Tonneau vs rollbar

[Gundy]

Hi all,
I have a tonneau cover I wish to install on a '60
sprite. Problem is the rollbar. How have people dealt with this issue? Snaps to a hole at the rollbar. Zipper to the hole?
Velcro? I'd like a nice fit and wonder how others have managed this fitment. I'll probably have a trim shop do the hole so
as to get seamed edges but what is the best way to do a seal
from the rear to the rollbar hole?
I have the tools for making the snap holes and fitting the snaps.
Any tips or suggestions are appreciated.
David

 

[theleisure]

Hi David,

I'm taking my tonneau cover in to the local upholstery shop for this same project tomorrow. I can post pictures of mine when i get it back (Thursday) and you can use them as examples of what you want/don't want your local shop to do.

I hope this guy doesn't mess up my tonneau cover!

 

[Gundy]

Hi David,

I'm taking my tonneau cover in to the local upholstery shop for this same project tomorrow. I can post pictures of mine when i get it back (Thursday) and you can use them as examples of what you want/don't want your local shop to do.

I hope this guy doesn't mess up my tonneau cover!

Thanks! I'll wait till your pics before I dive in.
Here's to a nice job!

 

[lesingepsycho]

Ooh, I'll be interested too. I've been thinking about doing this for a long time. Can't wait to see it!
JACK

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Here is one way Robert DuQuette took care of this issue. The other alternative I've seen is to use a flap with Velcro and twist and lock type fittings, brain isn't working to pull the proper word up. I kept an old top for use as spare material for my tonneau so I could match the "aged look" of the fabric. I was quoted in the 4-5 hours worth of work price range, figure $200 for a custom modified cover.

 

[Gundy]

That was nicely done! I'm looking for a clean tight fit like that.

 

[theleisure]

Got my top back today. Pretty good turn around time-- 23 hours. I'm pretty happy with it.

pics


The best part of it this: $86

He said he'll do more for you guys if you'd like. Let me know if you need contact info.

 

[Gundy]

Got my top back today. Pretty good turn around time-- 23 hours. I'm pretty happy with it.

pics


The best part of it this: $86

He said he'll do more for you guys if you'd like. Let me know if you need contact info.

Nicely done! So how are the "slits" to the rollbar holes held together? Zippers, velcro ?
My rollbar will only need two holes. The brace bars are lower than the cover and angle rearward. The prior owner had one that was to come with the car but he left it in a parking lot after taking this pic. Nice guy however and he more than made up for the lost cover. (3.7 AND 4.22 diffs, spare minilite and a neat BE cookie jar)
My main concern is how to keep the slits together and your
guy seems to have that done nicely.

 

[theleisure]

He used velcro.

He said that he could use mine as a template for the rest but I guess that won't work if we don't have the same rollbar... Doh!

 

[Gundy]

Thanks, I think I'm going the velcro route too.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Here is another way to do it. I was finally able to get this file size reduced and changed from a .bmp format. This looks to be the nicest and cleanest way I've seen this done. This is the nicest piece of craftsmanship I've seen to date.

 

[Gundy]

Here is another way to do it. I was finally able to get this file size reduced and changed from a .bmp format. This looks to be the nicest and cleanest way I've seen this done. This is the nicest piece of craftsmanship I've seen to date.

Wow! That's an artist's work. I'm taking all these method's pics to my trim guy for him to get "inspired". :wink:
I hope to get this done next week before the local Azalea Festival. They have an event on Friday night where they block off Main St. for a custom car show. I can't wait to park the Sprite next to the muscle cars and hot rods. :wink:
April will also be the Sprite's debut with the area's British Car Club.

 

[Gundy]

Well, I had the shop do the rollbar cutouts.
Man, I was nervous when the old dude took out the scissors. :crazy:
He did it while I waited. Took him 30 minutes from start to finish. Very neat job. $20.
I'll be installing the snaps myself this weekend. I'll post some pics then.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

So did he follow the template for one of the pics I posted by any chance? The folks in SC must work a whole lot cheaper for upholstery work than in OH. $20.00 you must have brought multiple cans of amber fluids or something with you.

 

[Gundy]

The old guy kept telling me "I don't take checks or cards..
only cash!". I was a little worried as I only had about $80 or so on me. I told him "Well, just hold the darn thing hostage till I can get to a bank.". He laughed. We talked about pride
in your craft. Told him the story of a poor boy who worked his way through school selling his beloved Sprite for tuition.
How it took me 35 years to find a suitable replacement.
(I left out the law school bit) :wink:
He loved the Sprite. He asked me to rev 'er up a bit when I left. I gave him a 7k run up in first w/ a snappy
shift to 2nd. Red light prevented any more excitement.

I'll have to post pics when done. He went in where the flap at the door's rear edge is located and just circled the bar.
He used narrow vinyl edging that matches the tonneau's edging.
Really close fit. Close to the black cover pictured in this
thread above. Much tighter than the old lost cover from the
previous owner I posted. Neat job.
I tell ya if I'd had a jug of Pumpkintown's "spring water" with me...we would have pulled a cork when he said $20.

 

[Gundy]

Done deal! Looks great if I do say so myself. Took me and another BE nut friend about 3 hours to finish the fitting.
Boy that sucker is TIGHT. You could bounce a quarter off the thing. I'd post pics but I'm tired and it's dark.
Helped another friend install his new engine in his old
Iron Pig Cruiser AFTER the tonneau install.
I'll post tonneau pics tomorrow.

 

[Gundy]

Pics:

 

[theleisure]

That looks great!

Man, I was happy with mine but now I see this... dang. Heck, I'm still thrilled to able to use my cover. I don't see any zippers coming in from the sides on yours-- was that the standard for a MkI?

 

[Gundy]

There is only the zipper up the middle. The flap with the snap
at the rear of the door was how it was designed. The trim guy just cut he holes at that point. The flap with the snap keeps
it all snug. It was bear making all the snaps etc. Tugging and pulling till my fingers were sore. We started with the fronts next to the door. Do one then tug for the next one. Do that to the two (one at a time) next to the rear view mirror.
We had 'em so tight you could barely get them over the pins.
We left all those attached as we did the pull buttons and remaining snaps. Last was the snap buttons at the door/roll bar.
The crimping toll was a must. The little cutter tool not so much help. The best thing for cutting the holes was a small Swiss Army knife. Hehe...I had a blue one on the BE's key
fob already. Those little scissors are the bomb for cutting the small holes and the knife blade went through that vinyl like it was butter. I just cut slits for the little prongs that join the snaps top to the bottom. Folded the over with
a hammer.
I need to buy some more of the button snaps to finish the
flaps that attach the cover to the inside when folded back.
After a couple of days of sun baking they work great.
We paid attention to the direction the snaps let go (where the writing is located) and positioned the snaps so the tension was to the other side of the snap. They really hold well. It holds so well that you can't get them off without undoing the center zipper.