Surrey Top metal pieces

[peejay4A]

Following the tribulations I had on the way home from the IWE I resolved to find out what had gone wrong with my surrey top which had been fine at motorway speeds up to date. It began to lift out of the screen cap - the usual thing. It was clear that the surrey lip wasn't fitting as far under the screen cap as it could so I removed the metal pieces and this is what I found.

 

A few bits of bent aluminium, 1.6mm thick and 10mm wide. They were a sloppy fit in the pocket of the surrey so a better solution was needed which wasn't as thick and which was a bit wider so as to be able to shove it further under the capping when the rain is lashing down your neck. I got some 30cm strips of brass, 0.86mm thick and 1/2 inch wide. I like mixing up units. I soldered them together by eye into this shape.

 

It slides into the pocket nicely and now it goes much further under the capping. I'll try a high speed run over the next few days.

[RogerH]

Good heavens Pete.

 

I can understand packing it out with a map of the world but paving slabs!!!!

 

Roger

[AlanT]

Nice try Peejay. Hope it works!

 

I was wondering how you were going to get a brass strip 4ft long.

[peejay4A]

Well a 120 mile round trip to Lupins Farm including rain, wind and plenty of high speed motoring has seen it stay in place so that's a result.

[RogerH]

Hi Pete,

that looks interesting. I like the idea of a long single unit.

 

Roger

[peejay4A]

I was worried that it might not slide in in one go but with the curvature it wasn't a problem. One clear advantage is that it doesn't require rivets which add to the thickness problem. Also it seems to stay in place in the vinyl pocket, not surprising when it's under tension. If it tends to worm its way out when stowed I'll poke a bit of superglue up each end to stop it moving. My slight worry is that I'll bend it or work harden it but time will tell. It's stored with the H frame in a bag so shouldn't come to much harm.

[Guest]

This go me thinking: I am at the seaside at moment. And a force 8 gail stopped us from having a deay at the beach. However, my oldest and I wanted to know if it's possible to erect a nylon beach shelter with these fishing rod-like frame pieces: the very flxible ones. For your concern: it can be done and the shelters stays in place (with the help of guylines).

 

Anyway, wouldn't it be possible to use these fishing rod-like frame pieces for a Surrey top?

 

Menno

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Originals were spring steel.

We had tooling created to make them at C&B in the 1980's and produced to OE spec. They were always fitted and supplied as part of Surrey fabric roof. They were also included in the TR4 soft top plus its B post upper metal strips.

Cheers

Peter W

PS They were made as 3 sections and rivetted in place, so the fabric when removed, could be folded and stowed in the boot.

Edited August 17, 2014 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[AlanT]

Whether it work-hardens or not will depend on the type of brass you used.

 

There are more types of brass than you can imagine. Mostly they look pretty similar.

[peejay4A]

Well at least mine won't rust.