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I am planning to install a Surrey Hard Top (from a TR4 I believe) to my TR5 which is currently configured as a soft top car, and there are a few questions I'm sure someone out there will have the answers to.

 

TR4 rear screen has seven studs underneath. I presume the central five will line up with the soft top mounting points on the TR5 deck - do I remove the outer two studs before fitment, or does the deck have to be drilled for these ?

 

I presume also there must be some form of fixing on the front edge each side once I've removed the B Post capping pieces - how exactly does that work ?

 

Will the screen fit onto the TR5 deck as is, or do the soft top poppers (three each side) have to be removed first to give enough clearance ?

 

I know the windscreen capping must be changed - how should I provide access for the roof bolts through the frame surround ? Is there an existing hole simply covered with trim on the soft top version ?

 

Be very grateful for someone's knowledge on all of this before I proceed with this project

 

Many thanks

 

Matthew Petzold

Edited by matthewpetzold
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Hi Matt,

here are some answers -

the front of the rear frame should have a stud pionting down with a nut/washer underneath.

The windscreen frame should already have the holes in. When you remove the screen cap you will see them.

 

When you go to buy your screen cap take your existing cap with you to see that the fixing rivet holes re in the same place. Mine were 3/16" out.

 

Roger

 

PS - the screen caps are not the most wonderful work of art.

You may find that were the end rivets fit (for the fabric roof popper) it is not flat. You will need to tease it around a bit.

Edited by RogerH
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You will most likely have to remove the front two studs, just grind them off flush, The front corners of the deck extensions should have two captive nuts under the ally cap covers. You will need two 1/4" UNF studs to go in there and the corresponding rubber spacers washers and nuts. The three poppers will need removing from each side and the screen capping changing. There is already the holes through the frame for the front bolts and if you feel along the trim on the underside you should be able to locate them. You will need the correct fixing bolts and spacer tubes for those.

When fitting you will need to leave everything loose and drop the roof on to line up the fixings. You may well need to alter the rake of the screen and the stop height of the windows.

Stuart.

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Hi Matthew,

 

In addition to the excellent advice above there's the issue of the windscreen frame itself, which will not mate up to the Surrey / TR4 capping piece where the hood fastening locations are - there are two depressions in the pressing which have to be filled. Some have fitted the original hood fastening feature to the Surrey top front, and this may allow you to keep the original capping ( don't know how well it seals with the hardtop lid - Stuart? ).

 

It's a bit of a campaign to do the conversion but likely the best one you'll ever do. It makes for a beautiful coupe with the hardtop on and topless cruising vastly more pleasant.

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Hi Matthew,

 

In addition to the excellent advice above there's the issue of the windscreen frame itself, which will not mate up to the Surrey / TR4 capping piece where the hood fastening locations are - there are two depressions in the pressing which have to be filled. Some have fitted the original hood fastening feature to the Surrey top front, and this may allow you to keep the original capping ( don't know how well it seals with the hardtop lid - Stuart? ).

 

It's a bit of a campaign to do the conversion but likely the best one you'll ever do. It makes for a beautiful coupe with the hardtop on and topless cruising vastly more pleasant.

Tom you can get them to seal OK if you do the Surrey conversion to clamp fastening. The repro seals for the roof are a bit more spongy than the originals.

Stuart.

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There is also an amusing job getting the rubber seal to stay under the backlight.

 

Thats why I use a different one.

Stuart.

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Yes but you don't get much adjustment.

You also have to slacken the nuts at the bottom.

 

This design really only sits at one angle.

It keeps trying to return to this angle as the bottom nuts are tightened.

Not entirely true. You use the adjustment that is available in the elongated holes in the side bracket and the large holes in the inner wing to provide the rake adjustment. Once happy and these are tightened up the bottom nuts dont make a ha`porth of difference to the rake as all they are going to do is pull the frame downwards at the set angle. The three bolts across the front will bend the brackets on the bottom of the frame to suit and dont alter the rake either.

Stuart.

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Mine came with a whole load of washers between the bottom nuts and the brackets.

 

I kept trying to get the nuts to tighten fully up on these washers and then set the angle.

 

Eventually I realised that you set the angle first and then set the bottom nuts.

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Thats why I use a different one.

Stuart.

 

I've done a couple of these without issues. I first glued the inboard edge of the seal to the inside edge of the backlight with weatherstripping adhesive. To ensure the two seal lips spread apart upon compression a bead of butyl rubber caulk could be laid into the space between, with the excess removed after fitting. I didn't have to resort to this myself; just a plan " B " in the event of frustration.

 

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