aftermarket sidescreen manufacturers

[foster461]

In the US there were at least three different suppliers of aftermarket sidescreens - J C Whitney, AMCO and Haan. All similar, alu frame, plexiglass sliding windows, rubber gasket, vinyl flap with snaps/LTD. Interchangable arms to switch between wedge and dzus attachment.

 

Were there any others from the UK or other parts of the world ?

 

Stan

[Fireman049]

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Edited August 3, 2018 by Fireman049

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

As far as I am aware the supplier to the Triumph factory was The Coventry Hood and Sidescreen company.

Many independent trimming/hood companies in UK did a refurbishment service in the past. I have a bill for hood/tonneau/sidescreens done by Car Hood Co for my own car. The challenge today is finding someone with the skills, equipment and knowledge to replicate the factory items.

Motobuild in London I am told still undertake this work.

 

TR3A - DZUS type. CHS continued to supply Cox and Buckles when Triumph no longer supplied the items.

CHS closed in the 1980's and the buyer set up to re-produce the product in the UK. - Tooling exists for frames and covers.

 

TR2 - Wedge type with flap and fixed window - CHS/Triumph supply - NLS by 1970's. Remade in the 1980's-90's in small volumes by the supplier of sidescreens to Caterham Cars. - No tooling exists for the frame except the lower flap metal frame check tool, no material patterns. - NB I have a couple of new frames - RH hand only. They could be easily reversed by someone clever with a welder to make the LH as the frames are symetrical.

 

TR3 Wedge type sliding windows- CHS/Triumph supply - NLS by 1970's Remade in small volume in UK by maker of the DZUS type using similar patterns and jigs - Tooling exists for frames and material.

 

I do know Moss are active on this product - The challenge for the vendor is to buy from a maker whose material matches in grain and colour the hood & tonneau. - or you supply sufficient material to do the weather equipment kit for your car in the case of non standard colours. (Martrim https://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/everflex-vinyl-pvc-hooding.php)

 

Of course there is then the one off demand for fawn double duck with geranium welting.....

 

Maybe Moss should sell frames only so owners could make them fit their cars, before having them covered by the trimmer of their choice in the colours/materials they like.

 

Cheers

Peter W

[Ian Vincent]

I had a replacement screen provided by Ken Mumford - very reasonable price.

 

Rgds Ian

[iain]

I believe Neil Revington now makes/has made untrimmed frames in alloy.

 

Iain

[foster461]

I understand that you can get the factory sidescreens retrimmed. I did that also, bought some old rusty frames and had TRF rebuild them.

 

What I am looking for though is information about aftermarket sidescreens as sold by JC Whitney and others in the US. An example is shown below. Was this only a thing in the US or were there other aftermarket sidescreens made in the UK or elsewhere outside of the US ?.

 

[Don H.]

Stan, I have a 1968 MG Mitten catalog that shows sidescreen recovering kits (by Amco, as far as I can tell) but not the replacement frames.

 

The aluminum aftermarket frames I've seen have had separate mounting arms. I was told years ago that was so the arms could be folded to make stowage easier, but your explanation around wedge/Dzus makes sense, too. They're pretty flimsy frames. Dunno who made those -- likely some SoCal garage shop or two, like so much aftermarket gear back in the day. I've seen one basic style and would expect retailers you mention could have all sold the same stuff (just like now). Amco made stuff -- J.C. Whitney and Vilem B. Haan just sold stuff, right?

 

My car's original frames were recovered by TRF. They do lovely work.

[foster461]

Stan, I have a 1968 MG Mitten catalog that shows sidescreen recovering kits (by Amco, as far as I can tell) but not the replacement frames.

 

The aluminum aftermarket frames I've seen have had separate mounting arms. I was told years ago that was so the arms could be folded to make stowage easier, but your explanation around wedge/Dzus makes sense, too. They're pretty flimsy frames. Dunno who made those -- likely some SoCal garage shop or two, like so much aftermarket gear back in the day. I've seen one basic style and would expect retailers you mention could have all sold the same stuff (just like now). Amco made stuff -- J.C. Whitney and Vilem B. Haan just sold stuff, right?

 

My car's original frames were recovered by TRF. They do lovely work.

 

I have been collecting pictures and there are at least two different frames with different mounting arms. The AMCO frames and the JC Whitney frames for sure are different but in both cases the arms are removable/swapable. I think you may be right that these were knocked up by small machine shops as illustrated in the attached instruction sheet.