tinted windows in tops

[CARIBOULH@xxxxxxx]

Rob Murphy wrote...

<< With all this talk going on about spider tops and my 90 spider needing a
new 
 top soon, I have one question to add to this topic.  Does anyone make a 
 replacement top with a tinted window? >>

Rob, from the looks of your e-mail address I guess you have a government job,
yes? Check with the boys over at Dept. of Transportation and they will tell
you the answer to the question. The DOT requires that ALL tops being sold in
the US meet particular specifications for optical clarity of the rear window
material and unfortunately nothing with a "tint" falls within their approved
category. In fact, the materials that are approved are very narrow in spectrum
and the DOT seems to be more concerned with optical clarity when new rather
than giving much concern to how the material "ages" (the yellowed convertible
top rear window syndrome). Bottom line is that if you want to legally sell a
top in the US it has to be with a DOT approved rear window material. 

A couple of year ago someone was advertising "thermo-nuclear" cheap
convertible tops in Hemmings. Seems as if they had a bunch of tops for all
types of cars made offshore at very low prices, BUT when they brought the tops
in thru customs it seems as if NONE of them had been made with DOT approved
window material!!! Busted! It was either send them back, destroy them OR...
cut out the rear windows and sell them off that way! The company wound up
cutting out all the rear windows and offering tops for various cars for $89 or
so. Nowhere in their ads though did they mention the lack of a rear window! So
you were in for a bit of a surprise when you opened up your box!

Best Wishes,

Ed at Caribou Imports, Inc.
NOW... the largest Fiat parts supplier in the Western U.S.
visit us on the Web at:
www.caribou.cc
NEW ADDITION to our Web site: check the Autotraders nation-wide database of
Alfas or other vehicles for sale OR list your own car for sale FREE. Courtesy
of Caribou Imports!

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