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Hardtop hints and tips


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3 minutes ago, iain said:

Hamish

sorry forgot the trim... i'll get back to you with the size  and supplier in the next hr

Iain

No worries Iain

thank you for all your help. 

H

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Hi Hamish

Here you go. These fit with my car!

Rear screen seal is identical to the much praised USA item ( I bought mine from McMutley who imported it for his car and never fitted it) and clearly easier to get. The others I tested with Kaye at Phoenix Trim and found to be extremely effective on our 2400 mile jaunt last Autumn in Sun Rain and Snow.

 

Iain

 

Hardtop Seals .pdf

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2 hours ago, iain said:

Hi Hamish

Here you go. These fit with my car!

Rear screen seal is identical to the much praised USA item ( I bought mine from McMutley who imported it for his car and never fitted it) and clearly easier to get. The others I tested with Kaye at Phoenix Trim and found to be extremely effective on our 2400 mile jaunt last Autumn in Sun Rain and Snow.

 

Iain

 

Hardtop Seals .pdf

Iain

 

this is great info thank you :D

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And another update. 

Well the roll bar was in the wrong place too far back by about 2 cm. 

this is now temporarily repositioned and very nearly the same as Iain’s dimensions ( thank you again Iain for that info and  the trim pointers too). I need to drill the proper sized holes and get the wrong ones welded up.:unsure:

offering up the hardtop now means it’s is resting on the car not the roll bar.:D

an eBay purchase of the rear bottom hardtop trim arrived.

2m next day delivery less than £8 bargain.

the front of the hardtop I think fits really well. Yes there is the drivers side curve to sort and it’s not got the trim that fixes to the hard top  but it bolts down fine.

i need to concentrate on getting the side and rear brackets to line up now. Not as easy as it seems.

slotting the arched brackets more and dare I say the original body holes will be needed I think.

then it’s the capping trim again hampered by having original holes in it that aren’t quite the same alignment for my hardtop/car fixings. 

And rimmer have emailed me to say the chrome capping plates are on the way  they said they had all 5 in stock in the 2 sizes.

so it’s moving forward slowly  

 

thank every one for the help. 

 

(Mike if you read this thanks for the offer of help,  Suzie has helped me put on and take off the hardtop and its one of those jobs that needs 2 people for 30secs, I knew there was a reason I married her :wub: )

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

And another update. 

The “wrong” roll bar mounting holes have been welded up and dressed and painted. 

The roll bar has been refitted and the wheel arch plates sanded back to bare metal (from the original powder coat that was flaking and rusting) I used Halfords truck bed coat as I wanted a robust finish - this dried  to a crackle type finish. So a possible alternative to the Tr3 dash panel finish and with out the oven baking !!

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The capping

there were bracket mounting holes in the car already that only needed slight elongating to have some adjustment. 

There were also holes in the Ali capping that had been covered by vinyl these only needed a little opening up.

the rimmers shiny capping covers are only thin pressed metal but hopefully do the job. Fitted with little cheese head bolts and nyloc nuts. 

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Morning H looking good nice to see it’s all fitting. Nice to see you have plenty of screw drivers to work with. Keep up the good work soon be back out of the garage. 

Mike. Redrose group 

ps just about done on mine wheel balance and tracking next week then out and about.

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Hardtop rear/side brackets

these are simple thick bent steel brackets with a big hole for car fitting and tapped hole for a fixing /adjusting screw to the hard top. These were  seized to the bracket but the bracket was loose in the hardtop. Pen oil and heat with a screwdriver didn’t work, considered an impact driver but not with the loose bracket. 

So had to resort to mole vice grips on the round head. To my delight and relief this worked. 

The holes on the hardtop for these screws are slightly slotted but also cracked. I plan to have some small plates welded on with elongated holes but as an interim I made some simple Ali washers so a can carry on with the trial fitting to the car. 

I also added some self adhesive felt pads ( a B and M or pound shop pack ( that is also useful for soft spacers when fitting elec rad fan with the through cable ties!))

the pads I hope will protect the rimmer shiny capping trim parts. 

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Hamish,

I'm looking at the rollover bar and thinking that there must be some support

under the inner wings going down to the chassis?If not, I'm assuming

that the very close tolerance between the top of the crash hat and the top of

the roll over bar will close up very quickly in the event (God  forbid!)of a high speed

inversion?

I mention this only because, more than 40 years ago, at my first scrutineering at Brands

Hatch with my TR2, fitted with it's newly aquired (Register promoted!) John Aley  FIA roll over bar,

and which admittedly had only a 3 point fixing (to inner wings and rear floor)the scrutineer only

passed my car fit on the strict understanding that (a) I follow the field very slowly for for the entire days

proceedings and to only present the car in future with supports through to the chassis frame.

He laughed at the 'FIA' designation!

 

Roger M-E

 

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Hi Roger

its a Revington bar and yes only fits to the wheel arches. Whilst not as strong as the chassis is one of the stronger parts of the car and very similar to what modern cars have.

I only do sprints and hill climbs and it passed 2 seasons 11 events of scrutineering.

 

ironically I do need seatbelts and the lap and shoulder usual style of belt is minimum. But no need for a roll bar. !!!!

so I have fitted this bar and harness bar with some good 4 point belts. 

H

Edited by Hamish
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Yet another up date - I know you are as bored as I am......

well the roll bar is fitted properly and the capping trims are in place. 

So this evening I got my ever understanding wife to help me lift the hardtop into place. 

It took some jiggling to get the brackets all lined up. The front screen ones fit quickly. The rear ones are a little tighter. one of the rear side ones ( passenger side) the roof panel flares out a little but pulls in reasonably. 

I fitted the drivers sidescreen and it’s reasonably good but still low to the hardtop. 

I think the hardtop is sitting high at the back but the brackets don’t have anymore adjustment. 

So my next step is to make new slightly longer brackets with more adjustment to allow the hardtop to sit a little lower.

 

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Hamish,

You say “…I know you are as bored as I am......”

Well, I have no intention of ever fitting a hard top, but I’ve been following the thread with interest since it began. It’s always interesting to see other people’s problems and how they solve them.

One thing I’ve noticed from the photos.
It may be coincidence, or the way that the photos were taken, but it looks like you ALWAYS line up the slot in the screws so that they are all in the same direction.
Reminds me of sitting in 1950’s railway carriages where the windows were held in by 100 screws. All the slots were always in line. A sign of pride in one’s work.

It’s something I try to do myself, but often end up rushing the job and forget.

Charlie.

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3 hours ago, Charlie D said:

Hamish,

You say “…I know you are as bored as I am......”

Well, I have no intention of ever fitting a hard top, but I’ve been following the thread with interest since it began. It’s always interesting to see other people’s problems and how they solve them.

One thing I’ve noticed from the photos.
It may be coincidence, or the way that the photos were taken, but it looks like you ALWAYS line up the slot in the screws so that they are all in the same direction.
Reminds me of sitting in 1950’s railway carriages where the windows were held in by 100 screws. All the slots were always in line. A sign of pride in one’s work.

It’s something I try to do myself, but often end up rushing the job and forget.

Charlie.

Thanks Charlie. I did wonder if this thread served any purpose or interest. I have had to look up various aspects on fitting the hardtop and not found too much. So I thought that I would add to the pool. Even if it’s a case of how not to do it. !!! 

Others have been really helpful and supportive.

I have also learnt that it’s never a case of just doing it. The roof and capping has been off and on like a fiddlers elbow. ( and each time it ends up slightly different !!:rolleyes:)

i think that I am now at the point that I know it will fit sufficiently for me to carry on and to keep it. 

Nothing I have done to the car or hardtop is irreversible and hopefully I’ll be adding adjustment variables so that IF I sell it, it will fit other cars more easily. 

It'll soon be spring and I won’t need it :unsure:

i will need expert input on future jobs - paint especially- I’m considering silver now.  Or how about a chrome vinyl wrap :ph34r:

I may have a go at the headlining !?!? And considering black ! Yes I know not original. But my Audi has black headlining etc and it works very well. Will need to find an old sewing machine for that !! A charity shop hunt I think.

As for the screws lining up. Full marks for observation. It was a decision and the part of the reason I went to screws and nyloc  nuts instead of self tappers into the Ali capping. ( my dad would have been surprised at me as I was all about getting the job done regardless of finesse.)

 

H

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13 minutes ago, brenda said:

H. We have a old sewing machine in the loft that you can use, it’s been up there about 5 years and not been used. Keep up your threads and photos/videos. 

Mike.  Redrose group 

 Great pun there mike. :D

thank you for the offer I may take you up on that. Not sure when tho!!

 

H

 

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Aligned screw heads are definitely a sign of pride in ones work. When working at a traditional boat yard and re decking a boat we used to do this even when used in wood with timber plugs used to conceal them. It also meant years down the line that you knew the orientation of the screw slot.....always aligned to the grain. OCD probably but very useful:-)

Iain

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Hamish,

Please do keep posting!  I will soon have the body of my car back on the chassis and will be trying to fit up a hardtop and the windscreen at the same time as the mounts for the latter had corroded so much we had to cut them out completely.  Your trials and tribulations will, I'm sure, be very useful!

Keep up the good work.

Dave.

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Dave 

given the level of work you are doing i am sure you will have gone through s few frustrations. 

I have with the top mainly because I spent big on the top and I don’t really have enough skills. Spannering and assembly is about my limit. Welding has to go to others.

It is one thing I must have a go at esp as I have a mig in the garage gained as part of a car deal for my dad many years ago. I presume it works. ??

 

you seem to have your work cut out with screen and hardtop fitting.  I don’t know which is harder to position. I guess the screen as it affects side screen position and 2  roofs hard and soft. The soft being more forgiving I suppose. 

I will continue - it’s just so bl00 dy cold out in the garage. 

H

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  • 4 weeks later...

Update. 

New rear brackets made with slightly longer tails to allow the the hard top to sit a little lower on the rear. I have added some plates where the fixing screw go and used domed hex fasteners to strengthen things up. 

 

Now the sun is out and I don’t need the hard top I took it out on a test run to a mate who can paint..........   All seems to work well. 

I still need the front seal that goes on the hard top 

working out paint options. 

Going with a satin type black on the inside. May or may not line it. If I do I was going for black. 

I want the outside of the hardtop silver, I think?  Similar to the wheels. The car will be black and silver/chrome then. 

H

 

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  • 2 months later...

Update  

 

Took time off to prep the car for MIRA sprint at the weekend. 

When the chap painting the hardtop called. So on with the windscreen to go to pick it up still have the road legal sprint tyres on !!

Rear window not in and can’t rails to be fitted. Have to decide if I try a diy headlining :unsure:

But I'm happy with the results. 

(This should guarantee a great summer :D)

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Looks good Hamish. Now the fun starts...if you need the tool for fitting the rear window rubber ....shout I have one you can borrow.

Iain

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On 5/1/2019 at 8:00 PM, iain said:

Looks good Hamish. Now the fun starts...if you need the tool for fitting the rear window rubber ....shout I have one you can borrow.

Iain

Thank Iain. 

I may take you up on that :D thank you.

 As I’m out racing - well sprinting tomorrow without the hardtop I have been messing with a hoist come storage solution. 

 I rigged  a simple webbing pulley out of an old ratchet strap. that connects to webbing that connects to a padded adjustable cross member either side, going to get a couple of shackles for these to make Permanent . ( you’ll have to guess what I used for that cross bar. Repurposing I think it’s called. As the lenders wouldn’t have them back !! )This is balanced out to a strap to the rear. 

I can lift off the car and lower to fit by myself. It also takes less space if stored 90deg to the car once up. 

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Edited by Hamish
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  • 2 weeks later...

Off on this run at the weekend in honour of my late dad. Come and join in .

http://www.guildfordmotorclub.org.uk/touring_assembly/

 and have MOT tomorrow so have been just checking car over so have not been doing much with hardtop

but I took pictures of a couple of the side/rear brackets and the bracing/positioning plates. These have a clamping force to the brackets and the rivets position these for the height. As these brackets govern where the hardtop sits in relation to the body hence the angles etc.  On my car these needed to be a bit longer than those that were on the hardtop I bought. The others have gone to someone whom I hope can benefit from them and progress their project.

 

It what we do right !!! ??

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