Interior Exterior
Q:
How much weight can be on the hardtop? Or more exactly, how much weight can the winshield side of the hardtop take? The behind the seats is a roll bar, that side I think can take quite a bit (sorta), but I'm concerned that the windshield is not supported, and so it cannot take as much weight there.
Does anybody know the specs?
A:
Anecdotally...there have been a few cars that have flipped and we have marvelled at how well the windshield frame has held up.
A:
FWIW, during my first test drive I was advised to not hold onto the top of the frame when entering or exiting the car. The salesperson said that it didn't take much weight to flex it and that could crack the windshield.
I have seen Elise windshields crack around the mirror mount where folks have replaced the stock mirror. The windshield is thinner and lighter than what's on other cars.
A:
Somewhere I read that the geometry of the car protects the occupants in a roll-over without the windshield hoop. I suspected it is not all that strong. (Sorry Wallabyguy for borrowing your photo.)
A:
'm concerned that the windshield is not supported, and so it cannot take as much weight there.
The windshield frame has no additional support in it. It is simply a fiberglass frame that supports the glass. That's why you shouldn't hold/pull on it when getting in/out of the Elise - it may crack something.
A:
Actually, Elderburg's post of Snuff is helpful to understand what would happen to a flipped Elise. If the windshield can't bear any load, where is it transferred besides the rollbar? It looks like it would be somewhere in the area above the wheels. But I'm not sure as to what.