wiztecy
Active Member
So I had some time and did modifications on the top:
1) Shaved the rear of the top approx 1/8". Was hitting the rear CF rollbar cover. Use a file and power sander.
2) The door seals leaked right at the rear top of the doors which was the rear of the top's seal. It should have had a little overlap voer the Roadster's native rear cabin doorseal and upon compression mate to make a perfect seal, which it didn't. Visium (by way of Mr. Fiat) told me to re-ajust the top to reseat the seal but that didn't help.
I ended up cutting the top's seal and expand it to overlap the Roadster seal slightly which it needed. The the top's seal had a U shape which the Roadster's vertical door seal needed to compress and push into to create a tight water seal. It appeared to be short about 1/8-1/4". In order to expand the seal I put some stropfoam inside the seal's cut I made earlier. I then used "Great Stuff" gasket maker, which worked "great" actually, and placed plastic wrap over the work to smooth the gasket maker.... Curing for 5-10 mins then closed the door. Returned in the morning, removed the wrap, sprayed water on / over the top and it sealed perfectly with no leaks.
Unfortunaly with all this messing around with the top I managed to scratch the top from a stray jump of the file. I tried buffing out a small nick, but after buffing, I now now can see the sun filter layer gets rubbed off 1st, and you can't get to the scratch out without removing a good portion of this film. Possibly there's a tint film that can be applied to match and buffed lightly down to do the blending? It also would be nice to see if the transparent top can be replaced if something bad happens to it or later found to get scratched bad beyond repair. It appears to be glued in with some gasket making seal to the tops top.
There shouldn't of been any differences in the specs or fit of the top between the Lotus Elise and the Roadster and believe this was an error when it was made. I contacted Mr. Fiat to see if possibly Visium would like the top back to use as a template check when making the tops.
We'll see what comes back. Until then I wouldn't want anyone in getting the top until it fits the first time upon delivery. Will keep you posted. Love the top and missed gazing at the moon up above during the night drives.
1) Shaved the rear of the top approx 1/8". Was hitting the rear CF rollbar cover. Use a file and power sander.
2) The door seals leaked right at the rear top of the doors which was the rear of the top's seal. It should have had a little overlap voer the Roadster's native rear cabin doorseal and upon compression mate to make a perfect seal, which it didn't. Visium (by way of Mr. Fiat) told me to re-ajust the top to reseat the seal but that didn't help.
I ended up cutting the top's seal and expand it to overlap the Roadster seal slightly which it needed. The the top's seal had a U shape which the Roadster's vertical door seal needed to compress and push into to create a tight water seal. It appeared to be short about 1/8-1/4". In order to expand the seal I put some stropfoam inside the seal's cut I made earlier. I then used "Great Stuff" gasket maker, which worked "great" actually, and placed plastic wrap over the work to smooth the gasket maker.... Curing for 5-10 mins then closed the door. Returned in the morning, removed the wrap, sprayed water on / over the top and it sealed perfectly with no leaks.
Unfortunaly with all this messing around with the top I managed to scratch the top from a stray jump of the file. I tried buffing out a small nick, but after buffing, I now now can see the sun filter layer gets rubbed off 1st, and you can't get to the scratch out without removing a good portion of this film. Possibly there's a tint film that can be applied to match and buffed lightly down to do the blending? It also would be nice to see if the transparent top can be replaced if something bad happens to it or later found to get scratched bad beyond repair. It appears to be glued in with some gasket making seal to the tops top.
There shouldn't of been any differences in the specs or fit of the top between the Lotus Elise and the Roadster and believe this was an error when it was made. I contacted Mr. Fiat to see if possibly Visium would like the top back to use as a template check when making the tops.
We'll see what comes back. Until then I wouldn't want anyone in getting the top until it fits the first time upon delivery. Will keep you posted. Love the top and missed gazing at the moon up above during the night drives.
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