Sorry for the delayed reply, it has been hectic around here to say the least!! Here is an update on the project as I know it, as well as a few more details:
First off, the project itself is being delayed a little bit, despite the excitement here. The reason is both because they no longer have a "donor car" to experiment with and because they are busy on some other projects. I suspect if they had a donor car they could pick up the pace a little bit.
The questions about both the rear glass and the side windows are answered in more detail right from the manufacturer: "The back window will be a polycarbonate with a hard coating to help protect it. To tool one up out of safety glass would cost more than buying five new Vipers. As for the side windows, we will have glass inserts here to preserve the roof line. They will either be black, smoked, or clear, and we will probably offer the glass in a variety of options to suit taste. There will be a machined aluminum piece that follows the entire window contour to make a good seal. This is all using the factory windows, sort of like this prototype shot:
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They go on to say, "We can’t stress enough that this is no weird prototype, it is an actual Comp Coupe roof modified to fit a special trunk and blended into one piece. The new roof will incorporate an entirely different trunk lid, all one piece with the roof. The rear glass then becomes the hatch back. We are maintaining the entire contour of the Comp Coupe’s roof line (around the back side of the glass) and blending it into the stock trunk features. Here is how it will work:
Step 1 - Remove the factory trunk.
Step 2 - Two people place the roof up to the windshield post and inset the pins just like the convertible top currently has.
Step 3 - Drop the back down and it will latch just like the factory trunk.
Step 4 - Get in the car and rotate the catch that locks to the factory convertible top catch just like you would with the convertible top.
Step 5 - Turn around and plug in the third brake light harness to the factory’s outlet and press the same two latches used on the carbon tonneaus to pull it into place by the doors.
Step 6 - Start up the car and go driving while people stare at you in awe!
That’s it. We really wanted to do some re-shaping on the side quarter glass, to make the profile contour match the back side of the door glass."
Also note that some DC press on the actual production SRT Coupe mention that the new roof is PLASTIC. This conversion roof will be carbon/kevlar - and as a result very likely to be stronger as well. How soon will it be ready to go? Well, if they can get an SRT for fit-and-finish work it shouldn't be too long. Fingers crossed!
