Question about early vs. late tops Options

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

I know there are two different tops (early vs. late).

My question is can an early top work on a late car IF the rubber seals on the sides have been updated (to match the late windows) AND the bump stops have been swapped (to match the late latches)?

The reason I ask is that I have two spare tops (one early and one late). I have them both stripped down (no rubber, no hardware, no felt headliner, etc.). Just the fiberglass top. And I noticed that the early top much lighter. I weighed them and the early top is approx. 17 pounds whereas the late top is approx. 23 pounds.

I'm not looking to shed weight for performance (although that's a bonus), but a lighter top would be less cumbersome to take off and put on the car.

TIA

-Kris

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

I just laid down both naked tops (no hardware, no seals, nothing - just the bare fiberglass. Everything measured the same on the sides - the holes where the screws mounted the rails for the side window seals was identical on both. I'm going to remount the rails to see if those also measure the same.

If they do, then it's just the rubber side window seals and rubber bump stops (and corresponding latches) that materially changed in terms of fitment and therefore they should be able to be swapped if the seals and bump stops (and corresponding latches) were swapped out.

[SirAndy]

I just laid down both naked tops (no hardware, no seals, nothing - just the bare fiberglass. Everything measured the same on the sides - the holes where the screws mounted the rails for the side window seals was identical on both. I'm going to remount the rails to see if those also measure the same.

If they do, then it's just the rubber side window seals and rubber bump stops (and corresponding latches) that materially changed in terms of fitment and therefore they should be able to be swapped if the seals and bump stops (and corresponding latches) were swapped out.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

On mine (late top, early doors), i had to modify the seal rail mounts to get the glass to fit against the seal properly.
And that was after adjusting the window angle itself.

And the late seals didn't work either. The extra lip would get stuck on the window.
I had to go back to the early seals without the lip and fine-adjust to get it to seal well-ish.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[JamesM]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

On mine (late top, early doors), i had to modify the seal rail mounts to get the glass to fit against the seal properly.
And that was after adjusting the window angle itself.

And the late seals didn't work either. The extra lip would get stuck on the window.
I had to go back to the early seals without the lip and fine-adjust to get it to seal well-ish.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

I wonder if there are some other variables that got thrown in here? Like an improply repaired/drilled top or something.

In what way did you have to modify the rails?


Also what style rear Targa latches and rubber blocks are you running?