TR2/3/3A TR-3B Side Curtain Mounts

[Vaark01]

HI,

Although I never drive in wet weather, I have decided to buy the door mounts for my sidecurtains.

I had the original curtains restored by TRF several years ago. They look great and are in mint condition.

My car is a 1962 TR-3B (TCF-486).

I would appreciate any advice you can provide on where to buy them and how to mount them. I have seen cars with black mounts and others with chrome.

Thanks.

Paul

 

[Don Elliott]

I have seen most which were silvery hammertone paint finish. I think most paint departments in Home Depot type stores have it as Rustoleum or Krylon brands.

 

[martx-5]

I got the side curtain mounts from Moss. They came in hammered grey paint. I'm sure TRF also has them.

Edit: As far as mounting them, there is a great write up in Roger Williams restoration book. Basically, he has you fasten the screen onto the mounts and then offer it up in place. Adjust things around for a good fit, and then mark where the mounts have to be screwed in. He says this works best with two people...one inside, and on outside.

Also, The older wedge type mounts were chromed, but I've never seen the dzus type chromed, only painted the hammered grey.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I had my dzus style mounts plated with nickel (dull finish). Never realized they were originally painted, for some reason I thought they were plated with something.

 

[Guest]

Paul,

I just did this on TCF1278L.

Everyone has given you some good poop as far as paint color, source of purchase, and Roger Williams' book.

I can add only one fly in the ointment, and this is dependent up whether or not the necessary 1/2" holes are already drilled into the door panels. These holes (behind the upholstery) are necessary to create a "soft spot" behind the upholstery to give the male end of the Dzus fastener clearance enough to get around the wire in the bracket to grab onto it.

If your holes are already drilled, then you should use them. Of course, first check and see that they are in the correct workable location. Just install the curtain without the brackets on the doors, to see that the Dzus fasteners line up with the soft spots. If they line up, slip on the brackets, engage the fasteners, and mark your 4 corner holes for drilling. This is best-case scenario.

NOW, the one thing the guys did not mention, and the worst-case scenario. If the 1/2" holes are NOT there, you are going to have to find the right spot to drill them. And, of course, this is AFTER you have either removed the upholstery or made an "X" cut thru the upholstery with an Xacto Knife and drilled thru it (what I did), in which case, you want to be "dead-on" with your location for the hole. (The x-cut in the upholstery does not show, as it is behind the bracket.) Although I did not use Williams' method, I like it: mounting the side curtains to the brackets, then fitting the curtains onto the doors. This way, the Dzus fastener will make an indention in the upholstery where the hole needs to be drilled. But, before cutting the holes, remove the side curtains from the brackets, hold the brackets against the panel with the hole in the bracket centered over the mark on the panel, then mark the 4 corner holes in the brackets. Lastly, while holding both brackets on these positions, have your helper mount the side curtain and see (1) if it fits where you have the brackets, and (2) if the fastener lines up with the mark on the panel.

In my case, I had to drill the big holes where the brackets were already installed, as I did not want to mess up the upholstery with 4 more corner holes. I had more trouble fitting my "new" rebuilt curtains than I did drilling the holes. They were rebuilt 12 years ago, but never mounted to the car. So, they had no shape or "memory" of how to fit this car and its new door capping. Actually, the passenger side COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MOUNTED, as there were no holes in the [replaced} door panel. So, I removed the brackets, made the x-cut in the upholstery, then drilled the hole thru the x-cut.

After I finally got both curtains mounted and all four fasteners secured, I let them sit on the doors for about a week, hoping that they would develop a "memory." Not much, I'm afraid, but I will do it again and again, every chance I get. Then, this winter, I will leave them on.

If this isn't clear, please send me a personal message, with questions, and I will try to be clearer. I was very careful, as I was bound and determined that I was not going to do a half-assed job. Of course, after I got them all mounted, I had to take the whole thing apart the following week to install door pockets that I got from TRF. Another adventure in itself...

I hope this helps.

Epilog: I am very happy with my silver hammertone paint job on the brackets. Of course, the first time I mounted the curtains, it messed up the "new look" on the brackets. But that can't be helped.

 

[Vaark01]

Thanks everyone for the solid advice and pictures. I'll let you know how it all comes out.

It's great knowing I can always count on help from you.

Paul