lough90 Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Im looking for a surrey top for my TR4a has any got one for sale of any advice for purchasing one new or old. Richard. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianhoward Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I know they are not cheap! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grahamgl Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 There is currently one for sale on Ebay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jersey Royal Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 There is currently one for sale on Ebay. Link http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SURREY-TOP-FOR-TR4-4...1QQcmdZViewItem Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lough90 Posted March 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Link http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SURREY-TOP-FOR-TR4-4...1QQcmdZViewItem Thanks for the link, I had seen this but am holding out ... has anyone got any advice regarding the GRP ones from Moss good or bad? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodri Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Can't help with the Moss item, but I see that Honeybourne Mouldings do a similar one in Fibreglass, as well as a hardtop. Again I have never seen one , only on their website. Quite probably they make them for the other suppliers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kevinmarks Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Im looking for a surrey top for my TR4a has any got one for sale of any advice for purchasing one new or old. Richard. current bid is £700 on e-bay and still three days to go this will go for about £1000 or more you can buy a grp one from moss and they will be supplying proper glass rear screens soon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnny250 Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 (edited) Im looking for a surrey top for my TR4a has any got one for sale of any advice for purchasing one new or old. Richard. I considered getting one too, but having spoken to an owner of one....I have it on good authority that driving a car with an open surrey top is none too pleasant...... john Edited March 15, 2008 by johnny250 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Wyn Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I would not agree with that John, I fitted one a couple of years ago and would never go back to what I had. Ask Tom Fremont what he thinks, I'm sure he will agree as he is a big fan. I doubt you would regret going down the Surrey top route. It is far more pleasant to drive an open surey top than one without I assure you. Contact me at Malvern and we can go for a run if you like. Regards Wyn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
reg brg Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I have a 4a with surrey and a 6 with a rear screen (windjamer) And in my opinion you get more wind problem,s with the surrey My wife also agree,s with this The surrey I have is a fibreglass one but I don,t think that makes any difference The fact that I can stick the lid on easely is the big advantage I did have to bond the rear plastic screen in as it tried to blow out otherwise To pay over a grand for a ally one is in my opinion bloody stupid (controversy I love it) Reg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I would not agree with that John, I fitted one a couple of years ago and would never go back to what I had. Ask Tom Fremont what he thinks, I'm sure he will agree as he is a big fan. I doubt you would regret going down the Surrey top route. It is far more pleasant to drive an open surey top than one without I assure you. Contact me at Malvern and we can go for a run if you like. Regards Wyn Right you are, Wyn I can't imagine any rear windscreen contraption coming close to what the Surrey backlight will do for wind abatement, though it is essential to have the side windows up to get the benefit therefrom. Take Wyn up on his offer, or anyone else with one and see for yourself As for the GRP versions, some are really awful but I suppose there could be some good ones. I think Revingtons have their own 2-piece lid which I would consider if eschewing an original, since it could be stowed in the vehicle. Originals are the best and priced accordingly. Note the factory did contend the alloy backlight frame would serve as roll hoop, something the GRP type may not, and certainly the ones I've seen cannot. Getting back to originals: steel lids such as on offer above are highly prone to rust since they were scarcely coated at all on the inside, and dew descends into the folds at the sides and front with disastrous results. Expect to double the current bid of £700 to effect a top quality repair in this particular one If you can hold out for an alloy lid you won't have to contend with this issue, but many of them are in bad shape due to having gone sailing repeatedly ( These can also cost a fortune to make right. ) There's a library full of content on this in the archive. Great news about the new glass coming available again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Hi chaps, another advantage of the surrey top rear screen is that at moderate speeds or higher, reasonably heavy rain just whistles over the top and you stay dry(ish). Also why do you want a steel or Ali top. Surely the surrey rag top is all you need for monsoon style rain when driving and a simple umbrella when parked. The steel roofs can be repaired and made rust free for eternity but as Tom says this costs money. I have one of the original Ali split tops and wouldn't bother using it as even if it did fit into the boot where would the luggage go. Stowing in the boot would almost certainly dent the fairly soft Ali. Get your tops off Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Hi Roger, A realistic viewpoint, the rag top is fine for most purposes. But, to be fair, the solid lid has its merits in the winter months ! As Tom rightly points out, the steel lid is prone to corrosion, and the ally version is perhaps more prone to damage from careless handling. Nevertheless, there are plenty of good ones around, both original and renovated. They don't always rot, contrary to popular belief - none of mine (2 steel, 1 ally) are corroded at all. For sure a corrosion and damage free Surrey is worth paying good money for - it's all too easy to underestimate the cost of renovating a grotty one. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I understand Revington does a fibreglass version with roll cage built-in, the advantage being (apart from safety) that the roll bar does not obscure the rear vision. When, in the 1970s, I ran my TR4 without its alloy lid, I did get a strange noise as the wind passed over the open top. Never got such a noise with the top down on my old TR2. With the soft-top fitted to the TR4, the noise disappeared. It made me wonder whether the noise was generated by the lip exposed on the top of the screen (the groove into which the front edge of the soft top fitted, or the gap between windscreen and rear surround - or both. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Hi Ian, the noise you heard from the surrey top with no roof was the wind shearing on the front windscreen frame capping. As you state this sticks out a considerable distance compred to the other configurations and makes one hell of a racket. However there is an excellent cure given to me a while back by Gordon up in Scotland. Insert under the lip a length of triangular shaped rubber seal as used in double glazing. This stops the shearing action by building up a bow wave of air pressure that eventually pours over the top of the screen. I have not measured the difference using instruments etc but must be about 3.5 on the Richter scale. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnny250 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I would not agree with that John, I fitted one a couple of years ago and would never go back to what I had. Ask Tom Fremont what he thinks, I'm sure he will agree as he is a big fan. I doubt you would regret going down the Surrey top route. It is far more pleasant to drive an open surey top than one without I assure you. Contact me at Malvern and we can go for a run if you like. Regards Wyn I only just re-spotted this post! thanks for the offer Wyn..see you there john Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Hi Ian, the noise you heard from the surrey top with no roof was the wind shearing on the front windscreen frame capping. As you state this sticks out a considerable distance compred to the other configurations and makes one hell of a racket. However there is an excellent cure given to me a while back by Gordon up in Scotland. Insert under the lip a length of triangular shaped rubber seal as used in double glazing. This stops the shearing action by building up a bow wave of air pressure that eventually pours over the top of the screen. I have not measured the difference using instruments etc but must be about 3.5 on the Richter scale. Roger Just dont forget to remove it before attempting to reattach the soft section!! Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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