Noisy Side Screens

[Fanch00]

The side screens on my BT7 are shaking and rattling. Am new to Healeys. Any fix?
I thought of replacing the felt in the rail, would that solve the problem?
And if yes, how do you get the Perspex out of the frame?

 

[John Turney]

Replacing the felt might help some, but most of the noise is the panels of Perspex rattling against each other. There really isn’t much you can do about that.
I partially solved the problem by installing a side exit exhaust. It masks the noise.
To remove the Perspex on yours, I think you will have to disassemble one of the lower frame corners.

 

[Fanch00]

Replacing the felt might help some, but most of the noise is the panels of Perspex rattling against each other. There really isn’t much you can do about that.
I partially solved the problem by installing a side exit exhaust. It masks the noise.
To remove the Perspex on yours, I think you will have to disassemble one of the lower frame corners.

I recently removed the side exhaust actually and went back to the standard pipes. My dad - who’s the one enjoying the car really - couldn’t take the noise, ha ha !
I guess I won’t try to remove the Perspex and change the felt for now if it doesn’t make a difference. It’s indeed the two panels of Perspex rattling against each other more than anything else. I thought a new felt may prevent/reduce that.
These cars are meant to be driven topless but we have a rather humid weather here in Brittany - four seasons in one day, they say. It’s not called Brittany for nothing, although our neighbours in Great Britain don‘t seem to bother (did you see that video where “Number 27” is driving his Frogeye - named “Fred” - in a storm of rain?). That was yesterday - middle of the summer... - 18 degrees max, between two patches of rain... it’s not the California sun.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Fanch, you can remove the perspex without separating the aluminum frame. Simply side the out side pane to the middle of the frame opening and flex it horizontally enough to remove the top from the grove. Then do the same withe the inside pane. It looks scary but it works fine. New felts help some but as mentioned, the panes rattle against each other. It’s one of the joys of owning a roadster.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Putting a piece of aluminum channel over the vertical edges of the panels will keep them from flexing and rattling.

 

[Fanch00]

Putting a piece of aluminum channel over the vertical edges of the panels will keep them from flexing and rattling.

Thank you Michael. We put little pieces on foam-like material and it helps. Would you have a picture to illustrate what you suggest?

 

[Michael Oritt]

Fanch--

I will try to take one today and post.
What I used on the sliding windows of my 100 is AL channel that simply stiffens the plastic and also, to my eye, finishes them and makes them appear better.

 

[Swisshealey]

The side screens on my BT7 are shaking and rattling. Am new to Healeys. Any fix?
I thought of replacing the felt in the rail, would that solve the problem?
And if yes, how do you get the Perspex out of the frame?

I have the rattling problem only on the highway. I then put just a Kleenex-tissue between the two Perspex.

 

[Michael Oritt]

I am attaching a pic showing the AL channels I glued to the vertical edges of the side curtains which stiffen them and keep them from rattling. The curtains are not stock and came from NICAL Engineering in the UK along with the hardtop, but the concept can be used on any side curtain.

BTW I had the side curtain brackets made by a machinist and I tapped the stock door sockets so I can screw the curtains to the door, providing a rigid mount and preventing the curtains from flopping around whether the door is open or closed. The seal both to the door, the hardtop and at the windshield stantion is pretty water tight (for a Healey) when the doors are closed and the curtains do not pop out at speed.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Back in day, we used to stick matchbook covers between the plex to quite them down.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Yup. Ruined the matches if it was raining. Hard pressed to find a match book now.

 

[John Turney]

Anything I tried to put between them scratched the Perspex, although they scratch each other where they meet.

 

[Fanch00]

I have the rattling problem only on the highway. I then put just a Kleenex-tissue between the two Perspex.

Haha, even cheaper than my foam technique ! Thx

 

[Fanch00]

I am attaching a pic showing the AL channels I glued to the vertical edges of the side curtains which stiffen them and keep them from rattling. The curtains are not stock and came from NICAL Engineering in the UK along with the hardtop, but the concept can be used on any side curtain.

BTW I had the side curtain brackets made by a machinist and I tapped the stock door sockets so I can screw the curtains to the door, providing a rigid mount and preventing the curtains from flopping around whether the door is open or closed. The seal both to the door, the hardtop and at the windshield stantion is pretty water tight (for a Healey) when the doors are closed and the curtains do not pop out at speed.

Thanks a lot Michael. Interesting solution. It looks pretty good !