what do you think about the possibility of creating a hard top for the convertible? like the removeable hard tops on other convertibles we see all the time. something for the inclement weather those of us in snowy climates must endure for, oh, half the year... do you think it would be possible?

 

It's not just for the harsh winter locales. I would've rather had a hard top convertible than my soft top. It would've cost more probably but every man has his price.

It's definitely possible but I don't see them doing that. It's just not MINI minded.

 

i meant more along the lines of a removable hard top, that goes over the soft top when down. not a retractable hard top...

 

Ever notice how the soft top hangs over the back when down? Someone may come up with a hard top, but it would look strange...

 

Sound like a JEEP

 

SLAP!

Does not.





edit: thread drift - my wife had a Chow when I married her. First dog I ever saw that could growl exhaling AND inhaling. Impressed the huey out of me! "Yogi" was a damn good dog!

 

i was only thinking that it's damn cold in the car - even with the top up. the heat can barely keep up.
and awfully hard to see with the top up.
and makes me nervous parked on the streets of the boston.
and going into winter, i was just thinking of alternatives.

but, i knew all of this going into it, so...i shouldn't be complaining. because when the top is down, it's the best car around.

 

I spent 10 years in Colorado driving a soft-top Land Rover defender. It's top is so air and water tight that when it snows outside it also snows inside, and the heater is only good for warming the ankles slightly!

You'd be amazed how much of a positive difference a nice pair of gloves, a wool hat, and a good set of silk long underwear can make for winter driving with a soft top.

hard top would be neat though. . . .

 

YuccaPatrol - that sounds like the British sports cars of yesteryear. I speak from experience. ('67 TR6)

 

Amen!

 

Back in college, a buddy of mine had the BMW 'vert and they bought the removable hard-shell top for the winter. It was REALLY expensive and heavy as heck b/c of the glass rear window. Definitely a two person job to get it on.

I'm not sure where on the cabrio the hard-top would sit since the roof is still exposed when down any suggestions ?

I just turn on the heated seats first (making sure my wallet is NOT in my back pocket ) then I crank up the heat after it's warmed up a bit. Gloves/hat a must!

 

Actually that sounds like a great idea if it could be engineered - kind of like the old Mercedes SL's. Even my Spitfire and TR-6 had factory bolt-on hardtops avaialble in correct factory colours. Took up a lot in space in the garage during the summer though.

 

reminds me of a funny situation... we were trying to find a place to store the thing in a one-car garage full of crap and still be able to park the car inside... we had it standing on end in the back and it tipped over after we backed into the garage . fortunately nothing happended.

Over time, as the rear window vinyl began to frost, the top went down and to hard top was stored on the car permenently .

 

Hard top? Who even puts their top up?

 

Gawd, there is one in every crowd.










(Just kidding, cooper girl - beautiful shot.)

 

I was just kidding about always having top down, but there is a guy in our group that is religious about it. That's a shot from our calendar that I took for December.

As for the hard top: I had one for my M3, my mom had one for her old 280sl, and I agree they are awesome, but HEAVY!! Then, on my M, I found that on days like we've had here recently (57 deg in Feb) I would be upset because I couldn't put the top down. I knew all this coming into the MINI and I don't think I would get a hard top if it was available.

 

I had a hard top for my Miata. In North Texas it was only worth having for a few days each year. Just like Cooper Girl said, it is frustrating when the hard top is on and a beautiful top down day arrives. Mine spent most of the time in the garage taking up space. I'll never do that again. I'll admit that the hard top did provide better visibility and warmth than the soft top.

 

Yucca... does PPE know about this little hobby of yours?

Sorry, no hard tops for me. I would never be able to refer to my car as a rag top again. But then again, my first convertible was a '78 MG Midget. The heater consisted of an engine vent in the drivers foot well. So you drew all of your heat from your leg... which was on fire!

 

Since I have a garage at home, a ragtop works for me... even with Chicago winters So far, heat has not been a problem. My bro' had a VW Bug with the cloth sunroof (like Herbie)... talk about no heat

I agree, if I wanted a hard-top, I wouldn't have picked up a cabrio My choice, my fault

 

No such thing as a '67 TR6.

 

I would run a hardtop if available I could miss the few nice days in the winter. Although I just put the hard top on my jeep yesterday.

 

Wear a bomber jacket and these... most Mini drivers think they're flying low anyway.

 

The Mini convertible does not lend itself to a removeable hard top. And with the money and time it would take to modify the Mini and make the top itself, and do a decent job of both would cost more than a second Mini.

Buy a hard top Mini to go with your convertible and spend your time driving.

 

What? Wait? It goes up???

 

I do. But only when I'm not in it. 33 degrees this morning and the top was down.