Convertible Conversion

[jhw227]

I live in Las Vegas and have a v-8 240z that i am getting ready to make into a convertible. Does anyone know of someone that will do this in my area? If not, I will do it myself but i don't know who the best person is to get the kit from. Any help would be great.

[sblake01]

I don't know if there ever was a kit. Years ago, a company called The Griffith Custom Coach Company in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. did Z convertable conversions. You would either have to find a shop or do it yourself.

[v12horse]

I don't want to admit that I like this since I classify myself pretty much as a Z purist, but the z looks pretty cool in convertible form. Make sure you post pics if you do this to your car. I think it would be really cool to make a z that is otherwise completely stock except the chopped top. It would look as if the Z came as a spyder as well as a gt coupe.

here is a link.

http://www.zparts.com/ads/zspider/zspider_index1.html

Take care and good luck with this jhw227,

Ben

[2ManyZs]

Actually, at one time there were at least 4 companies with convertible kits for the Z's.

Origin Designs

Hollywood Motorsports (now sold by ZParts)

Stramman

Transformations

As of now, there only a couple...

Here's one, which at one time was the VR Engineering kit, which I believe was originally the Origin Designs kit. It's been kept alive luckily.

http://www.reactionresearch.com/zspydergallery.html

ZTherapy also has or had a video that shows how to do it yourself, along with plans for a full folding top.

The old ZCar magazine did an article one the kits back in the summer of 95, as well as a how-to article by Bill Reagan. He built one from scratch and used the cut down hatch for a working trunklid, which most of the kits at that time didn't have.

If you look in the gallery, under the username, paul dinnell you will see one of the nicest convertible Z's owned by one of our members.

I will however caution you doing this with a V-8 car, as you will need to substantially strenghten the chassis after you cut off the roof to keep it from twisting into a pretzel under the torque of a

V-8. I would have someone build a good roll bar, with plenty of reinforcement to the rocker areas, perhaps even a cross bar under the dash tied into the firewall and trans tunnel, and then to the strut towers front and rear. I would also have to consider building a stronger set of floor rails such as you can see on Pete Paraska's web-site.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/

I've been toying with this idea for my wrecked car, but I wouldn't do it with a V-8 personally. Too much stress on the unibody as it is with a V-8, and without a roof, you'd need so much chassis strenghtening, it would end up making the car look like a race car with the top chopped off.

[hls30.com]

Dead on to what 2manyZs said. I have dealt with Reaction Resaerch for several years. The owner is John Washington-check out the site-he has spent a massive amount of time answering questions, and posting them. You could probably find all you want to know about the kit there. He is very buisy but friendly and helpful, I don't believe you could go wrong buying from him.

Will

[Mr Camouflage]

Making a 240z into a convertable is cutting off one of the Z's best features - That sexy roof line.

But if you must do it, id rather see a convesion that has a rear trunk lid so you can still use the rear area of the car.

I like the VR 250gto convetable kit though.

[2-4-T-Z-MAN]

If you have the winter 1996 Z CAR MAGAZINE my car is in

Reader's Z Rides. Upper left corner. Gold car on the lake shore.

Did the car after seeing an article in an old Kit Car Mag.

I had some frame rail connectors fabed and then chain welded them in.

Tied the rear strut towers together.

As well as the front, both on top and below near the radius rod bracket on the frame rail.

The top frame is a modified TR-7 frame.

I replaced the rocker panels to be sure all was well and while doing so I beefed them up by welding some flat sheet, with three beads rolled into them, between the outter rocker and the inner frame.

The back of the car was done much the same way as noted in the Z CAR MAG article.

Entered my first car show and won my first trophy in Sept. of 1993.

The door gaps are still even and there are no cracks in the body.

The point of all this misc. ramblings is that it can be done by the layman,as I am not a bodyman by trade.

You can also strengthen the unibody even after cutting off the top with out having a full rollcage unless that's the look you're after.

It's really fun to drive and always gets quizzical looks and smiles.

Good luck with the project.

[Ed]

I've never really cared for a convertible Z. It alters the flowing lines of the body. The Z is a car with a hatch back, not a trunk (boot for you foreigners). Buy an Alfa Romeo! Or a Fiat! Or a MG! Or a Triumph!

I've never seen a convertible that was done properly. Like the name implies convert-ible, having a top that may be lowered or removed. You should have a top. Not like those cars where they chop it up into a rolling bathtub. :mad:

[hls30.com]

I think a 240Z is a beautifully designed car, and the modification to make it a convertible can be done well too, as 2-4-T-Z-MAN pointed out, a motivated person can move the world if he knows where to find the right tools, and how to use them. I think using a Datsun roadster for the missing DNA would give a healthy nudge in the right direction for suitable, period, and OEM hardware!

That said, if I were to make one, it would be from a car that some DAPO had hacked up and put a sunroof in! No sense chopping up a primo specimen!

Will

[2ManyZs]

IMO the lines of the Z's lends itself nicely to a "top-chop", it's a shame Nissan never made one themselves, they could have sold twice the number of Z's, especially in CA and FL.

There's only one other car that I think looks as good with a top as without, and that's the 365 Ferrari Daytona. Personally, I like the looks of the Daytona better without a top than in coupe form, just like the Cobra.

[2-4-T-Z-MAN]

One thing I have learned about cars and the people that love them is that we all see the beauty that our eyes wish to see.

I've looked at 100's and 100's of cars, from muscle cars, lead sleds, rad customs, and every thing in between. I've not always understood why some things were done as they were. But if the body work and styling appeared to have been well thought out, that was something I could appreciate.

So where a convertible Z Car may not be to everyones liking I have found my car to be the ultimate in Zness. It's has all the Z qualities as designed by Datsun and the drop top coolness I wanted.

I've owned MG's , Healey's, and Triumph's briefly.

Some people love those cars. I didn't!

I've had my Z since 1975.

Some people always see a water glass thats half empty. Thats too bad! When you walk around seeing things only one way you miss more than you'll ever know.

[2ManyZs]

One thing about taking the top off a Z is that you know you have plenty of legroom!

I had an MG once, plenty of legroom, but the damn doors were so small it was a PITA to get in and out of. I've always like TR-6's, "tried one on" and guess what, no legroom. Same with the Miata. Footbox is too small too.....

The only one I'd like as much as a topless Z right now is the Honda S2000, but, the Z is paid for.

If I do mine, it's not going to be a convertible, it'll be a roadster, no top. Not planning on driving it unless the weather is perfect anyways.

2-4-T-Z Man, I looked up your car, looks great to me, but how in the heck did you do the front bumper? Sectioned in the middle or cut on the ends? BTW, yours with the "hood ornament" like the one on the bottom right would have been perfect.:devious: :classic: