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Surrey Top to convertible?


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I have a TR5 with a Surrey top. Looks great but not very practical in my opinion.

Would someone kindly advise me of what I will need to convert my car to a rag top.

Is a soft top a direct replacement? Are the existing holes for the Surrey the same.

Is the header rail the same? I think not but need confirmation. Where should I go for a frame and hood?

From what I have read vinyl is the best material to use?

 

Thanks in advance, Graeme.

Edited by fw14b
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Hi,

 

You'll need a TR5 or 6 hood frame (they are the same). and a hood of your choice fitting to it.

 

Vinyl is very practical and trouble free but now out of favour against Mohair and other fabrics.

 

TR5's had a fixed rear 'window', but the TR6 hood has a zip out facility which allows a bit of ventilation (TR6 type would be my preference).

 

You'll also need a hood cover, or hod bag as its sometimes known to cover the hood when it is folded down. Also studs for the hood poppers on the tonneau rails and the chrome finishers at the top of the 'B' posts.

 

You will also need to investigate whether your car has the fixings in the top or the screen for the header rail clamps. Depending on which screen chrome capping you have - you may need to change it for the one that hasn't got the facility to slide the surrey fabric under. If you don't change it the header rail on the hod frame will not pull down properly.

 

Finally, brace yourself for all the messages offering to buy your surrey rear screen etc..... Your proposal is very much against the current trend !

 

Hope this helps

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Hi Graeme, you can also check if your car has the captive nuts either side where the Hood Frame actually fits to the body,you will also need a Retainer Bar,to fit the hood to the rear deck.

A hood is easier to erect against the weather.

Cheers,

Conrad.

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Hi,

 

You'll need a TR5 or 6 hood frame (they are the same). and a hood of your choice fitting to it.

 

Vinyl is very practical and trouble free but now out of favour against Mohair and other fabrics.

 

TR5's had a fixed rear 'window', but the TR6 hood has a zip out facility which allows a bit of ventilation (TR6 type would be my preference).

 

You'll also need a hood cover, or hod bag as its sometimes known to cover the hood when it is folded down. Also studs for the hood poppers on the tonneau rails and the chrome finishers at the top of the 'B' posts.

 

You will also need to investigate whether your car has the fixings in the top or the screen for the header rail clamps. Depending on which screen chrome capping you have - you may need to change it for the one that hasn't got the facility to slide the surrey fabric under. If you don't change it the header rail on the hod frame will not pull down properly.

 

Finally, brace yourself for all the messages offering to buy your surrey rear screen etc..... Your proposal is very much against the current trend !

 

Hope this helps

Thanks for your reply.

I don't suppose you have any photos of said studs please?

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Hi Graeme,

 

I know that the Surrey top divides opinion. I was talking with my local TR specialist mechanic recently who said he didn't like them and that he could easily convert mine if I wanted him to. I thought about it for a moment, but in the end I'd rather have mine as it came.

 

Yes, Surrey tops can be a pain to put up (I've struggled for up to 20 minutes with mine), but I've now resolved the issue completely. It was easy to fix . . . I just don't use a top anymore. Simple.

 

Darren

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After you have removed the rear screen frame you will either need to fit some rivnuts to fasten the rear hood retaining bar or use nuts and bolts through the rear deck.You will also need the Ally capping covers for the top of the "B" post and the six studs for the hood poppers on the forward deck extensions.If I was you, unless you need the money I would wrap your Surrey top in a blanket and put it away somewhere safe as a nice retirement bonus as they are only going to get more expensive as time goes by. Current values for a complete kit are heading north of £2.5K

Stuart.

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Hi Graeme,

have you experienced both Surrey and convertible on sunny AND rainy days. The Surrey wins hands down on the wet ones.

 

The only thing I have against the Surrey is the restriction of passenger carrying.

Surrey = 1 pax in back laying sideways

Convertible = 2 adults in the back (a bit cramped)

 

Roger

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Is there a discussion somewhere else about the pros and cons of 'Surrey' tops or is this the place to start one?

 

Having a soft top, low back seat, rubbish heater and cold head myself, they seemed like a good idea, although I have never seen one up close. Can't you get a hard top that sits behind the seats to slot in when it rains, like a Targa top? Or is it not that easy?

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Not if you want it big enough to fill the hole left between windscreen and the surrey's rear screen. The Porsche Targa top is a different size by far (came after the TRs surrey).

There are some specialist Surrey hardtop sections which hinge to make them easier ? ? to store on board, but not an easy item to store when touring.

 

Mick Richards

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No hence the soft section option.Revingtons tried a split section roof in Ally but failed to get the sealing right and it was very expensive.

Stuart.

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Doing the "header rail conversion" on the Surrey makes it MUCH more secure and user friendly.

I can get mine on and fully tightened in about 5 mins. It withstood a 70 mph drive in pelting rain without coming undone nor leaking at the front.

With a folded mohair hood and hood bag there was very little room behind my seats (although the folded hood did a good job of sound deadening various squeeks and rattles from the rear!) whereas the Surrey backlight enables storage of "stuff" back there.

Apart from window to backlight gaps and complaints of such from the passenger seat, I'm VERY pleased with my Surrey (on a '6)

 

Simon

 

PS, oh yes, sadly it's NOT a draft excluder!

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Ah. So in reality it is just a big expensive draft excluder with a less than adequate roof!

Nice turn of phrase, perhaps you have a local group with a member who has a Surrey top fitted and will allow you a trial drive to allow the subjective and objective opinions of a Surrey top to be compared and balanced against one another. Then you can make your own personal decision which applies to you on it.

 

Mick Richards

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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Nice turn of phrase, perhaps you have a local group with a member who has a Surrey top fitted and will allow you a trial drive to allow the subjective and objective opinions of a Surrey top to be compared and balanced against one another. Then you can make your own personal decision which applies to you on it.

 

Mick Richards

 

Very good advice....

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If I could carry the hard top with me it wouldn't be a problem. I bought a new 'H' frame and vinyl top last year and it's not easy to fit in the rain and flaps around when driving. I've just returned from a trip across Europe and didn't take my TR in case it rained and it did.

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I've bought a glassfibre hardtop that I'm going to cut in half and adapt to the roof at some time in the future. I'm going to cover it with mohair hood-type material so it won't get scratched when I store it. the two halves will be much easier to store off the car as well.

A project for the coming winter......

 

Simon

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perhaps you have a local group with a member who has a Surrey top fitted and will allow you a trial drive to allow the subjective and objective opinions of a Surrey top to be compared and balanced against one another. Then you can make your own personal decision which applies to you on it.

 

Sounds like a good idea.

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Hi Al TR250 & FW14B,

the rear screen is not just a great big draft excluder it really can keep the rain off you when driving (excluding Monsoon etc).

 

The fabric roof, if attended to properly, can be fitted quite quickly (well under five minutes) and once on is very very water tight.

I use 3" guide pins to help get the rear rail into place - this takes seconds.

The hard part is finally getting the poppers in place - if it was easy then the fabric would be loose.

 

I have modified the sides so when the window is up it has a skirt on both the inside AND the outside to keep the elephants elements out.

The outer skirt has a pocket to allow a stainless steel rod to be inserted to keep its profile.

 

In short the fabric roof is excellent.

 

I also have an Ali split roof that has not seen service but did cost an arm and a leg. The problem is, when touring, the boot is full of stuff.

I have considered having the original steel roof slid straight back - bolted to the rear frame and supported on stays - it would look like the coolest spoiler ever (and keep the boot l;id dry).

 

Roger

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I've bought a glassfibre hardtop that I'm going to cut in half and adapt to the roof at some time in the future. I'm going to cover it with mohair hood-type material so it won't get scratched when I store it. the two halves will be much easier to store off the car as well.

A project for the coming winter......

 

Simon

 

I look forward to seeing how that turns out Simon. If it's a success, will you be taking orders?

 

Hi Al TR250 & FW14B,

the rear screen is not just a great big draft excluder it really can keep the rain off you when driving (excluding Monsoon etc).

 

The fabric roof, if attended to properly, can be fitted quite quickly (well under five minutes) and once on is very very water tight.

I use 3" guide pins to help get the rear rail into place - this takes seconds.

The hard part is finally getting the poppers in place - if it was easy then the fabric would be loose.

 

 

Will you be giving lessons Roger? It still takes me an age!

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"I have considered having the original steel roof slid straight back - bolted to the rear frame and supported on stays"

 

Snap, my plan is when my car is rebuilt (complete with surrey) and a boot luggage rack, to fashion a stainless steel roof panel retaining "hoop" (naturally with cushioned sides) where the solid panel can be quickly slid into and secured for travelling allowing "al fresco" TR travelling with a hardtop surrey. It no doubt will have to encompass a lock and very probably a warp drive powered anti theft device from Pheonix - Peter Kay industries "get off you b*****d I'll break your legs" to ensure the top doesn't "go walkies".

 

Mick Richards

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