I want to cut the top off my old 1987 dodge aries ( k car ) . Its just a lame ol car i got sitting around so no big woop if i screw it up , my main concern is if its illegal and if its safe,,,like will it roune the structral integrety ( im a bad speller i know, lol) its a small car so i think that will be ok. Im not tryin to make this a show car or nuthin just a junker project that sound like fun I would prally just drive it around for a few months, then go back to my real pimp ride.everyone would think im so crazy for doin that to a k-car. any comments will help me out .... thanx
2007-05-09 15:58:57 · 7 answers · asked by hal g 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
how about cutting t-tops into it ,,, would that be illegal / safe ??
2007-05-09 16:24:04 · update #1
lame car to converted fun ride sounds cool ... use a roll-bar and weld plates on the bottom side for support the car is a uni-body and should be fine ---- weld and bondo those rough edges and just drive it easy ------ as far as spending the $'s for a rag top I say no just get a good heavy tarp..... have some kicks... If you are really worried about being legal just phone the highway patrol office and talk to the desk sgt. -- that's the true answer to the legal question ... you must have a windshield and proper lights ---- go for it....
2007-05-09 17:43:21 · answer #1 · answered by XTX 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, in the past there has been kits that could be bought for you to accomplish this, I have performed one of these conversions. That was about 1990. I have heard these kits being outlawed due to people flooding the market with untested and unproven kits. The biggest hurdle over any custom creation, when altering the structure of a vehicle, you have altered its strength to the structure. For example, My conversion was the S-10 removable hard top. To cut the top, remove the top, weld tab plates so no exposed cavities. Nice smooth look. Stiffen up the A pillars(the metal around the windsheild). So at speed, wind wouldnt force it back. Also, bracing under the cab, to help it from racking side to side, front to back while the vehicle was under load, and or going over bumps. I would not recommend this unless you have a great ability of metal working, plenty of tooling and a pile of knowledge. This is nothing that you want to get a die grinder and start wacking. And for this reason, it has been made illegal to my understanding. To many folks without the knowledge, putting themselves, passengers, and the general population at risk. On a personal note, if i had to do it again, I would simply for the fun it was taking something to an extreme. But as far as safety, I should have considered putting in a roll bar.
2007-05-09 17:06:19 · answer #2 · answered by Jason p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
since there are NO collectable K-cars the biggest obstacle would be state inspection or lack there of-if your state does not have one, have at it (the smog people won't care anyway just the SAfeTY NAZIs,).if there is an inspection just do the work "AFTER" the inspection as a uni-body car such as this won't last a year anyway and you will hate it the first time it rains and the car gets soaked inside -lol . I say do it and crush the car in winter as you can,t sell it and the liability is too great to risk .as for the city cops they have bigger fish to fry and the state patrol might say something but if you have the money to destroy a car a $100.00 ticket should not be too scary!frget all that rollbar junk just go rent a SAWZ-ALL from the local rental yard and enjoy the summer!
2007-05-09 19:08:31 · answer #3 · answered by badmts 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get underneath and weld some reinforcement onto it then chop, the worst that could happen is ya get pulled over and they yank it off the road on the spot till then ya can have a real laugh at what you have created, one of the world's cheesiest convertibles, if ya got the time go have some fun with it but for god sakes REINFORCE IT BEFORE YA DRIVE IT!
2007-05-09 16:20:06 · answer #4 · answered by transplanted newfie 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes it is illegal unless the work is done by a legitmate convertible conversion company like ASC. And yes it will compleltly ruin the structural integrity of your car. It'll bend like a swizzle stick.
2007-05-09 16:07:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes thats illegal.
The vehicle would no longer pass safey testing. Sp you need to get it reinforced and retested.
2007-05-09 16:07:19 · answer #6 · answered by Chris H 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
that is merely foolish. why would you bother? you have too much time on your hands, and maybe need to get a life...
2007-05-09 16:07:27 · answer #7 · answered by katluver005 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋