Top flew off

[Babu]

My "new" 96 vtec Sol, as I was going 70 MPH lost its top. Luckily, there was little traffic but it was a real surprise when the top just took off. Unluckily, a car drove over it so I need to find a new top. It was locked in and run through the same area for two weeks without having the top off.

 

First question - is this a common occurance? There is no evidence of failure on the body side.

Second question - if there is a design flaw, is there a fix for it?

Third question - Where can I get a replacement top?

 

Appreciate any help

 

Adrian

[BrIaN EG2]

the only flaw ive ever heard of was operator error.. the only time ive ever seen them fly off was when both sides werent locked in and wind gets under it and picks it up and rips it off.. ive owned my sol since dec 08 and i still have my origional top.. ive only seen one fly off and it was because the passanger side wasnt fully locked in

[Senior Sol]

the only flaw ive ever heard of was operator error.. the only time ive ever seen them fly off was when both sides werent locked in and wind gets under it and picks it up and rips it off.. ive owned my sol since dec 08 and i still have my origional top.. ive only seen one fly off and it was because the passanger side wasnt fully locked in

 

+1

 

I've been following the del Sol scene very closely since I bought mine in 1995.

 

This is the first time I have ever heard of an OEM top "flying off". There have been a couple of reports of aftermarket Ameripol tops doing so, but I suspect these were also caused by operator error.

 

Lots of used OEM replacement tops available on EBay.

 

Good luck, and sorry for the mishap.

 

Cheers, Senior Sol

[Babu]

Thanks for the reply. I can only think that my top was not fully locked, although being relatively OCD I am not sure how that happened. But realizing that it is not a design flaw is a relief. I hope to get a new top before it starts raining again. Other than that, the car is great.

[Xeryon]

It's not uncommon for the handle for the latch assembly to shear off it's gear teeth. Quite possible you flipped the handle and didn't realize that the latch didn't move.

[Babu]

_{So, there are a number of people selling tops fpr the Del Sol. But, when I tried to buy one on eBay, from a commercial reseller, I had to enter my build date and it came up "non-compatible". Every other advertisement shows "93 -97", was there anything different anbout a '96? It seems to me the body design was unchanged but...new parts, new suppliers? It is more difficult to find parts for particular years and more difficult to find people who tell the truth about their part. Just want to know how to find the information.}

 

_Thx

[DelSol17]

all the 93-97 del sols were all the same except i know one year they put the 96-2000 front end on other than that no they are all the same

[JesseCuster]

i've had this happen once due to me not locking it down and trying to smoke a cigarette. rolled down my window going about 75 with two cars right behind me and it was gone. LUCKILY it went sideways and passed in between them. it survived with only a bent corner and still fit with no other issues.

 

The feeling of that thing taking off right over you is pretty intense lol.