Tiger hardtop

TAH_Tiger

TAH_Tiger

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I was just offered a hardtop that has been in dry storage for the last 35 years. The owner sold the Tiger at that time, but retained the top. I'm looking for an idea of $ value. Basically will need full restoration, but all trim, and latches are intact. Plexi and headliner intact but will need replacement. Some rust on the inside of one dog leg.


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TAH_Tiger said:
I was just offered a hardtop that has been in dry storage for the last 35 years. The owner sold the Tiger at that time, but retained the top. I'm looking for an idea of $ value. Basically will need full restoration, but all trim, and latches are intact. Plexi and headliner intact but will need replacement. Some rust on the inside of one dog leg.
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I'm in the process of restoring a hardtop. The total for the parts needed came to $550. I'm told restored hardtops add about $1000 to the car's value. So, I guess a good number for an unrestored top would be around $450. Like anything, it just depends on how bad somebody else wants it.
 
Buy Low/ Sell Often

TAH_Tiger said:
I was just offered a hardtop that has been in dry storage for the last 35 years. The owner sold the Tiger at that time, but retained the top. I'm looking for an idea of $ value. Basically will need full restoration, but all trim, and latches are intact. Plexi and headliner intact but will need replacement. Some rust on the inside of one dog leg.


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Restoration man-hours are not cheap, even when you do it all yourself. Soooo, buy it as economically as you are able. I have customers who would be interested if you decide to pass on it.
 
top that

I have just bought a hard top.... I paid £500.... that's about $850... maybe slightly less . Its in very good condition for a UK hard top.. Most you see here are so rusty....
What I find interesting is the "sum of its parts" is worth more than the complete deal.. Front catches $1/150.. side catches $150.. rear window trim $200.. side windows $150.. and so on .
I really think that in a few years time the price of a hard top will ...simply rocket... wish Rootes had made them out of Aluminium... I had one ...so light I could hold it in one hand!.
 
Can of Worms

What would be the c-pillar ,is a wonderful place for moisture to grow and then get trapped because there are no drain holes in it and they are covered with the rubber feet,that leave the infamous footprint on your nice paintjob.

There has been a core hardtop missing parts in Craigslist Bakersfield for 1750 for about 4 weeks. I would buy everyone I could under $1000 that was rust free.

The idea that it only has a thousand dollars to the value of a car ,does not seem to make sense .

If using the car in GT manner it would be nice to have.
Ever since they made a helmet law on motorcycles , I've come to enjoy my convertibles much much more .
 
Gasman said:
I'm in the process of restoring a hardtop. The total for the parts needed came to $550. I'm told restored hardtops add about $1000 to the car's value. So, I guess a good number for an unrestored top would be around $450. Like anything, it just depends on how bad somebody else wants it.
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You are way off !!! The hardtop in that kind of condition unrestored is worth at least $1500-$2000 maybe a bit more if it needs no metal work. A restored concours top adds at least $8k to $10k to the price of the Tiger. Go look at what a hardtop goes for on a 64 Corvette they are similar except they built 100times more Corvette tops than Tiger tops...Guys tops are getting very rare in good condition......

Moondoggie
 
Just sexy -

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Dog is right today

Even the "value added Concours" may be correct but I do not participate or have aspirations for such a car. Buy it for the best price that can be negotiated!

Side note I know of a member in central Calif who has been looking for a "perfect" HT for his perfect Tiger for several years. Has not and will not happen. Once a Top is restored to a high level it becomes part of the car. At the concours event the car & top will always be a unit. No points off for the paint under the HT pads!

Moondoggie said:
You are way off !!! The hardtop in that kind of condition unrestored is worth at least $1500-$2000 maybe a bit more if it needs no metal work. A restored concours top adds at least $8k to $10k to the price of the Tiger. Go look at what a hardtop goes for on a 64 Corvette they are similar except they built 100times more Corvette tops than Tiger tops...Guys tops are getting very rare in good condition......

Moondoggie
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If I were prone to hyperbole, I might call my hard top story a bit tragic.

When I bought the car it did come with the original hard top. Due to some treachery on the part of a neighbor's girlfriend I no longer have that top.

Ironically, 20 years ago, I didn't think the Tiger HT looked all that good anyway. But that was then….

NOW. I think it's beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)
 
Moondoggie said:
You are way off !!! The hardtop in that kind of condition unrestored is worth at least $1500-$2000 maybe a bit more if it needs no metal work. A restored concours top adds at least $8k to $10k to the price of the Tiger. Go look at what a hardtop goes for on a 64 Corvette they are similar except they built 100times more Corvette tops than Tiger tops...Guys tops are getting very rare in good condition......

Moondoggie
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I think the HT adds maybe 2-3k... at best 5 if it was concourse... we all know the tops wreck the paint ... so on a concourse car its either going to be on ALL the time.. or very rarely.

in some ways they are worth more to people who want to use the cars all year round.
 
michael-king said:
I think the HT adds maybe 2-3k... at best 5 if it was concourse... we all know the tops wreck the paint ... so on a concourse car its either going to be on ALL the time.. or very rarely.

in some ways they are worth more to people who want to use the cars all year round.
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Michael......We can beat this topic to death since there has not been a "perfect Concours top" offered for sale anywhere in recent times. I know first hand to get a very nice hardtop to concours level you will spend more than $5k in labor and materials not including the cost of the top...it is what it is....I would not even consider selling my top at any price...you can fix paint it's just getting the body dead bang straight that costs the big bucks........The day's of the cheap Tiger are gone forever

Moondoggie
 
location location location

Is only followed by condition condition condition.
Outside shipping one on a car how the heck are you going to do it strapped to a pallet and hope it doesn't get squashed .

If its close grab it thats were a few hundred at least .

It's worth seeing again the rubber weatherstrip around the back see how bad the rust is.
Or prepared to go buy a nice little MIG welder and have some quality hobby time .

I regret passing on a $5,000 very complete very original Sunbeam Alpine , with a very nice original hard top.
It needed everything headliner paint, chrome as rust free as you can get. I got bent out of shape because the seller wanted 500 more, then she had it listed for sale after I driven 3 hours to go see this stupid thing . I could have picked the hardtop and sold the car off pretty easily..
 
Moondoggie said:
Michael......We can beat this topic to death since there has not been a "perfect Concours top" offered for sale anywhere in recent times. I know first hand to get a very nice hardtop to concours level you will spend more than $5k in labor and materials not including the cost of the top...it is what it is....I would not even consider selling my top at any price...you can fix paint it's just getting the body dead bang straight that costs the big bucks........The day's of the cheap Tiger are gone forever

Moondoggie
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Bill,

I'm not debating the cost of restoring one.. or inded hunting the parts for one.. same goes with a Tiger body... you can have alot more in to them in parts and labor than what they will sell for... hence my comment.

I can get you a concourse hardtop for US$2.5K (concourse rebuild and never fitted to the car since it was done 10 years ago) if you want to pay shipping from down under.. by your estimates.. thats a viable propostion. ??? :eek:
 
My HT goes on for road trips be it summer or winter. Better visability, quieter, warmer/cooler and just an all around more pleasant ride on long trips. Paint "damage" from the pads is required for a true correct car. I just polished most of them out each spring.
 
Michael King: Your Mailbox is full!

I attempted to send a PM regarding the referenced hard top, but could not do so.

Please elucidate. :)

Best regaards,

Paul
 
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Back in the early 80's I had 2 tops---one had a black vinyl top on it and other just black. I had a tough time getting rid of the custom one, kept the other until about 10 yrs ago--sold it as a painted shell for $700. My current Tiger has a nice code 100 top all done sitting in the garage--it will most likely never be one with the car. Any idea how many hardtops were made? I know they were available for the Alpine and Tiger for several years.
 
cobrakidz said:
I know they were available for the Alpine and Tiger for several years.
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they were made for ALL years of production. in theory there are 3 types.. early SI/II aluminium tops.
S3-V and Tiger steel tops with opening rear 1/4 windows.

the later tops had some detail difference thoguh production.. they moved to larger buttons on the reatiners for the hardtop rear windows to try and stop crazing on the perspex.... and on the SV/MKIA/II Tigers they have the little clips for the soft top covers. They also used 2 different seals along the bottom of the top
 
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