Cobra and XK-E GT hardtops?

[Kit Basher]

Does anyone make the hardtops for the Cobra and E-type Jag GT racers? I've been watching a lot of Goodwood racing, and I like the style of the convertibles with hard tops.

[Fat Brian]

The Revell drag Cobra has a hard top.

[Kit Basher]

Thanks Brian! The hard top on the Cobra GT is sloped and tapered and reaches almost all the way to the back of the car. I don't know if it was removable or somehow permanently attached to the car. This is the best picture I can find of one

Here's the one for the Jag.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Kit Basher

[keyser]

They only built 2 hardtops like that, both for LM. One LHD CSX 2142, one RHD CS 2131 (NOT CSX)

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/shelby-racing-history/42015-month-cobra-history-june.html

The hardtop in the drag car is correct for a 427, and ok for 289 I'd guess, but probably needs fiddling to fit AMT cobra. Really need the FIA 289 body to start, other Cobra experts here know far more. 

Goodwood is crack for sports car guys. 

[Kit Basher]

6 minutes ago, keyser said:

Goodwood is crack for sports car guys. 

Indeed it is!

[TarheelRick]

IIRC the original AMT Cobra kit came with a hardtop very similar to that one. Although it wasn't quite as bulbous as that one, more streamlined.  Then again the more I think about it that particular top I am thinking of may have been in the AMT '57 T-Bird.  Disregard, my thoughts are rambling, must have been the extra coffee I had this morning.

[Kit Basher]

3 minutes ago, TarheelRick said:

IIRC the original AMT Cobra kit came with a hardtop very similar to that one. Although it wasn't quite as bulbous as that one, more streamlined.  Then again the more I think about it that particular top I am thinking of may have been in the AMT '57 T-Bird.  Disregard, my thoughts are rambling, must have been the extra coffee I had this morning.

LOL. Sounds like a mild case of CRS.

[keyser]

Never enough coffee. You're correct, both the 289 Cobra and 57 Birds had fastbacks. Agree the Cobra wasn't bulbous, mostly glass. Same with Bird. CRS minimal for now

No Jag HT out there that I know of other than resin kit of streamliner. We can hope G-Revell XKE roadster that may come based on the new coupe may have one, and make a LTW possible.

[Kit Basher]

Searched for "AMT 289 Cobra" and found an old thread by Cobraman where he used the kit fastback. Not the same as the one in my original post, but interesting.

Also found this in the same thread:

I don't know if HRM still makes this, but it looks cool.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Kit Basher

[afx]

1 hour ago, Kit Basher said:

Searched for "AMT 289 Cobra" and found an old thread by Cobraman where he used the kit fastback. Not the same as the one in my original post, but interesting.

Also found this in the same thread:

I don't know if HRM still makes this, but it looks cool.

HRM still offers this kit as far as I am aware.  It is the Le Mans hard top Transkit.  As you can see the trunk area of the AMT kit had to be modified so the hardtop did not cover the trunk lid. 

The photo above was the kit I purchased and here is my finished build.

Edited October 13, 2020 by afx

[afx]

3 hours ago, Fat Brian said:

The Revell drag Cobra has a hard top.

I modified this hardtop to fit the AMT 289 body and HRM includes it as part of his DragonSnake transkit.

[Kit Basher]

28 minutes ago, afx said:

HRM still offers this kit as far as I am aware.  It is the Le Mans hard top Transkit.  As you can see the trunk area of the AMT kit had to be modified so the hardtop did not cover the trunk lid. 

The photo above was the kit I purchased and here is my finished build.

Thanks, JC! Beautiful model. I may look into that HRM transkit.

[mr moto]

Revell had the Jag roof that you're looking for in their old XKE roadster kit - at least In some releases. 

There's a very slim chance you might find the Cobra roof from Revell's mid 60's slot car body.

[Kit Basher]

3 hours ago, mr moto said:

Revell had the Jag roof that you're looking for in their old XKE roadster kit - at least In some releases. 

There's a very slim chance you might find the Cobra roof from Revell's mid 60's slot car body.

Thanks, Manuel! I have one of those older Revell Jag roadster kits, and I just checked it. That roof is in there. Way cool!

[Oldcarfan27]

On 10/13/2020 at 7:46 AM, Kit Basher said:

Makes the car look like it's wearing a helmet!

[afx]

4 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

Makes the car look like it's wearing a helmet!

They installed the hardtop to improve the aerodynamics and increase the top speed down the very long Mulsanne straight at Le Mans. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulsanne_Straight

[Zoom Zoom]

On 10/13/2020 at 10:30 AM, keyser said:

No Jag HT out there that I know of other than resin kit of streamliner. We can hope G-Revell XKE roadster that may come based on the new coupe may have one, and make a LTW possible.

Hey there stranger! Hope you are doing well. I just checked my two Gunze XKE’s, they both (low tech curbside & high tech full-detail) have the removable HT as part of the clear tree. Not sure if Heller’s XKE roaster has a HT or not, I only have the racing coupe kit.

Maybe Revell’s XKE will get me to build the Gunze variants, they look good aside from rear wheel opening (easy fix removing material) and I figured a way to paint/build it with the roadster body seam filled.

[Exotics_Builder]

2 hours ago, Zoom Zoom said:

Hey there stranger! Hope you are doing well. I just checked my two Gunze XKE’s, they both (low tech curbside & high tech full-detail) have the removable HT as part of the clear tree. Not sure if Heller’s XKE roaster has a HT or not, I only have the racing coupe kit.

Maybe Revell’s XKE will get me to build the Gunze variants, they look good aside from rear wheel opening (easy fix removing material) and I figured a way to paint/build it with the roadster body seam filled.

Rather than go downstairs and open my Heller E-Type Roadster kit up, I checked online and see that only the soft top appears to be included.