Are hardtops worth anything?

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tdskip
Posts: 276
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 2:48 pm
Your car is a: 1968 Spider
Location: SoCal

Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby tdskip » Fri Jan 12, 2018 11:57 am

Good morning, I know it will depend on conditon but are hardtops worth anything? I live in SoCal so not sure I have a need for it and don’t want to factor in any value to it in a car I am looking at if they don’t really have any value / are hard to resell.

Let’s assume it is in solid driver quality condition rather than perfect/show condition....

Thanks for your thoughts!

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dinghyguy
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Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:41 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby dinghyguy » Fri Jan 12, 2018 12:11 pm

yes but.....

seals are the issue, the sharp edges ones with the flat sloping back are hard to find seals for as I understand. The nice curvy ones are worth a bit more it seems, but issues related to storage and seals make them all generally of little value.
My suspicion is that people originally got them when they drove the cars all year, but now almost no one drives in the rain or the winter and so a hardtop is not so important.

Oh and some also claim the car is faster because of improved aerodynamics......

so I would not pay much for one myself.
dinghyguy
1981 Red Spider "Redbob"
1972 blue Volvo 1800ES "Bob"
1998 Red Ford Ranger

tdskip
Posts: 276
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 2:48 pm
Your car is a: 1968 Spider
Location: SoCal

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby tdskip » Fri Jan 12, 2018 12:43 pm

Thanks for the reply and info,

Makes sense,

I told the seller it didn’t realky have any value to be but wanted to double check.

DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby DieselSpider » Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:28 pm

Required for race type rally's and good for a daily driver parked where you are more likely to get your top slashed by vandals. To me takes away the spontaneity of having a convertible since you have to plan for when you will be driving with the top down and then deal with how and where to store the top when its not on the car.

Value depends on the owner. Some feel a pressing need for one and will pay top dollar while others could care less.

redauto
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:19 pm
Your car is a: 1980 fiat spider auto
Location: Texas

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby redauto » Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:59 pm

DieselSpider wrote:Required for race type rally's and good for a daily driver parked where you are more likely to get your top slashed by vandals. To me takes away the spontaneity of having a convertible since you have to plan for when you will be driving with the top down and then deal with how and where to store the top when its not on the car.

Value depends on the owner. Some feel a pressing need for one and will pay top dollar while others could care less.


what always kills the sale is the shipping. the last one is sold, the buyer lived in the same city, so no problem

DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby DieselSpider » Mon Jan 15, 2018 6:06 am

redauto wrote:
DieselSpider wrote:Required for race type rally's and good for a daily driver parked where you are more likely to get your top slashed by vandals. To me takes away the spontaneity of having a convertible since you have to plan for when you will be driving with the top down and then deal with how and where to store the top when its not on the car.

Value depends on the owner. Some feel a pressing need for one and will pay top dollar while others could care less.


what always kills the sale is the shipping. the last one is sold, the buyer lived in the same city, so no problem


If it will fit in the basement cargo area of a Greyhound Type Bus you may be surprised at how little the shipping can cost.

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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby RRoller123 » Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:22 am

I would say after reading these posts for about 6 years, that the general answer is nahhh.., not very much. Not like finding an original Ferrari toolkit or something. Now if we could find an actual inspection light, maybe that would have some value to the right person.
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
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spidernut
Posts: 1905
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Re: Are hardtops worth anything?

Postby spidernut » Thu Jan 18, 2018 2:12 pm

It depends upon which top you have. The Abarth top sells for around $1000. The type i had sold for around $450. One top is so ugly that you would have to pay someone to take it off your hands.
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
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