Z320 Posted March 11, 2021 Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 (edited) Hi there, I have to fit a new hood (from Don Hood) on my TR4A (since months...). Is there anywhere a description how to do this the correct way, please? And much more important - how not to do it? Also how to adjust the hood frame because now a TR6 frame is fitted and I have one for the TR4A ready to swap. I’ve been told original they all have been painted beige? Thanks in advance, Marco Edited March 12, 2021 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ctc77965o Posted March 12, 2021 Report Share Posted March 12, 2021 Yes beige colour...do you have suitable webbing? Is windscreen frame designed for the the 4A or 6 front rail? We discussed hood fitting here before...I am googling... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 12, 2021 Report Share Posted March 12, 2021 You will need the over centre catches for the front header rail to fit the 4a frame, do you have these Marco? I have some if not. Items 27/28 here Hood latches Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted March 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2021 (edited) Hi Dave and Stuart, yes my window frame can do both, there are the 2 pieces still bolted on where the latches hold the TR4A hood frame, and both latches I also got from a friend for a lovely price. I always thought there is something wrong with my hood, and its shrunken so it is too tall for the TR6 hood frame.... The TR4 hood I always liked more from its design and so I asked Don Hood to make me a TR6 hood designed like on the TR4s. And they told me I got the wrong frame and what I want is exactly what the TR4A hood is like in my opinion: the best of both models! Ciao, Marco Edited March 12, 2021 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted March 13, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2021 (edited) I found the next two videos, this.... ....and this How relaiable is this? I know the guy from another video and I'm "not pleased at all" about what he tells there.... Is the way he uses glue on the rear bar correct? The calipers he uses to get the 3 buttons left and right in the hood looks very interesting. Any idea for another way to do this without lifting the hood 3 times off and on the work bench? Please no hammer advice while the hood is still on the car... Ciao. Marco Edited March 13, 2021 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 13, 2021 Report Share Posted March 13, 2021 Cant be bothered to spend ages watching that as its for a TR6 which is different to a 4a one but having fitted a fair few hoods the later ones are nowhere near as hard to do as the sidescreen ones, a good supplied hood should already come with the rear bar attached and the popper studs fitted for the tonneau. Find the centre of the front edge of the hood and mark with tailors chalk or chinagraph pencil. Find the middle of the windscreen frame and mark with a piece of masking tape or similar. Put the hood frame up and then drape the hood over the frame, warm the hood with preferably a small fan heater sitting between the seats pointing upwards, check where the hood bars are in relation to the seams in the hood as they should correspond, once you have them in the right place then you can remove the hood for a bit and fit the webbing, I use old seat belts as theres no stretch compared to some supplied webbing. Drape the hood back over the frame and warm up again, bolt the rear bar down and stretch the hood to the front, using a tailors chalk mark across the front where it meets the front edge of the header rail then on a 4a to get a nice tight hood just slack the front catches from their over centre position but dont undo completely this allows the header rail to lift a little, remark the front edge and this is where you need to glue the front return of the hood down, dont apply glue to the top side of the header rail but only the underside. Once glued you can fit the front seal channel, youll probably need to either grind down the tip on your rivet gun or use a small spacer tube to get the rivets to pull down, be careful when piercing for rivets as its easy to go through the top. Fit the front seal to the channel. They dont slide into the channel as the "Foot" is usually too hard so it needs the usual get one side of the foot in and push the other in with a blunt screwdriver, once you have the channel and the seal installed then you can trim the excess hood material to the rear of the rail, this looks neater . Erect the hood fully and and pulling each corner round to the "B" post then you can mark for the three snaps each side. There is also a centre flap underneath that will need poppers fitting to as well, this covers the centre hood rail. I would never use spray glue either as its far too easy to get it everywhere!. FWIW with a zipout rear window its better to unzip them before folding the hood. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted March 13, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2021 (edited) Hi Stuart, thank you very much for the time to explain me. Next to many details your advice is on 2 point what I thought: - I should not glue the hood on top of the front bar because this can cause visible wrinkles if I don't work proper (I've see that on vinyl hoods) and the glue I want to use (Pattex) could change the colour of the deep black textile hood - I fix the 3 poppers on both B posts AT LAST, then the hood there should not look like on the second video Cleaning the old hood frame from glue today I found 2 details: - it is painted black but where the paint is damaged I see beige paint, so I use it for at least the 3rd hood, btw I keep it black - on top of the pipe bars there is a 10 mm wide strip of felt glued, do you think this can avoid "flap-flaps" on higher speed? Ciao, Marco Edited March 13, 2021 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 15, 2021 Report Share Posted March 15, 2021 On 3/13/2021 at 8:41 PM, Z320 said: Hi Stuart, thank you very much for the time to explain me. Next to many details your advice is on 2 point what I thought: - I should not glue the hood on top of the front bar because this can cause visible wrinkles if I don't work proper (I've see that on vinyl hoods) and the glue I want to use (Pattex) could change the colour of the deep black textile hood - I fix the 3 poppers on both B posts AT LAST, then the hood there should not look like on the second video Cleaning the old hood frame from glue today I found 2 details: - it is painted black but where the paint is damaged I see beige paint, so I use it for at least the 3rd hood, btw I keep it black - on top of the pipe bars there is a 10 mm wide strip of felt glued, do you think this can avoid "flap-flaps" on higher speed? Ciao, Marco Marco original 4a hood frames were a type of beige colour though no one has really come up with a proper colour code but it similar to the US "Desert storm" Tank colour! The little strips of felt on the bars are to stop the bar rubbing on the inside of the hood as well as quietening any flapping. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rvwp Posted March 16, 2021 Report Share Posted March 16, 2021 Hi Marco, just to add to Stuarts guide, I found that making up a couple of clamps to which fix a pair of cargo straps to the front of the hood and attaching the other end to the front of the car, one handed it is easy to stretch the hood to get a tight fit. I aso had supplementary cargo strapt to the front wheel which gave a sideways pull. Once stretched I marked the underside of the hood to fix the glue position, slackened off the straps and folded it back and spread glue where marked on the hood and head rail. I then placed a strip of this polythene on the rail, repositioned the hood with cargo straps as before and slowly pulled out the polythene so the contact adhesive comes together. Once bonded remove the hood and fit seal etc. I've done this several times, and if doing by yourself, gives you control of the glueing process, which can be a bit hit and miss otherwise. Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Z320 Posted March 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2021 (edited) Hi Rich, thanks for this idea, I'm collecting them. It is so cold at the garage, I will start in some weeks. Ciao, Marco Edited March 17, 2021 by Z320 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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