hardtop to be used permanently

[LowIQ]

This is my first post. I have a 98 e36 convertible, 94K mileage. The cloth was replaced after a bear got angry at the car and it is nearly new. However, I have a tendency toward skin cancers and am looking to get a hardtop on dermatologist's advice. If someone wants to keep a hardtop in place permanently, what is the best thing to do with the cloth top. I am pretty sure that keeping it in the down position will eventually (soon, I would guess) cause the cloth to mildew and ruin.
Should the cloth be removed and saved/sold with the frame only being in the down position permanently, or should the frame and cloth top assembly be removed and either stored or sold? Is such a total removal job even possible. Are there all kinds of "interlock" problems with either a partial or total removal, or is it fairly straightforward (relatively speaking) for these (ahem) difficult tops? Thank you for any help with what seems to be an unusual plan of action.

[Twistytee]

Welcome to the forums.

They can be stored for an extended period with a towel folded against the plastic window and a small box or two of baking soda strategically placed in the tonneau storage compartment. You could then remove the hardtop a couple times of year to air out the top and check on its condition. Removing the whole top while attached to the frame is an easier job than removing the fabric top itself. Yes you could sell it especially if it's new as you say, but if you later decide to sell the car it would likely cause an issue for anyone looking to buy a convertible. If you have a place to store it I would consider removing the entire soft top with frame and save it for resale. But honestly if I was in the same position as you describe, I would think hard about selling the car and replacing it with a coupe or sedan. It might be the cheaper route (after cost of hardtop) to solve your situation.

[Bill837]

Given the value add of a hardtop with the car, that last bit seems best.

[toplessinokc]

if you were closer I would trade your cloth for my alum top. I have a hard top that I do not use anymore. We are now in south Texas.

[BKKBeemer]

Due to the nature of how the hardtop fits (to the soft-top frame) it is not as simple as removing the roof and frame, and installing the hardtop.

I've had my hardtop on for well over 1 year straight.... I've removed it for a few hours a couple of times.... given it a hoover and occasionally a wash. The condition is perfectly fine. The rear window seems to become a bit crumpled up, but with a towel in place, there are no marks on it, and actually after a day in the sun, the creases in the rear window will disappear.

Just a bit of care and attention every 3-6 months would keep the roof (and window) in good condition.

That said, if you do have a proclivity to skin issues, perhaps a convertible might not be the best car choice for you.

[LowIQ]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Member 666 had a hardtop that is gray rather than silver. I bought it and it looks good on the car.
When you look at it, you seem to think that the car is in the shade and that is what accounts for the color difference.
He even installed the top and removed the convertible top assembly for what was, to me, a nominal fee. He also pointed out that removing the convertible top completely made it impossible to mount the hardtop, since certain plates on the convertible top were necessary to anchor the hardtop in place. He supplied the plates/brackets needed to remove the convertible assembly and mount the hardtop properly.
I will store the soft-top, unfolded, in my attic where it is warm and dry and, I think, will keep properly.
Again, thanks for your help. Glad I joined this forum and asked my question.

[LowIQ]

I should add that the car is much more enjoyable to drive with the hardtop in place. That almost constant cowl-shake (which really bothered me) is gone now, with suspension tremors only happening in obviously difficult road conditions.
It's also much quieter. I just got the top yesterday, but drove it 200 miles home and then over some back-roads in the county to get an idea if the improvement from the stiffening effect of the hard-top was as real as some individuals have told me. I think they were right. The car feels much more solid than before, more like I expect from a BMW (I've had an E39 and, some years ago, a square-body.)

[66 6]

Thanks LowIQ,
Nice to meet you and glad you like the hardtop.

FYI, I still have the moregrun (green) one and I'll have a calypso one this weekend. I can make more modified soft top / hardtop mounts for persons that want to completely remove their soft top for better storage or weight reduction.

[Baby ///M3]

I also have an E36 convertible with a hardtop that's been attached on the car for the past few months. Haven't really thought about how to properly care for the soft top until I came across this post. Thank you!

If you choose to keep the soft top on the car, I think another option you may want to explore is to invest in a hardtop hoist, which may cost a few hundred dollars but offers the convenience of allowing you to remove the hardtop whenever you want.

Jon

PS. The hoist will be much cheaper if you make one yourself. Do a search on the forum and there are a few DIY options out there. Good luck!

[emccallum]

Easy to store this way and I can remove it or put it on solo no problem.

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[BKKBeemer]

That's a nice looking hoist... there've been times I wished I had one, but removing the hardtop is one thing that a gf is good for

In that subject, I just took my hardtop off on the weekend - I have a locally made hardtop stand which was to the same dimensions as the oem stand.

The soft top looked the same as it usually did..... but smelled a bit weird - a cross between damp and smokey, which is unusual as I don't smoke.

This could be something for the guys who store their tops for a while to look out for?

[M3rocket]

I typically have my hardtop on from mid-November to mid-March -- and the rest of the year, top is down 90% of the time. I don't put a towel in the plastic window -- and the top hasn't been any worse for wear. I'd say keep your soft top installed for resale value.