BJ7 Hardtop

[HealeyPassion]

I'm starting to plan the hardtop installation for my BJ7 (BJ8 hardtop would of course be the same) and it certainly would help if someone had <span style="text-decoration: underline">pictures of the details associated with the attachment points</span>. Mine is a Nical Engineering replica factory hardtop, which comes completely disassembled.....which is why the pictures would be a great help.

Thanks!

Steve Thomton
1963 BJ7 Works rally replica w/efi

 

[Cottontop]

Hi-Ho Steverino.........

We were only home from the Bonneville trip for (VERY busy) 5 days when we climbed into the "Burb" and drove to SoCal to visit Mom (age 98) for a coupla' weeks. We got here yesterday. I drove 995 miles in 14 hours the first day then the remaining 450 on day 2.

I think that I can hook you up with a couple of guys who have installed those hardtops. Don't know if they have pix or not, but they may have the 1,000 words.

How was the Bonne' trip for you ?

Tim - The older I get, the faster I used to be.

 

[HealeyPassion]

Tim, sounds like a busy time for you! Healeys Return to Bonneville was amazing!!...and, as I noted, on another post a true "once in a lifetime" kind of event.

I would appreciate any photos you can scare up for me....while the words would be appreciated....the pics would be appreciated even more!

Oh, and regarding your tag line "the older I get the faster I used to be".... since my other ride is a 525 hp machine that is bloody quick (offically clocked at over 161 mph on one section of an open road race) I think I can safely say I'm faster than I was as a young guy!

Safe travels.

Steve

 

[Cottontop]

Steve,

What in the world do you pilot that has 525HP?

At 300 HP and 2,400 lbs. (8#/HP), my V8 Healey is pretty quick too, but Bonneville Team Manager, Charles Matthews, tells me that the big Healey front end starts to get "very light" at about 155 MPH.

I run out of "stones" LONG before I run out of throttle.

Tim

 

[HealeyPassion]

Tim, I have a considerably modified C5 Corvette. I won't highjack the Austin Healey forum to talk (to much) about my Vette....and I'm still hoping for some pics of the BJ7/8 hardtop attachment points. Having said that, my little 5.7L coupe is dead stable at any speed I've had it....and I've cruised at 165 mph for over 10 miles, legally, in a Nevada Open Road Race....averaged 130 mph for 130 miles...which was my target speed for the distance. At 140 mph I'm taching 3,300 rpm in 6th, so it's not even breathing hard....that's the speed we generally cruise at during the ORR in my class. Pretty sweet ride. Oh, and to top it off, it's gets 28 mpg in a nice 80 mph long distance cruise....it is, after all, my "normal" street driver.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Cottontop]

WOW ! ! !

Next time I come to Denver, I'll give you a ride in mine if you'll give me a ride in yours.

Tim

 

[Michael Oritt]

Contact Charlie Carpenter (charles.carpenter@ gmail.com) or Charlie Aspbill (jca1103@aol.com) or both. One or both of them bought NICAL tops for their BJ's several years back and can give you lots of help I am sure.

My 100 top is a NICAL top but it is a totally different animal than what you have--it too required LOTS of fitting--some still left to complete over the winter, esp. to side curtains.

 

[hama61]

Hello Steve,

I noticed that there was a BJ7/8 hardtop sold on Ebay (end date September 29) still viaable maybe the picures of the listing can help you and I assume otherwise the seller can help with some detailed pictures.

Kind regrads

Harry

 

[HealeyPassion]

Thanks Michael, I'll sent them an email!

Steve

 

[HealeyPassion]

Thanks Harry, good idea I'll check it out. I'll still be interested in seeing the actual hardtop actual attachment point on a car, but this may help.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Michael Oritt]

Steve-- I replied to your PM and sent you the email for Marion Brantley who is a friend of Charlie Aspbill along with that of a fellow named Ken Fleming who lives in NC and also purchased a top for his BJ from Nick Freeman at Conclave in Winston-Salem when he first brought them over.

BTW have you ever tried contact Freeman directy? The website address is:https://www.nicalengineering.co.uk/

Nick's interests are diverse as you will see and while he was not always the most immediately responsive person when both I and the late Dave Russell were installing his tops and bits on our 100's, he eventually always answered messsages and ultimately supplied me a replacement rear window for the one that came with my top which was too small. He also sent both Dave and me second sets of side-curtains when the first sets he sold us turned out not to have been even close to the opening created by his top.

I believe Nick attended Conclave in San Diego in 2008 where I think he made a few top sales, and would ostensibly be providing support for customers. Did you purchase your top from Nick or second-hand from someone else? If the former then you must have already made his acquaintance and have had some experience in dealing with him. He is slow but did always send what was necessary and he should be able to help with pictures.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Steve-- I replied to your PM and sent you the email for Marion Brantley who is a friend of Charlie Aspbill along with that of a fellow named Ken Fleming who lives in NC and also purchased a top for his BJ from Nick Freeman at Conclave in Winston-Salem when he first brought them over.

BTW have you ever tried contact Freeman directy? The website address is:https://www.nicalengineering.co.uk/

Nick's interests are diverse as you will see and while he was not always the most immediately responsive person when both I and the late Dave Russell were installing his tops and bits on our 100's, he attended Conclave in San Diego whee I think he made a few top sales, and would ostensibly be providing support for customers.

Nick brought a couple of Tops oover when he was at San Diego Conclave. I pre-ordered the Black Top but I am in the process of restoring my car and it may be a year or two before it's ready for the Top. I do have photos of an installation "in progress" sent to me by Ken Flemming. I went for Nical after seeing the "other" Tops as I felt his duplicated the original factory Tops best.
Patrick

 

[HealeyPassion]

Thanks to all who participated. I got a full set of pictures from Charlie Carpenter yesterday. Charlie was at the North Carolina Conclave when Nick Freeman came over and installed a couple of his hardtops before the event. During Nick's installation Charlie shot a pretty comprehensive set of photos. Nothing like pics to put something into perspective.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Cottontop]

Steve,

Patrick from Dallas (reply above) is one of the guys whom I was going to get you in touch with, but as I am now in SoCal, I was going to wait until I get home in another week or so.

We have another NTAHC member who has actually installed and, with help, adjusted the top. Let me know if you need more assistance than you have and I'll see if my resources can help.

Tim