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Soft Top to Half Top conversion

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So, I'm driving along about 45 with the soft top on and the windows up (very rare for me) and notice a little draft on my neck. "Hmmm..." I reach above me to see if I can work out where it's coming from. A little poke to the soft top and the passenger side comes unclipped, folds back on itself and the heavy part hits the roll bar with an almighty THWACK before it all starts flapping around. Hey presto! A Half Top! Luckily the driver's side stayed attached and I didn't lose the whole thing underneath a semi truck. Also, the two cross pieces may have stopped it hitting me on the head.

I had checked the top before driving but obviously (duh) not thoroughly enough. We do alternate between soft-on and off a lot in these thunderstormy days.

Tesla Roadster For Dummies will need a box out: "if your soft top seems to be drafty, do NOT poke it with your finger as this may void your warranty". Good advice.
 
Wow, that could have been a lot worse. I hope it didn't damage the CF on the roll bar.

Even better advice... when you install it, push down firmly on both sides of the bar, then pull up again on each side to make absolutely sure both ends are really latched.
 
Here about a month ago I took my car to work and neglected to bring my soft top with me. Sure enough a lightning storm hit about halfway home. I started thinking about the irony of getting hit with lightning in an electric car. Inspiration hit me. I'm going to my local sign shop and have some lettering made for my (carbon fiber) license plate border that says "Ride the Lightning".:tongue:
 
Wow, that could have been a lot worse. I hope it didn't damage the CF on the roll bar.

Even better advice... when you install it, push down firmly on both sides of the bar, then pull up again on each side to make absolutely sure both ends are really latched.

I'll be doing that now. I had a good look at the car as soon as I put it in the garage; no visible damage at all. Basically the fabric covering on the passenger side soft top "beam" was what impacted the CF on the roll bar. I was lucky it didn't hit my finger.

One quick question: Do you need to push the two clippy things toward one another when you install your soft top? We have to do that or they don't clip into place. I suspect that's how we had installed the soft top last night, but they hadn't snapped back completely.

I think when we got the car, Tesla Dude demonstrated installing the soft top without pushing the clippy things toward one another, i.e. just by latching the black pins and twisting the bars down on each side, but we've not been able to do that consistently.
 
One quick question: Do you need to push the two clippy things toward one another when you install your soft top? We have to do that or they don't clip into place. I suspect that's how we had installed the soft top last night, but they hadn't snapped back completely.

You shouldn't have to pull the clippy things, although I used to when the top was new. But it's a good idea to put your thumbs on them and check that they're engaged properly.
 
One quick question: Do you need to push the two clippy things toward one another when you install your soft top? We have to do that or they don't clip into place. I suspect that's how we had installed the soft top last night, but they hadn't snapped back completely.
I need to do that on the first side I clip in. I find that if I don't I end up just levering the fixed pins up. So I'll retract the pins slightly on that side and then give it a tug to make sure it's latched. On the second side it goes right in (more leverage to keep the fixed pins in as they are pulling against the other side) but I also give it a tug as well. Glad nothing was damaged!
 
One quick question: Do you need to push the two clippy things toward one another when you install your soft top? We have to do that or they don't clip into place. I suspect that's how we had installed the soft top last night, but they hadn't snapped back completely...

This sounds like the procedure on the Mesh Top. The pins are sprung out-only so you have to push them towards each other to cock them back. Then releasing them while in the correct top down position seats them. The Tesla/Lotus top is a bit simpler for the operator. With either top though as, Doug says, best to pull up on each side before you walk away.