yup, thats it thats wut i was talking about.

Thanks for the pics bro. Thats not the bar Im talking about though. Its the little strip right under where the door opens, not underneath the car. its like they cut out a long strip and put in this flat bar.

Heres some old pics, but there not good. I will take some good pics tommorow. See how the part just goes straight down and does not follow the curve of the red coupe.

>> i do see that... the bottom pic shows it best... and after seeing that, it makes sense why the vert has that black sideskirt fit the way it does... hmmm >>

I called up a shop (Mad Mods in florida) to see if it would be possible to do a targa top, but he said the car needs to be reinforced and stuff. :-( too bad, he said it would cost about $3000 to do it. I really wanted it to.

-jgreening+Mar 10, 2005 - 7:48 PM

So far, I have to AGREE with this reply..I have not read anything (or see anything) on my convertible that makes me believe any reinforcement was added.
I know ASC did the job.
I already replaced the entire outer top due to wear after 7 years. They say its normal. I have replaced both back motors that lift top up and down. I have already replaced both motors on both sides that power convertible side windows. I must give ASC an F in quality. I have never seen such a poorly manufactured top before. Its very odd that almost NOTHING else breaks on the celica but something related to the top. For this, I can not believe ASC actually went the extra length to reinforce it when their own products malfunction.
Thanks for all your replies. Great thread

-nitemare+Mar 11, 2005 - 1:23 PM

Do you have a 95-97 nightmare or 98-99? The reason I ask is that I have read that they replaced the top motors in 98 and I have yet to find someone with a 98-99 that have had any problems. There are several 95-97 owners that have had problems though.

You think 7 years is a bad lifespan for a soft top? You're crazy, thats GREAT time on a top. On some other cars it's as little as 3 years. As far as the quality of the top, perhaps the owner before your car had it replaced with a lessor quality one? I know mine is outstanding if you bother to take care of it

The original factory motors go out. Yes they do. I have a 97, and it went out. Get it replaced. Thats all. Sorry you have to go through with it.

why would they just cut the tops off, isnt that awaste of money and resources. why not come without a top from the factory?

anything we can put on our tops to better protect them?

Do you have a 95-97 nightmare or 98-99? The reason I ask is that I have read that they replaced the top motors in 98 and I have yet to find someone with a 98-99 that have had any problems. There are several 95-97 owners that have had problems though.
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95 is the year I got..So I guess toyota noticed alot of problems with the motors...More than normal..
And yes, One owner owned the car before me. And no parts were changed/modified. The top was the original. What actually made me replace the top was we had a snow storm. The weight of the snow (about 8 inches) broke the back window off the top and fell into my back seat. The reason why this happened was because the seams of the top were all worn and torn. So the snow was the breaking straw. My new top has a 3-yr warranty with it so thats good. So I can attribute that to old age..

But the motors..ohh the motors..If I knew before hand these cars were chopped up like they were, I would have not have bought a convertible celica.

[quote=nitemare,Mar 11, 2005 - 9:38 PM]
Do you have a 95-97 nightmare or 98-99? The reason I ask is that I have read that they replaced the top motors in 98 and I have yet to find someone with a 98-99 that have had any problems. There are several 95-97 owners that have had problems though.
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95 is the year I got..So I guess toyota noticed alot of problems with the motors...More than normal..
And yes, One owner owned the car before me. And no parts were changed/modified. The top was the original. What actually made me replace the top was we had a snow storm. The weight of the snow (about 8 inches) broke the back window off the top and fell into my back seat. The reason why this happened was because the seams of the top were all worn and torn. So the snow was the breaking straw. My new top has a 3-yr warranty with it so thats good. So I can attribute that to old age..

But the motors..ohh the motors..If I knew before hand these cars were chopped up like they were, I would have not have bought a convertible celica.
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Sorry I couldn't post pics today, Im just sleeping and going to work. Trying to buy some rims so Im doing 12 hr days + sat and sunday. I can tell you for a fact that the car is enforced because I have had 3 different sideskirts on there. As far as the top and problems.....mine were 1 motor went dead, both rear windows the plastic wheel busted that rolls on the tracts, the main frame was cracked when I bought the car(thank god I found a full top on ebay). Personally I think asc does good work. I will try and post pics on sunday.

Toyota, as with 95% of all the other convertibles out there, have their roofs sawed off because of this, and its simple- ITS CHEAPER! Most car companies find no reason to design a car as strictly a soft top- the sales are way too low to justify the cost to produce a seperate chassis- thats why they decide to take an existing platform and modify it to suit the conditions of a soft top, plain and simple. Its cheaper to design reinforcements on an existing frame than it is to design a totally new one... And for those who find it unreliable to have more than 5+ years on a soft top, you arent truely prepared for the extra costs of what a convertible brings... Just be glad 6th gens had GLASS windows, not the fades in 6 months plastic of the 4TH and 5TH gens >> You thing Sebring tops are more reliable???

i love my convertible celi and wouldn't trade it for anything >>

^^^ cool.. so most of you guys are happy with your verts?

Sorry, the convertables in the US are standard tin tops that have been hacked? All be it professionally hacked?

I'm sure Toyota made 'verts from the factory. I know people who have them. And they're significantly heavier than the tin top, which indicates some reinforcement to stiffen the whole thing up a bit.

Most interesting.

Mr E, I'm pretty sure toyota did NOT make verts straight from the factory- if they did, they're still just chop tops with the ASC design probably

the only toyota convertibles that have been made at the factory are the MR2 Spider, and the lexus SC430... thats it...

so what happened to all those pics showing the differences between the frame on the convertibles and coupes? This has my curiosity.

-shid+Mar 12, 2005 - 10:41 PM

Well you live and learn.

Where were the JDM/Euro cars converted?

Might explain the eye watering price then.......


Same story for the 5th generation?

-jgreening+Mar 17, 2005 - 7:35 AM
I will get them on here. I just have not had time J. Im very busy, and i got to remove my skirts to take a pic, which means i got to drill out the rivets. There is a bar thats welded on in there and its double walled(I have drilled into it many times.
I'm doing the nopi show this weekend so you might have to wait, but I will get them on.

-madmods+Mar 17, 2005 - 5:59 PM

Thanks. No rush, I am just curious.

somebody needs to take a second gen MR2 to be converted. >>

-FallenHero+Mar 18, 2005 - 1:00 AM

They look good actually. Not sure how well they drive.

-FallenHero+Mar 18, 2005 - 6:00 AM
i believe in 97 there were a few made by a seperate company called the mr2 spyder. but i dont think they were available outside of japan

Ok these pictures will put an end to this. yes the body is reinforced at the bottom and different then the coupes. Look at the bar and the welds in the pics

thoes welds are crap, talk about "shady" work, I bet that what your looking at is from something/someone's attempt to either stragthen it themselfes, or from a independant shop that did the convertion. I highly doubt toyota would sell it like that, even with it coved by a skirt.

thats a great thread.

enjoyed reading the tech info.

Hiya

I have a Toyota Press Release from 1994 when the vert was launched in Europe (rather long) as follows;

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
18 October 1994

WRAPS COME OFF TOYOTA CELICA CABRIOLET

* European debut at British International Motor Show *
(NEC, Birmingham, 18th-30th October)

The new Toyota Cabriolet, the first convertible Celica in the UK for six years, is unveiled today at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham.

One of the focal points of the Toyota stand, it has a luxury specification including an electrically-powered roof and leather upholstery, and is light and rigid to provide high levels of handling and refinement.

The Cabriolet's body is based an the GT Coupe, a model not sold in Europe, which has different rear-end treatment and lights. Elsewhere it is similar to the GT version of the sixth-generation Celica which was launched in the UK market in February this year.

The conversion work on the car is engineered by the specialist American company ASC, with which Toyota has worked for around ten years. The hood is completely new, and designed for easier operation than the model it replaces (which was not marketed in the UK). It features twin electric motors to power the new gear-driven hood mechanism, giving more precise control than the previous hydraulic system and allowing the top to join perfectly with the windscreen. New vertical latches secure and release the top more easily.

Space in the rear of convertibles is usually restricted, but the new Celica Cabriolet creates significantly more room by employing a roof frame which moves the side-rails outwards as it folds back. The result is 260 mm more rear shoulder room. The die-cast alloy frame also uses new, permanently-lubricated bushings with fine tolerances to reduce squeaks and rattles.

Rear visibility is improved by large, curved quarter windows, and the rear screen is proper tinted glass with demister.

The roof itself is made from a durable cloth, with a headliner to provide sound insulation. Improved weatherstripping takes measures against wind noise and water further, and overlapping top cover seams prevent rain dripping onto the side windows.

The new Cabriolet body shell is 23% more rigid and has improved vibration-damping characteristics. Reinforcements have been added around the doors, to the front pillars and to the roof stowage area, which also features cross-rods. Front and rear suspension sub-frames add further rigidity and aid refinement.

In other respects the Cabriolet mirrors the GT. The Celica is a purpose-designed sports coupe, not simply a re-bodied or two-door version of a saloon. Sleek and purposeful, the front of the car is probably the most dramatic and distinctive visual aspect, with four faired-in headlights replacing the pop-up units of recent Celica models. The separate high and low beam lamps are efficient too, throwing a wider and more penetrating beam of light than the previous model on dipped and main beam.

Under the bonnet, the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-cam, 16 valve 3S-GE engine has a high compression ratio and produces 173bhp at 7,000rpm. Torque is 137 lb ft at 4,800 rpm, and is maintained at high revs, with a flat torque curve. Top speed is 139 mph, and 60 mph comes up in just 7.9 seconds from a standing start. The Celica is front-wheel driven via a five-speed gearbox.

MacPherson strut suspension gives excellent stability, handling and grip. Brakes are ventilated discs at the front and solid discs at the rear with electronic ABS. In addition to the crash-absorbing body structure and rigid cabin, side-impact protection beams are fitted in the doors.

Through extensive use of galvanized and zinc iron alloy double-layer steel sheet, the Celica is highly corrosion resistant.

Inside, the gear lever and important facia controls are located close to the driver, with a wrap-around dashboard design for outstanding clarity and ergonomics. A driver's side airbag is standard equipment. 50 too is leather upholstery, electric windows, power steering with an adjustable column, an RD5/EON radio/cassette unit mated to four full-range speakers, and remote central locking. The car is protected by the state-of-the-art Toyota 5000 security system with immobiliser as assessed by the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre at Thatcham.

In GT-Four (turbocharged, four-wheel drive) form Celicas have won the World Rally Championship for Makes for the past two seasons, and the World Rally Championship for Drivers three times in the 1990s. This year's title will be decided on the RAC Rally in November, and going into the rally the table is led by Toyota's Didier Auriol.

The Celica Cabriolet will cost £27,975. Like all (non-turbo) Toyotas, it requires servicing every 9,000 miles only, and comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty and membership of the RAC and Club Toyota.



For further information contact Mark Carbery,
Tel: 01737 768585.


>>

Cooool I rest my case