TR2/3/3A Robbins Tonneau Cover for TR3A

[60TR3A]

I had a white Everflex vinyl tonneau on my first car, a '60 TR3A, but my "new" car now is a '61 3A in Sebring White with a nice red interior with white piping, so went shopping for a red tonneau cover - with no success. All the restoration shops sell is the Robbins tonneau in black or white, but being the kind of person who doesn't take "No" for an answer, I went on a quest which seemed to be going nowhere until I spoke with Delia Chavez at Robbins in So. Cal. I explained to her that one of their preferred installers/retailers in my area doesn't answer his phone and doesn't return calls and the next one on their list admits she'd never ordered a tonneau before and doesn't have any swatch charts from Robbins; I also told her that the Robbins distributor in Tamps claims that red isn't available and that I corrected him because I had spoken with Delia yesterday and she assured me that she can get it from their local supplier who imports it from the UK, so she took pity on me and suggested I call The Johnson Company in NJ and to ask for Russ and he'll order it for me and have it drop-shipped directly to me. Inside of 15 minutes it was a done deal and all for something like $378 incl. shipping, and with a production time of "up to 10 working days". Needless to say, I am one happy camper but am now worried that the Everflex red won't come close to the red of my interior so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

So, don't take "No" for an answer if you really want something for your vintage British sports car is the moral of the story. Then again, "Be careful what you wish for because you might not like it when you get it" might turn out to be the moral of this story. We'll have to wait and see. So, stay tuned and pics to follow when the tonneau is received.

 

[CJD]

Nothing beats hours on the phone when it comes to finding parts! Good work...!

 

[6TTR3A]

<span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #003333">My story is a little old...I believe Robbins has changed hands since...BUT...
I wanted a green top & tonneau for my 3A when I did the
restoration. I found the Robbins colour swatches for Jaguar
tops etc., asked my local dealer to order them for my 3A in "Jaguar Dark Green Everflex". Took a while but I got them with no hassle!!
FRank </span></span>

 

[60TR3A]

They may have changed hands but most of the top management working there have the Robbins last name so I guess it's still "in the family" when it comes to service. They've been around since 1943 (that's even longer than I've been around and that' saying a lot!) and I can't believe I'll be getting the same material, Tenax snaps, and Everflex vinyl that I had some 44 years ago, except in red instead of white. I'm really looking forward to its receipt and hope the reds go well together. Nice people at Robbins! That explains how they've managed to stick around for 68 years.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Many years ago (mid-1990s, I think), I got a call from Robbins wanting to make sure the date and application information they had for Triumph Herald (and Vitesse / Sports 6) tops was correct. I don't remember the caller's first name, but the last name was Robbins! Very cool.

NFI, etc., etc., but they do make some very nice products (including those Herald tops)!

 

[60TR3A]

Uh-oh: I think this is going to end up, "Be careful what you wish for because you may not like it when you get it". I haven't received the tonneau yet but did receive a sample of the material in the mail today from another vendor who lists it as the same Everflex material and it is a dark cherry red, not a bright right as is my interior. I don't think they will look good together at all! darn! Now what? Use it as a pattern to get one custom-made or grin and bear it? I am financially blessed but hate to throw money away on something superfluous but if the red is totally wrong, maybe that's what I need to do.

 

[Andrew Mace]

FWIW, this is the red Prestige Auto Tops shows on their web site:

Is that anything like the sample you got?

 

[60TR3A]

FWIW, this is the red Prestige Auto Tops shows on their web site:

Is that anything like the sample you got?

Very similar and not at all as bright as this:

 

[DNK]

Get samples from these guys. They are very good,
https://www.heritagetrim.com/m_colpallette.htm

 

[60TR3A]

That's who sent me the Everflex red sample! Apparently, that's what I have ordered from Robbins and it is going ti clash with my interior. Assuming I am correct, I may be offering to sell a brand new Robbins tonneau in red to you guys at a serious discount. We soon shall see...

 

[Mickey Richaud]

I had the Everflex red for both the top and the tonneau for the TR3 I restored a while back. The interior was just like yours, and the contrasting colors actually looked good, at least to me.

 

[TR3TR6]

If the color doesn't look right, what you could do is take the new top to an small upholster shop usually a one man operation and he can use it as a pattern, get one made the color that you want and sell the original one on Ebay, Craigslist, or on this web site. That way you can see the color before its actually made.

 

[60TR3A]

If the color doesn't look right, what you could do is take the new top to an small upholster shop usually a one man operation and he can use it as a pattern, get one made the color that you want and sell the original one on Ebay, Craigslist, or on this web site. That way you can see the color before its actually made.

Way ahead of you: already have a guy who does marine upholstery on notice (via email a few minutes ago) that I might be dropping by next week with a fresh tonneau to use to make a pattern and see what snaps he needs to source. He saw the car a week ago, took dims, etc., but not having ever seen a tonneau much less made one, was a bit intimidated by the project (as was I), so I ordered one instead.
But, as Mickey pointed out, I might actually like the contrast (doubtful, but there's always hope).