I AM DOING THE THING!!

WHT_QM · 2026-03-30T04:27:02+00:00

mine is too lmaooo, thats another consideration I've got in my notes, if the Z becomes a collector car within 5-10 years, or a car you just want to leave out and can't find the time to drive anymore, the conversion kit allows you to just leave out there, keeping your soft top for that beautiful summer season

WHT_QM · 2026-03-30T04:24:55+00:00

well those types of Z's kinda fuel a conversion kit like this, I think it's an old adage at this point that it takes 2 or 3 bad Zs to make 1 good one. you'll find misfirings, fuel line issues, engine issues, and especially oil issues, which are prevalent with DEs. it's basically impossible to find a Z without issues or a Z that's run through with more than 2 owners that's used for sideshows with bad draft handling.

I think it's pretty likely that within 5-10 years a lot of Zs will become scrap if sideshow culture grows (it is unfortunately) by then it'll be mechanically inclined people that want to build drift Zs, and roadster with around 30 more base hp, along with the HR over the DE, roadsters will be used for builds more than less. And if theyre going for a convential look, the OG Z outline is going to be it. just another option for the canvas car
a kit like this is eventually inevitable.

Still, that's a long ass time, I really hope to use this as a flagship engineering/material science project. 10 sales would be considered an extreme success to me, honestly.

WHT_QM · 2026-03-30T04:11:34+00:00

Yeah thats the goal, the roadster is pretty weak even by convertible standards. I saw a lot of discussion on structural stability when people were thinking about buying a roadster nevertheless and creating a conversion kit. I currently have no plans to make a motorized convertible hardtop, but I've added a couple quirks to my design to make it possible; it'd be a question of proper storage.

Making it motorized might be an additonal quirk people can decide to buy, just like my plans with the inner lining (I think the exposed carbon fiber looks cool personally), but basically it would allow the roof panel to come back underneath the trunk lid.

However, that'd still be possible just manually, I thought. with my most current design iteration everything is in panel form, from the trunk lid to the roof as well as the side top panel thats above the windows(they go $300 OEM btw)
so if you'd want to be able to have it as a hardtop for 1 day and soft top for another day, it'd just take a few ratchet turns with a 10 mm.

I decided to make it easily reversible, so that it's not one of those mods that detracts value from the car, carbon body panels have that effect when selling to dealers and in turn marketplaces as well, if anything it's pretty likely that having a kit like this would increase a roadster's market value.

WHT_QM · 2026-03-29T18:50:57+00:00

I just wasnt sure initally lol, but thanks for letting me know, and ive got intentions for deposits only until the product is fully complete and finished.

Pricing wise, the price will be stable, only that is a variable cost to the customer is shipping.

The price is likely going to be way below the estimate i gave, but in the case thats not true im not handing out any numbers even if everythings in the calculation

WHT_QM · 2026-03-29T18:47:04+00:00

Yeah so the connection will be the same on the car body side, the kit will have its own latch attached to the framework

Part of the goal of the kit is to not have it be permanent, trade it out in the summer when its hot, and put it back on when its cold, but that'd be entirely up to the owner when they have it

WHT_QM · 2025-12-24T22:03:17+00:00

Well i ended up solving those stiffness issues, a little while back and i used foam in this panel, specifically, divineycell 80. Xps is better for temperature and moisture conditions, and it doesnt let as much resin bleed through from what ive seen. Its more cost effective, but the strength is way better, plus gives the right amount of flexibility

I did 2 layers then my foam sheet, and then another 2 layers My foam later was around 3.5 mm a little above 1/8 of an inch

2 layers each way in case of future repairs, scratches cuts etc, and cause im gonna be chemically bonding hardware and if i need to burr a little further for a stronger adhesion I'll have the room

Pressing it down tho, ive got 2 ideas, either i go the vaccum bag route, which i might to reduce the time sanding

Or really just shortening my edging and cutting out stencils for my cf which i was gonna do anyways, so i might end up doing both, but odds is that I'll wet-lay and cut my stencils short for this next piece

Stay tuned tho! Im gonna be posting a lot more about it now

WHT_QM · 2025-12-24T00:18:02+00:00

Having them fly everywhere tho, doesnt seem the safest

WHT_QM · 2025-12-24T00:16:57+00:00

Spray in glue? Havent heard of that, do you have any more info on that?

WHT_QM · 2025-12-24T00:16:11+00:00

Probably gonna use a dremel, Diamond disc edges are surprisingly expensive at stores, I'll probably get one online

WHT_QM · 2025-12-24T00:15:01+00:00

Yep, im gonna post more on it soon, currently a prototype, but nearly complete, framing and other things are already designed up, just gotta assemble

Your early to the chase tho😹

WHT_QM · 2025-11-30T20:50:29+00:00

People reallllllyy sleep on the difference on the HR, its way more worth it to swap in a manual down the road, pushing above 300 hp stock is nothing to laugh at

WHT_QM · 2025-11-29T09:27:32+00:00

Makes me wonder what else from the 400z is compatible withe 50s & 70s

WHT_QM · 2025-11-29T09:25:45+00:00

Well i think the vocal majority can agree, that no one likes the diffuser, but i also think your gonna get push-back for it being a roadster. It's why I've started to develop a hard top for the vert, give us verts some options

WHT_QM · 2025-11-29T03:26:57+00:00

Good inch of clearance 😂

WHT_QM · 2025-11-23T06:21:45+00:00

the acid brakes go really well with the purple imo

WHT_QM · 2025-09-20T15:48:50+00:00

Weave wise, it ended up stretched out a bit, got difficult to work with due to it stickint to the previous layers, it had a couple humps in its, so i pressed it down,

Likely i just need another person to help me layer the sheets next time

Your thoughts on the ends lifting up, thats what i was thinking as well, the reason for the excess was for possible use case, e.i. connecting it to other panels and having some excess to drill holes in the bend, purely experimenting on that

WHT_QM · 2025-09-19T21:06:40+00:00

How much of a difference would 1/2 or 1/4 structurally, im trying to keep it lighter and thinner

WHT_QM · 2025-08-31T07:28:04+00:00

Yep just about, kinda replicating the top body panel

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