Convertibles- Are they really reinforced? Options

[nitemare]

I own a 95 GT Convertible. Little did I know when I opened the door panel, it had a sticker saying top was installed in california. I then found out all the celica's came oversees with hardtops- then chopped off in the states and made into a convertible. This sounds very shady. I have a tough time believing toyota actually reinforced the structure as well. Ive has so many problems with the "aftermarket" convertible. If I knew toyota outsourced this to some company, I would have never bought this convertible. The fact is was a hard top transformed into convertible makes me wonder how safe the car really is..

Can anyone confirm celica was reinforced??

[jgreening]

Wow. I have never seen a thread with so much misinformation - well maybe threads discussing the mr2t tranny for the 3s swap .

ASC stands for American Specialty Cars. The name was changed in January of 2004 from American Sunroof Corporation. It is a Michigan business. They did chop the coupe and make it a convertible and they did it in a California plant (Pomona, I believe).

I know of no federal requirements for chopping cars and making them convertibles. There are federal safety requirements that apply to all new cars sold including ones that are chopped by another company for the OEM. I do not know if the government regulates things like ridgity though - I would doubt it does.

There are no differences in the doors and there are no extra rails that are added to the bottom of the car. There were no structural modifications that were done in front of the lock pillar (where the door latches to the car by the lock). Most of the structural modifications were done to support the roof and to limit chassis flex.

The Saturn Skye and other cars like the vette, boxster, z4, etc were DESIGNED as convertibles. There was no chop job so the ridgity is better.

Finally, there is NO WAY that the A pillar is designed to hold up if the car rolls. The fact of the matter is that 6th gen convertibles were not designed as performance cars. So, if you do something crazy like swap a 3s in a convertible, please drive safely....

[nitemare]

  They did chop the coupe and make it a convertible and they did it in a California plant (Pomona, I believe).

I know of no federal requirements for chopping cars and making them convertibles.  There are federal safety requirements that apply to all new cars sold including ones that are chopped by another company for the OEM.  I do not know if the government regulates things like ridgity though - I would doubt it does. 

There are no differences in the doors and there are no extra rails that are added to the bottom of the car.  There were no structural modifications that were done in front of the lock pillar (where the door latches to the car by the lock).  Most of the structural modifications were done to support the roof and to limit chassis flex.

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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

[jgreening]

  They did chop the coupe and make it a convertible and they did it in a California plant (Pomona, I believe).

I know of no federal requirements for chopping cars and making them convertibles.  There are federal safety requirements that apply to all new cars sold including ones that are chopped by another company for the OEM.  I do not know if the government regulates things like ridgity though - I would doubt it does. 

There are no differences in the doors and there are no extra rails that are added to the bottom of the car.  There were no structural modifications that were done in front of the lock pillar (where the door latches to the car by the lock).  Most of the structural modifications were done to support the roof and to limit chassis flex.

[right][snapback]255865[/snapback][/right]

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
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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.

[nitemare]

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.

[madmods]

[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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[/quote]

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.