100-4 Aftermarket Hardtops

[BritCars4KGM]

I recently purchased a barn find BN1 with a hard top on it. I know that AH did not make factory hardtops for the 100-4 series so this is a aftermarket top. I would appreciate any help in identifying the manufacturer of the top and help identifying source suppliers of parts from which to rebuild this top. I have attached a few photographs. Thanks, Keith

 

[Michael Oritt]

Keith--

I believe that top was made by Smoothline, which is still in business though I don't know how much support they might provide for old tops.

If you send me your contact information b y pm I can put you in touch with a friend of mine who has owned a number of period 100 tops and he can probably give you positive ID

 

[CraigC]

Looks very much like one in an ad that the original owner of my car supplied to my father when he purchased it in the mid 1960's. The manufacturer was a company named "Plasticon" located in El Monte, California. Included was a price list dated May 1, 1956.

 

[BritCars4KGM]

Craig: Thanks for the info on the Plasticon top. The window curvature on my top matches that of the factory side curtains (included with the car) which leads me to believe that this hard top was made specifically for the 100. I believe that Smoothline never made a 100 hardtop but I have to a bit more checking on that. Your attachment photo's look to be identical to mine in curvature which adds validity. My problem is the attachment of the top to the car. The front attachment clasps run parallel to the window frame and I have no idea how they would fasten. The rear attachment clasps are more straight forward but when inspecting them while the top is on the car there does not appear to be a fastening point in the cockpit. More research!

 

[BritCars4KGM]

So I just Googled Plasticon and the MGA Guru has posted both the Plasticon advertising brochure and a price list. There are numerous makes and models shown. The literature shows both the more curved hardtop window openings of the 1954-1956 cars and the more square openings of the 1957-1959 cars. This particular pricelist only goes through 1959. There is nothing current on Plasticon.

 

[BritCars4KGM]

I have another problem. If you look at the Plasticon brochure (I tried to post it and the corresponding price list but both files are too big for this site but here is the link: https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/top/top123pl.htm) the brochure picture of the rear window shows it coming to a point behind the side window. However Craigs picture above shows it rounded like my top. Which is which?

 

[CraigC]

Perhaps the company modified the design. My photos are from their 1956 offerings with a window that matches yours. The 1959 brochure shows the same 100 with the white side trim and white top, but the later brochure does appear to show a different shape to the rear window that is closer in shape to that of a factory 6-cylinder hardtop.

 

[DTDuck]

I recently purchased a barn find BN1 with a hard top on it. I know that AH did not make factory hardtops for the 100-4 series so this is a aftermarket top. I would appreciate any help in identifying the manufacturer of the top and help identifying source suppliers of parts from which to rebuild this top. I have attached a few photographs. Thanks, Keith

Looks very much like one I had on my BN2 years ago.


Cheers,
Dan M.