Solid or clear top?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,042
Likes: 6
From: Bedford, TX
I have both (kinda). I joined the Flying Roof Club last month so my painted top is all scratched up. I took this as a sign to go ahead and buy the transparent top which I have wanted since I got the car anyway.
For the scratched up top I got an estimate of $300 to sand it down, repaint and clear coat. Since my Vette is black anyway, the transparent top looks the same from the outside. So if I get a headliner to keep out the summer heat, I'm thinking I'll never need the painted top again anyway.
For the scratched up top I got an estimate of $300 to sand it down, repaint and clear coat. Since my Vette is black anyway, the transparent top looks the same from the outside. So if I get a headliner to keep out the summer heat, I'm thinking I'll never need the painted top again anyway.
Life Time NCM #2196
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 82,599
Likes: 1,717
From: Converse TX
We only ordered our 09 with a clear top and during the summer I put in the TKO insert to keep the heat out and when crusing around off comes the insert and I got the best of both worlds, can see the sun with out the top off or block it when we want to
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,681
Likes: 2
From: Mooresville (Race City USA) NC
The Lexan plastic top is lighter than the solid top. Mine is three years old and shows no scratches or crazing, but I do keep my coupe garaged when not in use which averages every other day. I prefer the looks of the tinted Laxan top as it continues the glass look of all the other windows. I have an aftermarket fabric padded two piece headliner that is held in place with suction cups that are invisible once installed. The headliner eliminates any heat from the sun, insulates and helps soundproof the interior, and looks better than the headliner in the solid top as it is cashmere just like the carpeting in my two tone cashmere and ebony interior and has a three dimensional appearance. I never remove the top, nor the headliner, and it never made any more popping noises once I used plastic shrink tubing on the posts which locate it. I tried the removing the top once but the buffeting, even at low speeds, was annoying, plus I don't need the harmful sun exposure and prefer the security of having the top in place.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 382
Likes: 1
From: yacolt wa
