I've driven my Wildcat over 4,ooo miles this summer. Fortunately I have great roads around me to enjoy the car. (Adirondack Mountains of NY). I love the car. IMO it drives and handles great. I want to make a removable hardtop. Here is a Photoshop idea for it. Looks like i have a winter project. 
I'll have to decide what to do for access. Add a door of some type or have the top hinge at the rear. That's part of the fun of a project. Making things work.
Having fun.
It would be a nice accessory. The original Cheetahs had a pretty flimsy gullwing door, but that would require modifications to your body and probably weren't that great for accessibility anyway.
I'm curious to see your solution. I have a Lucra LC470 with no top and have been caught in the rain more than once. My car has a 1957 Porsche Speedster windshield with a custom frame. I've been toying with a bikini top similar to what's used on jeeps or sectioning an aftermarket Speedster hard top. The doors are handy for stepping over the sill but too small for entry with a roof.
- Brian
This is no help on the access issue (or perhaps no help at all) but I'm wondering if it wouldn't look even better if the top extended towards the rear even further and if the back glass was smaller.
This is not the Buick I was expecting.
Super cool--it looks like the future!
Some sort of strecthy material top would be good. That way it's still super light and able to roll it up and stow
A rigid top is going to need someplace to be stored. Plus a way to get it on and off.
a convertible top can be erected. With careful planning with one hand. If you're properly clever stowed away in the car!!
Hi Brian, I built the number 9 Beck Lister. The precursor to the LC470. My car had the same same Speedster windshield. I'm not sure if your frame is different. I'm 6'2". The cockpit and foot boxes were so tight that I couldn't use a seat. I glued foam in the cockpit and had a cover that snapped over it. That was my seat. I sat as low as possible. Even with this solution the top of the windshield frame was directly in my line of sight. Wind buffeting was really bad. It's because of that car that I started on my quest to build my own car.
The car that I built ran a full width roll bar. The windshield was much taller and wider. It was from a Jag XJS. I made a fiberglass roof that hinged at the roll bar and latched to the windshield frame. When flipped up I could easily step into the car and pull the roof down and latch. I did sell a few bodies and frames for the car. One of the builders had a shop fabricate a top out of convertible top material and a frame they fabricated out of metal rod. The rods assembled into a structure to support the fabric top. They hinged this at the roll bar so that it would lift up at the front. When not in use it broke down into a small size and could be stored in the car.
The windshield in my Wildcat is from an MGB. I purchased a convertible top frame for the MGB and I'm going to attempt to fit it to my car. My idea is to fabricate brackets that the top is welded to with legs that slide into the roll bar receivers. When not in use I'm hoping to fold it down to the rear and latch it. I'll make a latch with one handle that will fix the front of the top to the windshield. Release it and the top will fold to the rear to get access to the interior. At least that's what I hope/
The photoshop top is rendering that a kind gentleman did for me. As I fabricate it I'm sure that changes will be made. I did think that that top would extend further to the rear of the deck. Lots to work out.
Appleseed said:This is not the Buick I was expecting.
My first thought as well, but I had been reading about his build last night, so I caught up quickly.
That top idea looks beautiful ! ! Fits the body style/look perfectly, great Photoshop work
holy crap that thing's gorgeous. I like the lines of the top too. What if you made just the front half of the roof hinge up? Like, follow the cut line from the gull wing door photo across the roof, making the front kind-of a targa panel. hinge it to the rear half at the center and secure the front lip to the windshield with convertible latches?
Thank you for all of your input and comments. I've built a number of cars. This is my favorite. I love the looks. It's going to be 70 here today. I'm going for a nice drive later today.
I have considered having a Targa style panel that is hinged to the rear half. That's a possibility. If I can make it so that it can be stored on the rear interior deck (maybe 2 pieces like a T top) when not in use that would be great. Keeping the option of driving open top on nice days would be great.
Having fun
I spent a little time today mocking up a top with foam pipe insulation and duct tape. As is there is great visibility from inside. Obviously needs final tweaking, but I can picture what the final version will be. Having fun.
Gotta hand it to you -- this project keeps getting better.
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