AlanT Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 For those that don't know these are an aid to fitting the Surrey top. You screw into the bar in the Surrey-top and stick them through the holes, in the backlight. They are curved and so they help you stretch the bar backwards and slide it into the holes. I am about to make a set. So now the questions are: 1. how long? 2. how much curve? 3. how much straight? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Hi Al, here you go. 1/4 UNF. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) Hi Al, oops - double post - how does that happen. Roger Edited July 18, 2014 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Allan Jezzard Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Did you photograph those on your bonnet, Roger? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) Thanks for doing that Roger. I'd guessed 4in long, but thought the bend would go nearer to the threaded end. I think I may move it up a bit because I want to fit an anti-scratch coating. Edited July 17, 2014 by AlanT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Allan Jezzard, on 18 Jul 2014 - 04:05 AM, said:Did you photograph those on your bonnet, Roger? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Patina Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 I capped the ends of my rod with PEEK. This is the king of engineering plastics. Very tough stuff. This makes for a less scratchy and chippy business end. I put a longer, more sweepy, bend in them mainly because my backlight has been bushed, because of wear, and is perhaps a bit of a tighter fit than originally. https://flic.kr/p/oogUiG https://flic.kr/p/ooimnX These make getting the threaded bushes on the bar into the holes so easy you can shut your eyes. Thanks for the idea Roger. Fix the bar down with these: https://flic.kr/p/o6Q3Dd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Alan. What's the sequence again for using this setup on the road? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hi Pete, Start to assemble the fabric top as normal. screw the rods in the tubes on the back rail - keep them loose(ish) - Guide the rod into the Frame holes. You can then easily wiggle the rod to get the stub on the rear rail to pop into the frame. Unscrew and put the correct screw in place. The rods simply allow you to insert the stubs and then align the hole to get the screw in - simples Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 I see, so a bit like the studs that I have in mine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Hi Pete, yes. If you have permanent studs then they do the same thing - mines better than yours Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 The key thing is that you have some leverage so that you can get a bit of stretch towards the rear, The rod pivots on the edge of the metal cup in the backlight. This is about not having to get a sharp metal end into a hole when the lid is tensioned against you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) But I can over stretch mine with no problem, as I found out Also starting a nut over the stud I found easier than starting a bolt into the rod, especially with the hood tension putting an angle on the boss. And your system requires more operations to fit the roof which isn't good from a time and motion perspective Elegant though. Edited July 19, 2014 by peejay4A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Being a Moss repro mine is really too small. The only way I can get it on is to put a fid up through the holes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 When you unscrew your fid (I had to look that one up) doesn't the hood tension ted to pull the boss from the hole? I don't have a problem stuffing the studs into the holes because I have a pair of Roger's metal things to protect the backlight. Shiny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Ah yes, another good idea from Roger, the shiny backlight-bits. I'll be fitting them when I've naffed up the paint. The bosses would get out because of the tension except for two things: 1. I press down on the bar a bit 2. I have bushes in the backlight that are quite a "good" fit Hence the need for the rods to get lined up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Do not need Rogers helper rods, I fitted threaded rods long time ago. What I do need are some ss finisher plates that fit over the backlight location holes. Is that what Roger can do. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) Hi Pete, just to clarify. If the fabric roof is a bit on the tight side then getting the little stubs on the rear rail into the holes can be difficult. The rods help to lever them into place with little effort. The stubs then are happy to stay there on their own until a screw is inserted. They do take a few seconds to fit but are better than with no aids. Mine are purely practical items, Alan's are a thing of beauty. I like prototyping - quick idea, quick fabrication, bish, bash, bosh. But then I never get round to the decent article - chipboard is my preferred material Roger Edited July 20, 2014 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I hate wood. Always splits on me. The only vaguely tricky part of these was the bending. I have a Czech bending machine. Cheap. Useful. But needs some skill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) My new one from Moss required me to pull the windscreen back as far as I could (with rope tied to bumper while I tightened the bottom windscreen nuts), the tin lid still fitted OK after this exercise. It took several fittings for the bit at the front to go fully under the metal capping at the top of the windscreen. (Stitching has to open/stretch a bit.) I hung the top out in the summer sun with weights on it for a few days to stretch it a bit. Getting the two back bolts through their holes the first time allowed me to retire 'hurt' and have celebratory cup of coffee with biccie. Left it out in the sun for a few days to stretch a bit more. Since then the stitching has relaxed a bit more and the material has stretched a bit, so fitting is a lot easier even though it it is still quite tight. Edited July 20, 2014 by littlejim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted July 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I know someone who won't make hoods because, if he cuts to fit, people say they are too baggy and if he cuts them tight, people say they don't fit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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