Phil Read Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 I have a surrey top fitted to my 4A. Its a pig to fit/remove, as I have no hard top with it I am doing this all the time. I have heard that you can fit the vynal surrey top to a header rail that uses the hood closing handles/turn locks from a soft top.and this makes the fitting/removal process easier. Has any one tried this and if so is it any better and what parts are needed? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 (edited) Hi Phil, I had one of these on a previous car, alot easier to fit the front . You need a TR5/6 header Rail, and the chrome pegs that screw down Into the top of the screen. The existing H Frame, can be attached onto the Header Rail, and the back end sorts itself out as per normal. Cheers Conrad Edited February 26, 2020 by openroad More info Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drewmotty Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 I have this mod and it works well; much more convenient. It also has the advantage that the surrey top speed limit no longer applies. Mine ended up looking like Oblio’s pointed hat when erected so I shortened the front legs of my H frame which now attach to the ends of the new header rail. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 (edited) Phil I have just fitted a Honeybourn Surrey top to my TR6 and really didn't fancy using the original fabric top fixings so did the TR6 header rail conversion plus the push button rear fixing modification. I am really pleased with the results, and I was surprised how easy it was to do, well worth the effort. Over on the TR5 forum there is a recent thread (26th Jan) that shows how it's done and where to get the fittings for the rear of the fabric top mod George Edited February 26, 2020 by harlequin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
little jim Posted February 27, 2020 Report Share Posted February 27, 2020 I bought a brand new one (Moss) and at first couldn't get it on. Undid the bolts that are at the bottom of the windscreen attachment to the body and applied maximum rearwards rake. Could then fit it it with difficulty. (found putting a dot to mark centre on surrey and windscreen helped.) Gradually it stretched and fitting became routine as the front bit flattened and went further under the windscreen 'cap'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Read Posted February 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 On 2/26/2020 at 3:12 PM, openroad said: Hi Phil, I had one of these on a previous car, alot easier to fit the front . You need a TR5/6 header Rail, and the chrome pegs that screw down Into the top of the screen. The existing H Frame, can be attached onto the Header Rail, and the back end sorts itself out as per normal. Cheers Conrad I have a spare header rail with catches from my TR6, I assume I will need a replacement windscreen capping as well, in the TR5-6 partsbook there are three listed, whcih one do I need.? Once fit do I need to drill extra holes in the screen capping to accomodate the H frame? Also how do you attach the surey top to the TR6 headr rail? I have purchased the quick release catches recommended on the TR5 forum, what other parts are required? Thanks in advance Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
openroad Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 Hi Phil, my H Frame had a couple of small nuts and bolts fixed onto the Header Rail, I think it's fairly obvious when you look at them together. As for the Aluminium Capping , you don't want the Surrey one , and there are two for soft tops , one has two holes and one has a single. I am not certain if there is a great deal of difference when fitting the Header Rail down onto them. But someone will come along and put us right ! Best of luck, Conrad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
had17462 Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 Phil from memory I think I shortened the sticks ,I flattened the ends and rejoined them with split pins not bothered changing them to nut and bolt yet as it works ,once you start doing it you can see what u have to do,pretty basic really , very enjoyable task especially when u think u save £800 . Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 On 2/26/2020 at 2:50 PM, Phil Read said: I have a surrey top fitted to my 4A. Its a pig to fit/remove, as I have no hard top with it I am doing this all the time. I have heard that you can fit the vynal surrey top to a header rail that uses the hood closing handles/turn locks from a soft top.and this makes the fitting/removal process easier. Has any one tried this and if so is it any better and what parts are needed? Hi Phil, do not give in to the dark side. The original 4A surrey as intended by TRiumph works well once you get it sorted. Why is it a pig to fit? On mine I get the front tucked in first. The back was a big issue but I sorted that by using two bent 1/4" alignment pins. These fit into the fabric rear rail and then the bent pins guide the attachment tubes into the surrey rear frame. Easy peasy - it does atke 4-5 mins though. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Read Posted February 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 Hi Roger Thanks for the tip. I struggle to get the front under the lip and I am concerned about reports of the front lifting off at speed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 (edited) What about the screen frame? The TR5/6 is quite different from that of the 4 and the cappings are not interchangeable; I don't know about the 4A so others can chime in. I've had Surrey / hardtops on my '250s since 1994 and very, very seldom use the soft top. I've switched to the 4 screen frame in order to use the distance tubes in front, not possible with adapted 5/6 frames. Both now have chromed brass cappings which have ample room for the steel slatted lip in the front of the soft top to fit. The first anodized aluminium one I had was so tight it was always a wrestling match, even with lubricant. If you get the chrome type capping be warned the soft top will scratch it. I've never fitted the Surrey soft top to my concourse car for that reason. Back in the 1900s I had the soft top peel out at 80 mph in the rain. It didn't come off completely and I found that slightly opening the side window relieved the pressure differential and it stayed in place after that. At 70 and below there shouldn't be a problem, and even at that speed the roar is impressive and can wear you down. At high speed I've either got a metal lid on or it's topless. Somehow I don't think the soft top was imagined by TRIUMPH to get much play at high speed; after all the cars came with hardtops and the soft one was an insurance policy for rain when the hardtop was taken off. Except for X-country driving mine only gets donned when it rains, weather I avoid if I can. If I had to make the soft top work at high speeds the first thing I'd try is to stuff a full width rubber cord ~ 1/4" diameter under the lip after installing the top. O-ring material comes to mind. Cheers, Tom Edited February 28, 2020 by Tom Fremont Quote Link to post Share on other sites
signalredshaker Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 On a linked point- has anyone a recommendation as to a supplier of new vinyl type (not double duck) surrey tops. Mine is a poor example from a major supplier which just is so thin and flappy even though its a tight fit. Mine's in white but I guess any manufacturer should be able to supply that colour- its just the quality I'm after. James Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 3 hours ago, Phil Read said: Hi Roger Thanks for the tip. I struggle to get the front under the lip and I am concerned about reports of the front lifting off at speed. Hi Phil, have you got the correct windscreen capping.? The surrey top needs a cap that has a protruding nose section. The front of the surrey top fabric should have three flat pieces of metal sewn in - these are a snug fit (but not tight). When fitted nicely the top will not come off. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JJC Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 My top was the pig to fit as described above. Roger then sent his instructions which I followed and it’s now easy to fit and stays on. JJC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 The metal strips that provide rigidity to the bit that goes under the windscreen capping lip on repro Surrey tops are often too thick to locate properly. I replaced mine with modellers brass strip and my Surrey stays put at quite high speeds. It can be fitted quite taught too and doesn’t roar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Swarf Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 The Chromed brass windscreen cappings that Tom has mentioned above were only available 'I believe' on the early TR4's, but offer the protruding nose that is required to help the securing of the leading edge of the surrey soft top as Roger has touched upon. I went down the route on my TR4 of replacing the TR4 windscreen with a TR6 windscreen and adapted surrey soft top with a TR6 header rail to uterlise the TR6 fitting system. Whilst I puzzled over the best route to secure my surrey soft top I did source a chromed brass windscreen capping. This is now excess to my requirements so if of use to anybody please PM me. Cheers, Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 18 minutes ago, Swarf said: The Chromed brass windscreen cappings that Tom has mentioned above were only available 'I believe' on the early TR4's, I did source a chromed brass windscreen capping. This is now excess to my requirements so if of use to anybody please PM me. Cheers, Chris Not to be missed if you're after the ultimate bling factor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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