install yourself. The cosmetic trim panel covers that cover the lft/rt top fittings when installed on the vehicle is like gold. Top key to screw(lrg. allen key) the top down to the frame of the car-like gold. I can't understand why the original owner purchasing a 50-60K car wouldn't make the initial investment and get the whole package making the vehicle that much more valuable/versatile. I guess it's personal preference though. Hell if I had 60K to spend on a car, what's another $4500 to have the top and ancillaries. It's all rolled into the monthly nut payment and you have the whole enchilada. There is a French company that manufactures their version of the z4 top as well. Different look. Check it out at this url
http://www.dmoris-styling.com/hardtop-z4---photos.html |
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05-11-2016, 05:44 AM | #6 | |
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Quote:
Last edited by chickdr; 05-11-2016 at 05:54 AM.. |
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05-11-2016, 11:28 AM | #7 |
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can u post some pics of the internal side minus the head liner??? always wanted to see how they are braced!
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05-13-2016, 08:47 PM | #9 |
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hardtop internals
Beedub-these are for you. Headliners are held in place by @15 blk. plastic pushpins with plastic screws in the center. The main headliner is manufactured from fiberglass gel coat which is one solid piece wrapped in a blk. fabric on the inside. The rear bottom windshield headliner is a long piece that interweaves with the main headliner providing a finished look for the bottom portion of the rear windshield (if you were to look down upon it from outside the car). Weather stripping for each window is held into place by a metal frame screwed down to the top's sides. Each metal frame has a track where the back of the weather-stripping ribs fits into. It's easy to remove but a pain in the ass to put back on to the tracks. I used some wd-40 as lubrication and it's still a p.i.t.a. You need to take your time otherwise you will tear the rubber up. After the weather stripping is installed on the tracks, there are 2 finish trim pieces that fit the window arches almost like door guards from keeping the doors from getting nicked while opening. Rear windshield is held in by urethane caulk with 6 small bumper guards underneath the window. Spoiler bolts on with hex screws from the underside of the top.
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05-14-2016, 02:55 AM | #10 |
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well ill be damned... the whole thing is metal underneath and skinned in fibreglass.... that may actually add to the rigidity of the roaster after seeing that. thank you very very much, so cool to see that inside!
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05-15-2016, 12:17 AM | #13 |
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wow nice effort on saving that hardtop. I think most people would just toss it with a broke windshield but as rare as they are that would be a shame.
back in '11-'12 i saw a few hard tops go for around $1000, but i haven't seen any sell for that little recently. usually they sell for around $1700-$2000 these days. i've seen them listed a few times for $2500 but i don't think anyone is paying that. you can use searchtempest.com to search craigslists in the whole US at once. i was trying to find one for a while when I was in PA but it was easier to just move to southern california problem solved. as mentioned above, the hard part is getting it to you. at any given time you can probably find one or two for sale in the US, but no one wants to ship them. even if you built a shipping crate for it it would be very difficult to hold the hard top down inside the crate. |
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06-22-2016, 10:20 AM | #15 |
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hard top installation and window reset procedure
Ok...I would first like to say, "a big thanks" to Mr. Chad Westbrook from Chicago who helped a fellow z4'er install the retro fit receivers for the hardtop. Chad was nice enough to come to my house and spent a couple of hours of his time on father's day to fit the receivers, explain top-on procedure and general knowledge of the top. For this I am indebted. Thanks, Chad you got a dinner or lunch coming from me. Now on to the silly stuff. Once the hardtop was fitted, the window while going up would bounce back down due to the anti-pinch mechanism engaging. I was reading about the window resetting procedure and was wondering if this would cure the issue. Also due to the fact of the arc of the hardtop versus the soft top the glass fits differently in that when you close the door, the glass sits a little higher which doesn't allow for full closure of the door because it hits the hardtop weather stripping. So basically I have to sit in the driver's seat and manually adjust each window with the switch to mate the weather stripping forming a leak proof seal. Stopped by an indy shop to inquire and they stated the door panel would have to come off along with the window being physically refitted. This seems like a P.I.T.A. if I want to transition from soft-to-hard top and vice-versa. Blog says just follow window reset procedure and done. Which is correct? Any input is greatly appreciated. Included pics of engine bay, hard top and soft top.
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07-07-2016, 02:28 PM | #16 |
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well done OP she looks awesome, your car is like new !! lol!!
can you confirm something for me, is the hardtop actually thin aluminium and covered in fibreglass?? the pics I'm seeing from underneath suggest so?? or am i wrong?
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07-08-2016, 12:01 AM | #17 |
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The top is actually a fiberglass gel coat with maybe a metal spine of some sort in the middle. I can't really tell about the metal due to the composition. It's definitely gel coat though and pretty lightweight but cumbersome and awkward to carry by yourself. The headliner is the same...gelcoat outside with fabric glued to it. Thnxs for the inquiryn
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07-08-2016, 12:55 PM | #18 |
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I bought my 2007 Z4M roadster this past May, I was fortunate enough that the seller also had the hard top and those trim pieces on the sides that are incredibly hard to find now. Also an OEM storage bag for the whole top.
At the time, I didn't realize these things so I thought storage of said items was going to be a real pain in the butt and was considering selling them. Glad I didn't. I've noticed that my car when you go to close the top, the windows are slightly down and then pop up. Similar when the hard top is on. But not so when when there's no hard top or the top is down. My Mini Cooper S use to do this too. Never had any issues with the window closing. |
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07-11-2016, 10:30 PM | #19 |
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You might have to adjust the height of the hardtop by turning the nut at the bottom of the B pillar. I have no problem with closing the door with hardtop on. The windows raise up half an inch to seal itself, the same with hardtop on or soft top up.
HTHs, |
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07-12-2016, 01:56 AM | #20 |
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same. HT on off windows always fit perfectly.
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