I noticed on the BB for sale a hardtop for a Spider...this top comes off a 1988 spider and I would be putting it on a 1991 Spider...does anyone know if this will fit, and I mean just bolt on with no modifications needed...also the top is in Arlington, Va...what would be the best way to ship it to Broken Arrow, Ok...
Spider Hardtop
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Yep it will fit.........I would think strapping it to a pallet would be an option I shipped a rear axel that way.
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Be sure it is marked "top load only".
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897 Posts
That's going to be one expensive top by the time it gets to you...plus the insurance fiasco when they break it. Plus the seals and brackets it will need.
I'd say plan a nice weekend in DC, see the sites, and drive your Alfa. Free vacation compared to shipping and handling costs.
I'd say plan a nice weekend in DC, see the sites, and drive your Alfa. Free vacation compared to shipping and handling costs.
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Your best shipping method may be as a partial shipment through a local national mover.
They will cover it in foam and cardboard and put it in with a shipment from the area where its at. To a scheduled "move" to your area. To keep the costs down have the seller drop it off at the movers local warehouse and pick it up at the local warehouse nearest you.
Note that you need the interior hooks and the back slide brackets. The top is quite heavy, in the Quad, they had heavier springs at the rear for the extra weight. Your tail may sag a bit. Also you should note that if the rubber trim is not in good shape...it is UNOBTANIUM, so bid accordingly.
TTFN Elio
They will cover it in foam and cardboard and put it in with a shipment from the area where its at. To a scheduled "move" to your area. To keep the costs down have the seller drop it off at the movers local warehouse and pick it up at the local warehouse nearest you.
Note that you need the interior hooks and the back slide brackets. The top is quite heavy, in the Quad, they had heavier springs at the rear for the extra weight. Your tail may sag a bit. Also you should note that if the rubber trim is not in good shape...it is UNOBTANIUM, so bid accordingly.
TTFN Elio
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2,045 Posts
I recently shipped an Alfa hardtop from Memphis to Richmond. I could not use a standard pallet because the top was larger than the pallet and the overhang placed the top in danger, in my opininon. So I built a crate which was pallet like on the base, which was 52 inches by 52 inches. Then I built sides and a top which were not fully enclosed, but mostly so. It ended up costing me over $100.00 to build the crate using new materials. I screwed the top to the base using lag screws through the main J hook attachments at the rear of the window openings. I built a stand on the front end and tied the front of the top to the stand using nylon rope over the front latches. The cost to ship was $266.00. This was for 135 pounds of crate and 70 pounds of hardtop, but the shipping Co was more interested is the volume of the crate than the weight. I shipped by UPS Freight because they were $100.00 cheaper than a regular truck shipping Co.
There it is in a nutshell. Top arrived safe and sound. Your biggest problem is that most sellers will not be willing to go to this much trouble at no charge to you, and if they take it to a shipper who charges to build a crate then the crating charges will probably be so high that it will break the deal unless you get the top at a bargain price. I built the crate for free, but that is just me.
Robert Hill in Memhis, TN
There it is in a nutshell. Top arrived safe and sound. Your biggest problem is that most sellers will not be willing to go to this much trouble at no charge to you, and if they take it to a shipper who charges to build a crate then the crating charges will probably be so high that it will break the deal unless you get the top at a bargain price. I built the crate for free, but that is just me.
Robert Hill in Memhis, TN
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2,092 Posts
hardtop hardware
To add to Elio's comment regarding the importance of the attachment hardware.
The interior hooks mount to the inside of the hard top and pull against part of the soft top frame. These could probably be made at home. It has been awhile since I have put the hard top on the car or even looked inside it, but one of the hooks broke and I know i repaired it with an eye hook that I cut part of the eye away. I just don't remember what I did with the other end.
Also there are covers that hide the interior hook assemblies. My top didn't include those. Definitely a bonus if the top you are looking at includes those.
The rear cowl mounts are small black sheetmetal stampings which mount to the chrome strips on top of the rear fenders. Not the chrome buttons which are mounts for the upscale soft top boot cover. They can be hard to find as the top usually ends up in the garage and the clips go with the car.
I got the clips for mine from Jon Norman's Alfa Parts. I think about $15 each. Shortly after that I saw a set break $100 on ebay.
20 hours Broken Arrow to DC, 20 hours back. 2600 miles RT, 2600/30 mpg*$3.50/gal = $300 plus 2 nights luxury hotel lodging of your choice.
anything less than $500 shipping would seem to be better than picking it up but $500 is the price of a good hard top.
Many Alfas and Alfa parts have travelled long distances with persons going to and/or returning from the Alfa convention if that could be worked out.
Good Luck
To add to Elio's comment regarding the importance of the attachment hardware.
The interior hooks mount to the inside of the hard top and pull against part of the soft top frame. These could probably be made at home. It has been awhile since I have put the hard top on the car or even looked inside it, but one of the hooks broke and I know i repaired it with an eye hook that I cut part of the eye away. I just don't remember what I did with the other end.
Also there are covers that hide the interior hook assemblies. My top didn't include those. Definitely a bonus if the top you are looking at includes those.
The rear cowl mounts are small black sheetmetal stampings which mount to the chrome strips on top of the rear fenders. Not the chrome buttons which are mounts for the upscale soft top boot cover. They can be hard to find as the top usually ends up in the garage and the clips go with the car.
I got the clips for mine from Jon Norman's Alfa Parts. I think about $15 each. Shortly after that I saw a set break $100 on ebay.
20 hours Broken Arrow to DC, 20 hours back. 2600 miles RT, 2600/30 mpg*$3.50/gal = $300 plus 2 nights luxury hotel lodging of your choice.
anything less than $500 shipping would seem to be better than picking it up but $500 is the price of a good hard top.
Many Alfas and Alfa parts have travelled long distances with persons going to and/or returning from the Alfa convention if that could be worked out.
Good Luck
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