Look up the weight numbers for the hardtop and convertible versions of the same
car, any
car, sometime. You'll see that the convertible is always heavier. A hardtop is a
mechanically efficient way to stiffen an automobile's structure - take it away
and you
have to add heavier (both in section AND weight) members to the chassis to
approach the
same amount of rigidity.
Gary McCormick
San Jose, CA
Andrew Jacobs wrote:
> i actually drove a 240 with a similar conversion about 10 years ago.
> i had a great service guy in virginia who sold me my 240 and i
> happened to be there when a convertible 240 was in for service. the
> conversion was well done and the car looked great--i asked who ran the
> shop about possibly doing the same to my car, he told me to take a
> ride in the car that was there first--when i did, it was almost
> scary--the cowl moved all over the place, and when you would turn into
> parking lots, etc., the whole chassis would twist and make creaking
> noises when you passed over a dip or a rain gutter between the road
> and the parking lot. i decided to keep the roof on my car after that.
> andy
> 71 240z
> 69 2000
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