steel hard top lining

[cherry]

Thanks for the help on 'apple green'. Another thing.. Does the steel hardtop have your usual headlining bows? or does the lining glue directly to it?, and just out of curiosity, what on earth are the two vertical bracket things, about three inches long, just below the battery box, where the gearbox goes through the firewall for!? (I will learn how to add a photo...)

[pfenlon]

Thanks for the help on 'apple green'. Another thing.. Does the steel hardtop have your usual headlining bows? or does the lining glue directly to it?, and just out of curiosity, what on earth are the two vertical bracket things, about three inches long, just below the battery box, where the gearbox goes through the firewall for!? (I will learn how to add a photo...)

 

 

From memory I think the lining which was cloth had a couple of half inch wide bars going across the roof.

 

Cant think what the brackets are?

[TR 2100]

From memory I think the lining which was cloth had a couple of half inch wide bars going across the roof.

 

Cant think what the brackets are?

 

 

Yep, that's what I remember. A fawn coloured lining, like very thin felt,

glued directly to the hardtop. The bar across (I remember one only but

that's not authoritative) was sprung steel, wrapped in the same material.

I don't really know what the function of the bar was, certainly not to hold

the headlining in place, so it must have been something to reduce any drumming?

 

I'm not sure if I've got the right picture in my mind from your description of

the brackets, but I think you may be describing the bracket to locate and retain

the inside portion of the rubber steering column grommet. Obviously only used on

one side, hence the confusion, but the shells were made for either left or right

hand drive.

 

AlanR

[vivdownunder]

Hi Cherry,

 

Consider when lining the hardtop to use a modern sound absorbant material. Hardtops tend to concentrate gearbox and road noise in the cabin, which can be uncomfortable.

 

Do you happen to know David Pearce from Launceston ?.

 

He's a lifetime TR man and could be a big help with all sorts of things down in Tassie.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

[Alec Pringle]

The sprung steel bars are indeed there to reduce drumming - without them the racket can be appalling. Rallying a 3A we found a pretty reasonable noise reduction solution - two layers of thick rubberised underseal, and then a layer of heavy (pub seat calibre) vinyl applied as the second layer of underseal went tacky. Then the two (wrapped) bars. Obviously you cut the vinyl to fit before painting the inside of the lid with underseal ! It made the difference as to whether you could or could not hear yourself shout on a road rally - great improvement on watching the navigator's hand signals with one eye !!

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[John McIver]

Hi Cherry, (and Viv)

My 3a in the 60's was hardtop equipped from new,there was no hood or bows with the car. The original top was wrecked in a rollover and I can't recall what the headlining was. In the replacement top, the lining was a flock spray material, similar to the glove box lining.

I am in the process of fitting up a completely restored hardtop for my current TR and the lining is a nice fawn material with a light foam backing, glued directly to the metal. The earlier car had the two straps but this one does not. If the drumming is offensive, I will look at making them up. The metal hardtop really ties the car together, and goes a long way in reducing scuttle shake if correctly fitted.

Cheers,

John.

[BrianC]

My 3a in the 60's was hardtop equipped from new,there was no hood or bows with the car.

 

The metal hardtop really ties the car together, and goes a long way in reducing scuttle shake if correctly fitted.

 

 

The steel hardtop certainly made a huge difference to the rigidity of my first 1958 TR3A. AFAIK, it was fitted from new but was 14 years old when I bought it. There was no headlining or bows and the interior was painted powder blue as was the original body. I assume this was as supplied as there was no hood with the car and I suspect the hardtop had been on most of its life. However, I removed it and went topless (as is my wont ) but the car certainly flexed a lot more - quite scary at first, even after graduating (or downgrading?) from a Spitfire but after a few hundred miles the effect is soon forgotten.

 

BTW, I'm still under pressure from SWMBO to sell that hardtop:

http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=21634&st=0&p=155651&hl=hardtop&fromsearch=1&&do=findComment&comment=155651

[but secretly hope I get to keep it for my old age and geriatric debut into rallying!]

[sidescreen]

Hi Cherry and All others,

 

Hereby my way how I fixed the hardtop headlining and what kind of upholstery I have been using. I first started with a 6 millimeter thick kind of a compact foam which I glued directly on the hardtop surface. After this stage I glued a creme coloured vinyl over it which almost looked as original. But not completely satisfied about the results I removed it (do it twice program) and glued instead of it a nice and warm type of velvet cloth on the foam layer. And for a really old fashioned finish I decided to make four headlinig bows on top of it.....

 

Regards,

[Trevor S]

Raymond, the interior of your hardtop looks superb. How are the headlining bows held in place and what are theymade of, steel or something else ?

I now have my hardtop painted on the exterior but am yet to trim the inside.

[TR 2100]

I first started with a 6 millimeter thick kind of a compact foam which I glued directly on the hardtop surface.

After this stage I glued a creme coloured vinyl over it which almost looked as original.

But not completely satisfied about the results I removed it (do it twice program) and

glued instead of it a nice and warm type of velvet cloth on the foam layer.

And for a really old fashioned finish I decided to make four headlinig bows on top of it.....

 

 

I have to say prefer your first effort!!

 

The lighter colour would have brightened up the cockpit whereas I think

the black finish will make it too dark.

And for my taste, I prefer the plain finish rather than the bows.

 

Excellent workmanship, though, for both efforts. The curves are NOT easy

to deal with.

 

AlanR

[Menno van Rij]

And again, Raymond delivered! Great pics Raymond.

 

About reducing noise: the Land Rover owners are already familiar with the stuff: Noise Killer Perhaps they can supply you with useful products. (Although I just noticed that a large part of their site is in Dutch).

 

Menno

Edited February 19, 2010 by Menno van Rij

[sidescreen]

Thank you for your replies !

 

Trevor, in answer to your question about the headlining bows can I tell that it's quite simple to do.

 

The material I have been using is stainless steel covered with with the same cloth and glued all over it. It is held by a strong tension to both sides of the hardtop, the bows are shaped in almost the same curve as the hardtop and are infact a little longer as the width of the hardtop.

 

Regards,

[KEL]

Hi

make sure the glue is not affected by condensation as my first attempt came away using contact adhesive my roof has no bows regards kel

[littlejim]

Thanks for the help on 'apple green'. Another thing.. Does the steel hardtop have your usual headlining bows? or does the lining glue directly to it?, and just out of curiosity, what on earth are the two vertical bracket things, about three inches long, just below the battery box, where the gearbox goes through the firewall for!? (I will learn how to add a photo...)

 

Cherry,

 

I've just pulled the lining out of my TR4A tin lid. yell out if you want any photos of what is inside.(Suspect you already know).