westaj Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 Windscreen Capping advice needed: I am in the process of fitting a Surrey top conversion on a TR250 and need to change the windscreen capping. The existing old capping is secured by 9 rivets, at approx 5" spacing. The new capping (from Moss part 806189), has the forward lip for attaching the front of the soft top vinyl but is drilled with 11 holes at approx 4" spacing. The new capping also has no provision for attaching the 2 soft top front press studs. It it possible to buy the correct capping drilled for 9 rivets and with the tabs for press stud provision? Or, is the solution to either drill the Moss capping with extra holes at approx 5" spacing to match the existing windscreen, or drill the windscreen top to match the 11 hole capping. Plus, then fabricate tabs with bases to accept the vinyl top press studs. Any suggestions, from those who have been here before, welcomed! Thanks Jerry West Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jerrytr5 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Send it back. Don't use the original Surrey top securing method. Keep your original capping and convert the Surrey to use a convertible top header rail. Jerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Original rail on ebay at the moment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Hi Jerry, I've done a few of these and this is the 1st I've heard of different rivet hole patterns. I've been lucky enough to find original TR4 cappings and have done (2) conversions with them on TR250 windscreen frames, neither of which required drilling new holes. I did have a repro capping without the ears for the outboard snap studs but didn't use it. Others have simply riveted the studs to the screen frame directly in their respective sites. Again, the rivet pattern was the same. The issue with the TR5/250/6 frame is the depressions where the latching apparatus goes. This has to be filled to seal the capping properly. Mine were filled with bondo and the rivets were effectively dummies in that zone, (2) places as I recall. The conversion to latch type closures is popular in the UK but I've done ~ 120K miles using the original type quite happily - but I admit that I very very seldom use the Surrey cloth top as the cars don't leave the garage when raining nor when forecasted to do so, and in cold weather they wear their hardtops. The original design can allow the front to peel out at speed especially when raining so I understand why conversions are done. In rain I wouldn't recommend more than 60 mph unless dropping a window slightly to balance the pressure which lifts the fabric otherwise. Both of mine now have the Holy Grail capping which was supplied on the earliest TR4s: chrome plated brass. One was fitted to a '250 screen frame and the other is on a TR4 frame fitted to a '250. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Hi Jerry, both my 4 and 4A have the same lay out - 9 small rivets along its main body at 4" centres and a bigger rivet at each end apprx 4.5" away. The male press stud should fit but not as per Standard TRiumph as the capping is a little bit short of material in this area. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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