Alan_Myers
Luke Skywalker
Offline
Hi all,
Well, I finally tracked down an original hard top for my TR4 and will be refurbishing it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif It's still fitted with all the original trim and rubber, 40+ years old, which have become petrified, cracked, shrunken, brittle, etc. Even those old ratty trim pieces are a big help finding replacements. And, I've found most items needed, but....
One thing is not shown or listed in the Triumph Spares Catalog or in Moss' (or anyone else's) illustrations. On the backlight, where it meets the trailing edge of the door window, there is a rubber seal that fits into a riveted-on, metal channel much like the rubber door seal does.
I am wondering if this seal is just a short piece of the rubber door seal? Or a longer one? Can anyone with an original hard top confirm this?
For illustration purposes, see Moss door trim at https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29166 Item #125 here is the same type of metal channel. Item #120 is the rubber door seal.
There might be a clue on this Moss' illustration... it appears they offer a different rubber door seal specifically for use w/"surrey" (sic). Perhaps the rubber piece I'm asking about is simply a long version that completely replaces the door seal and runs around the door frame and extends up the side of the backlight frame? Again, can anyone confirm this?
I know the hard top normally uses different furflex trim (aka, fuzzy or draught excluder): A special one-piece, very long version running from the top of one side of the windshield frame, around the door frame, up and across the backlight, around the opposing door to finally end at the top of the opposite side of the windshield frame. Perhaps the rubber seal is similar: A special longer version that runs up the side of the hard top?
Speaking of which, I don't know yet what I'll do about that furflex. None of the available colors match the Midnight Blue interior that was original to my car and will be used in the restoration. The car didn't appear to be fitted with furflex originally (I suspect because of the unusual interior color), but instead had a color-matched, harder plastic covered trim.
I notice two lengths of furflex appear to have also been used on the removable aluminum top panel of the hard top, to finish and retain the headliner vinyl. The old stuff still on this panel has faded badly, is sort of orange now! Was the furflex on the removable panel all black? Or, perhaps it matched the furflex used on the rest of the car? Or was it possibly white, to match the headliner? Anyone know?
Another item I'm seeking, not listed on any catalog or illustration and appears to be unavailable, is the stainless steel fender bead, the longer version for use with the backlight and hard top. (Note: the polished trim around the cockpit rim, used with the soft top, isn't used with the hard top/backlight. This exposes approx. 8" of fender/body seam right behind the door. The shorter/soft top version of this bead is #36 at Moss' https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29163) I have one of these in my parts stash, but will need a second for the other side of the car. If anyone has a spare, or knows a source, please get in touch. Otherwise, perhaps I can try to modify a front fender bead to the correct length.
A side note about the TR hard top, which is essentially the first "targa top", copied by Porsche for the 911 some years later: While researching I found that the first 500 made and fitted to approx. CT24600 have an aluminum removable top panel (as does the one I bought). After that the removable panel was made of pressed sheet steel.
I think a visible clue to this change is the polished trim insert in the glazing rubber around the window. The early version (first 500) has two separate pieces of trim, with finishing clips at the top center and bottom center. The later version has a one-piece polished insert, with a single finisher clip at the bottom center. The front windshield saw a similar change of insert trim, I'm not sure exactly when.
One last thing, FYI a "street" roll bar of the most commonly-sold type - sized to allow the soft top to go up and down - will *not* fit within the backlight of the original hard top. The roll bar is about 1" too tall and is against the rear window before the backlight is fully settled onto the cockpit rim.
TIA for any and all insights on the above questions!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Well, I finally tracked down an original hard top for my TR4 and will be refurbishing it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif It's still fitted with all the original trim and rubber, 40+ years old, which have become petrified, cracked, shrunken, brittle, etc. Even those old ratty trim pieces are a big help finding replacements. And, I've found most items needed, but....
One thing is not shown or listed in the Triumph Spares Catalog or in Moss' (or anyone else's) illustrations. On the backlight, where it meets the trailing edge of the door window, there is a rubber seal that fits into a riveted-on, metal channel much like the rubber door seal does.
I am wondering if this seal is just a short piece of the rubber door seal? Or a longer one? Can anyone with an original hard top confirm this?
For illustration purposes, see Moss door trim at https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29166 Item #125 here is the same type of metal channel. Item #120 is the rubber door seal.
There might be a clue on this Moss' illustration... it appears they offer a different rubber door seal specifically for use w/"surrey" (sic). Perhaps the rubber piece I'm asking about is simply a long version that completely replaces the door seal and runs around the door frame and extends up the side of the backlight frame? Again, can anyone confirm this?
I know the hard top normally uses different furflex trim (aka, fuzzy or draught excluder): A special one-piece, very long version running from the top of one side of the windshield frame, around the door frame, up and across the backlight, around the opposing door to finally end at the top of the opposite side of the windshield frame. Perhaps the rubber seal is similar: A special longer version that runs up the side of the hard top?
Speaking of which, I don't know yet what I'll do about that furflex. None of the available colors match the Midnight Blue interior that was original to my car and will be used in the restoration. The car didn't appear to be fitted with furflex originally (I suspect because of the unusual interior color), but instead had a color-matched, harder plastic covered trim.
I notice two lengths of furflex appear to have also been used on the removable aluminum top panel of the hard top, to finish and retain the headliner vinyl. The old stuff still on this panel has faded badly, is sort of orange now! Was the furflex on the removable panel all black? Or, perhaps it matched the furflex used on the rest of the car? Or was it possibly white, to match the headliner? Anyone know?
Another item I'm seeking, not listed on any catalog or illustration and appears to be unavailable, is the stainless steel fender bead, the longer version for use with the backlight and hard top. (Note: the polished trim around the cockpit rim, used with the soft top, isn't used with the hard top/backlight. This exposes approx. 8" of fender/body seam right behind the door. The shorter/soft top version of this bead is #36 at Moss' https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29163) I have one of these in my parts stash, but will need a second for the other side of the car. If anyone has a spare, or knows a source, please get in touch. Otherwise, perhaps I can try to modify a front fender bead to the correct length.
A side note about the TR hard top, which is essentially the first "targa top", copied by Porsche for the 911 some years later: While researching I found that the first 500 made and fitted to approx. CT24600 have an aluminum removable top panel (as does the one I bought). After that the removable panel was made of pressed sheet steel.
I think a visible clue to this change is the polished trim insert in the glazing rubber around the window. The early version (first 500) has two separate pieces of trim, with finishing clips at the top center and bottom center. The later version has a one-piece polished insert, with a single finisher clip at the bottom center. The front windshield saw a similar change of insert trim, I'm not sure exactly when.
One last thing, FYI a "street" roll bar of the most commonly-sold type - sized to allow the soft top to go up and down - will *not* fit within the backlight of the original hard top. The roll bar is about 1" too tall and is against the rear window before the backlight is fully settled onto the cockpit rim.
TIA for any and all insights on the above questions!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif