qkingston Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 Where shall I start.. I plan to fit the Surrey top (acknowledging the correct definitions) - but I include the back light, hard lid and surrey top in this - to my 4a during the rebuild. It came with an aftermarket US GRP back light/hard lid and roll bar, as well as a soft top frame, all of these are perfectly serviceable; last year I picked up a new Surrey top frame. I have read numerous register posts and helpful advice on the Revington website, so I think I understand what's required. However clarification of the following would be appreciated:- I think the windscreen capping for the Surrey fitting is different to the standard capping, ie it has a extended lip at the front edge, is that correct? Are these available? Can the soft top header rail be used as part of a Surrey top fitting, I note the Revington conversion kit has something a bit similar? I like the idea of a more solid fixture at the front edge. If this would work, is the Surrey top windscreen capping needed? Is it possible to get the remaining fittings (again Revington seem to list a lot of them - not cheap), which parts are NA or difficult to find? Any steers/photos much appreciated David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted March 3, 2020 Report Share Posted March 3, 2020 David If you are going to use a soft top header rail you won't need the surrey type capping. What is required is removal of the 3 steel bars from the front edge of the fabric surrey top, I did mine by cutting the fabric around the rivets with a wadding punch and pulling them out the side, then I cut the fold of material that had held the bars so that it you have a wide flap, this is then glued to the header rail and the seal retaining strips are pop riveted over the material. The other thing that will require altering is the surrey H frame. The front bars with the pins will have to be shortened to line up with the holes at the outer edges of the header rail. I cut mine then flattened the ends and welded in new pins, I made the pins by cutting down 3" builders nails George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qkingston Posted March 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 any of you experienced builders add to this Thank you David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted March 5, 2020 Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 Here's a steer for you, the search box shows up over 6 pages of posts relating to Surrey Header...try this https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/search/&q=Surrey Header rail&quick=1 Bottom line is the TR4 header has an extended lip which projects forward and the original Surrey soft top tucks underneath there and folds over and and rests upon the spread spider like Surrey frame which has two pins that drops into the header and then backwards where it sticks into the rear backlight by 2 holes. Worked for most of us for about 30 years with an occasional Surrey soft top coming undone at speed on Motorways like a clap of doom when the material worked it's way out of the header rail. Still attached by the rear backlight frame it then drapes the rear of the car and bootlid. To improve this there are various conversions some by TR specialists and others by owners where a TR5/6 header rail cap is fitted or a modified TR4 cap (along with spacer tubes) inside the top of the windscreen and then a TR5/6 header rail is purloined from somewhere (mine cost me £10 from e bay complete with TR6 softop frame) and the Surrey soft top then wrapped and glued around the header rail which sorts the front end. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qkingston Posted March 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 On 3/3/2020 at 9:16 PM, harlequin said: David If you are going to use a soft top header rail you won't need the surrey type capping. What is required is removal of the 3 steel bars from the front edge of the fabric surrey top, I did mine by cutting the fabric around the rivets with a wadding punch and pulling them out the side, then I cut the fold of material that had held the bars so that it you have a wide flap, this is then glued to the header rail and the seal retaining strips are pop riveted over the material. The other thing that will require altering is the surrey H frame. The front bars with the pins will have to be shortened to line up with the holes at the outer edges of the header rail. I cut mine then flattened the ends and welded in new pins, I made the pins by cutting down 3" builders nails George Thanks George, that makes sense, have you any pics of where the front bar pins fit into the header rail/screen cap? Can't quite picture that David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qkingston Posted March 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Motorsport Mickey said: Here's a steer for you, the search box shows up over 6 pages of posts relating to Surrey Header...try this https://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/search/&q=Surrey Header rail&quick=1 Bottom line is the TR4 header has an extended lip which projects forward and the original Surrey soft top tucks underneath there and folds over and and rests upon the spread spider like Surrey frame which has two pins that drops into the header and then backwards where it sticks into the rear backlight by 2 holes. Worked for most of us for about 30 years with an occasional Surrey soft top coming undone at speed on Motorways like a clap of doom when the material worked it's way out of the header rail. Still attached by the rear backlight frame it then drapes the rear of the car and bootlid. To improve this there are various conversions some by TR specialists and others by owners where a TR5/6 header rail cap is fitted or a modified TR4 cap (along with spacer tubes) inside the top of the windscreen and then a TR5/6 header rail is purloined from somewhere (mine cost me £10 from e bay complete with TR6 softop frame) and the Surrey soft top then wrapped and glued around the header rail which sorts the front end. Mick Richards Thanks Mick, I trawled many of those posts, I couldn't find any that talked about using a TR4 soft top header rail (which I have), and I couldn't see why not.. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted March 6, 2020 Report Share Posted March 6, 2020 David I am away from home at the moment but will get some photos when I get back I used a TR6 header rail which has holes at the ends that take the rivets that hold the hood bars which are over the side windows (hope that explained things) George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qkingston Posted March 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2020 ok thanks George, that would be appreciated. I need to see whether the 4a header rail could be modified to do that... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted March 6, 2020 Report Share Posted March 6, 2020 6 hours ago, qkingston said: ok thanks George, that would be appreciated. I need to see whether the 4a header rail could be modified to do that... Looking at the Moss parts diagram I would say that you are in with a chance if you have a TR4A header rail as it appears to be a similar arrangement to the TR6 one that I used. Best thing I would say is to fit the rail to the screen and lay the H frame in to see where it all lines up. On the Revington web site there is a photo of the H frame with the front bars connected to the outer edges of the header rail George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qkingston Posted March 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2020 Thanks George, yes I think it could be made to work, I'll keep you posted! David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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