E30 Hardtop - OEM Hardtop - Vinyl - Strip it & Paint?.

[gazm3]

Been having this debate in my my 'E30 mind' for years.

Strip, fill, sand and paint or Keep it real?.

Which do you prefer the original, original stripped or the rounded Wiesmann?.

Below are some pictures..

The Original OEM Vinyl item..


The Original OEM Stripped..


I suppose its a similar debate with paint on the kidneys?.

The after market Wiesmann..

[HartgeH27]

OEM all the way.

Dont mess with the original !!

[palerider325icab]

Same as dont mess with the orginal.

[E30Mark]

I like the original stripped & painted

[t11mfn]

Mines stripped and painted looks really nice, ok it needs re-doing as there are some parts im not happy with!

[bootyman]

Has to be the original coded. It looks fantastic and completley changes the looks of the car with and without. People think my car is a tin top when i have my hardtop on. You should see the look on people face when we lift the hardtop off at shows

I hate the Wiesmann one. It just looks so fake and doesn't follow the boxy shape of the E30 at all

[Simon]

I prefer the original colour coded too!

The car in the first pic looks a bit rough!

[t11mfn]

Has to be the original coded. It looks fantastic and completley changes the looks of the car with and without. People think my car is a tin top when i have my hardtop on. You should see the look on people face when we lift the hardtop off at shows

I hate the Wiesmann one. It just looks so fake and doesn't follow the boxy shape of the E30 at all

Bootyman I know what you mean i had mine in for an MOT the other day the two young YTS kids didnt even know it was a cab, the one shouted to the other yeah its a 323i sport.

I tried not to laugh and had to correct them, I thought how could he tell it was a 323i from just looking at it?! it had no badges to distiguish it oh and by the way its a 325i cab lol

[gooner1]

Just out of interest what is approx weight of the hardtop,been offered one
but unsure of prices and whether its possible to lift top off unaided.

[gazm3]

Its a heavy item, its the pins on the body work you have to watch.

I have done it on my own with it balanced on my head holding the internal handles. But this is not recommended kids.

Everyone thats done it, Ben, Andy & Gus etc..

Says do it, everyone that hasn't says dont.

I have two OEM Hardtops, I might have a bash.

[bmwe30mtech]

Has to be the original coded. It looks fantastic and completley changes the looks of the car with and without. People think my car is a tin top when i have my hardtop on. You should see the look on people face when we lift the hardtop off at shows

I hate the Wiesmann one. It just looks so fake and doesn't follow the boxy shape of the E30 at all

Bootyman I know what you mean i had mine in for an MOT the other day the two young YTS kids didnt even know it was a cab, the one shouted to the other yeah its a 323i sport.

I tried not to laugh and had to correct them, I thought how could he tell it was a 323i from just looking at it?! it had no badges to distiguish it oh and by the way its a 325i cab lol

I prefer the OEM one stripped and painted also, and as bootyman says the aftermarket one has lost the e30 'boxness' to it. Doesnt quite fit in with the cars style

[guss300]

as youve said Gazza i prefer it colour coded but saying that in the original vinyl it suits some colour of cars better, ie. on calypso cabs i think it looks good in the original colour, but imho you cant beat colour coding it

[Gouki]

may sound weird but i prefer it original in black. purely as it gives a color contrast, breaks the look of the car, and still has that convertible look about it.

[Tinnie]

original hardtop looks unpainted and cheap . colour coding is the way forward

[motorsport]

Gazza, my car there in the original coded pic.
Here's a better pic.

Lot of hard work bud, but coded original way to go.
Although the vinyl still keeps the convertible look.
Andy.

[jitvv]

Gazza,

It has to be original stripped and painted!!


Jit

[nav786]

got to agree original stripped and painted. just dont go near a weismann!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

its alot of work but well worth it