-
Hi Guest!
If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
BN1/2 Hardtops
- Thread starter zblu
- Start date
Share this page
Offline
A couple of years ago, Michael Oritt & I got tops from Nick Freeman - UK. Very nice tops. Required some hand fitting & trimming/installing the rear screen. The supplied sidescreens, didn't fit well & Nick was not much help. I did some radical bending of the aluminum frames, etc & got a pretty good fit.
I think maybe David Ward of "Big Healey" UK sells very similar tops, maybe with less hassle?
I've got lots of pics that I could email to you. One is attached. What measurments do you want?
D
I think maybe David Ward of "Big Healey" UK sells very similar tops, maybe with less hassle?
I've got lots of pics that I could email to you. One is attached. What measurments do you want?
D
Attachments
Thanks Dave Russell, I am thinking of getting my coachbuilder to make one for me in aluminium, if I take it further I will be needing a few pics/measurements. Were there ever any genuine hardtops made, or were all after market productions created by various companies to various design?
bighly
Jedi Knight
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
I am thinking of getting my coachbuilder to make one for me in aluminium
[/ QUOTE ]
One thing that I love about the 3000 factory tops is the rear upright supports. More strength and somehow a rally look. You might consider getting a pair and having that integrated. I would try and use a donor 3000 top so that the windlace, window and rubber from a 3000 hardtop will be available in 20 years when yours may need refreshing. Just a thought. It also has just the right lines and a great starting point for your coachbuilder. Using original stock sidescreens would also be desirable for similar reasons. Just some thoughts.
Healey on !!
Tracy
I am thinking of getting my coachbuilder to make one for me in aluminium
[/ QUOTE ]
One thing that I love about the 3000 factory tops is the rear upright supports. More strength and somehow a rally look. You might consider getting a pair and having that integrated. I would try and use a donor 3000 top so that the windlace, window and rubber from a 3000 hardtop will be available in 20 years when yours may need refreshing. Just a thought. It also has just the right lines and a great starting point for your coachbuilder. Using original stock sidescreens would also be desirable for similar reasons. Just some thoughts.
Healey on !!
Tracy
Thanks bighly, have after 10+ yrs finally acquired a pair of the early one piece perspex sidescreens, now making up new ones, looked at prices of second hand tops, discussed with coachbuilder, and first pass is can get custom made/fit for about same as second hand without retrofit costs, and in ali not f/glass!
he has already hand made new boot and bonnet lids for me in ali, fit is as good as jap cars re gaps
he has already hand made new boot and bonnet lids for me in ali, fit is as good as jap cars re gaps
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Required some hand fitting & trimming/installing the rear screen.
[/ QUOTE ]
Dave is a master of understatement--"lots" is more like it though that should not have been a surprise given the ideosynchratic nature of BN1's/2's.
I installed the rear stays both for esthetic reasons as well as to make the top more rigid prior to fitting the rear window--Freeman's top is very light and deforms easily with the pushing effort necessary to fit the windows into the seal.
I have seen pictures of one aluminum hardtop made for a 100 at some time and place unknown. Like the early FG tops made by aftermarket suppliers the window opening followed the line of the soft top and was, to my eye, butt-ugly. The design that Freeman came up with is an adaptation of the factory 6-cylinder tops shortened appropriately, but has a much more pleasing appearance with a wrap-around rear window.
I'm attaching one photo of the top taken from the rear showing the window and stays.
Required some hand fitting & trimming/installing the rear screen.
[/ QUOTE ]
Dave is a master of understatement--"lots" is more like it though that should not have been a surprise given the ideosynchratic nature of BN1's/2's.
I installed the rear stays both for esthetic reasons as well as to make the top more rigid prior to fitting the rear window--Freeman's top is very light and deforms easily with the pushing effort necessary to fit the windows into the seal.
I have seen pictures of one aluminum hardtop made for a 100 at some time and place unknown. Like the early FG tops made by aftermarket suppliers the window opening followed the line of the soft top and was, to my eye, butt-ugly. The design that Freeman came up with is an adaptation of the factory 6-cylinder tops shortened appropriately, but has a much more pleasing appearance with a wrap-around rear window.
I'm attaching one photo of the top taken from the rear showing the window and stays.
Attachments
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks bighly, have after 10+ yrs finally acquired a pair of the early one piece perspex sidescreens, now making up new ones,
[/ QUOTE ]
It is only my opinion. I had one piece Perspex side screens once. They are hard/impossible to keep sealed to the top, especially at any speed, are a royal nuisance to open or close, like roll up windows that won't roll down, & have a down sweep rear contour at the back that makes for very little head clearance when entering or exiting, Unless uou have an extra short neck. They work even less well than the original BN1, BN2, plexiglass/canvas affairs, which can at least be opened. If you put the solid plexi screens on a hardtop, you will almost certainly need to install some kind of external door latches to get the doors open.
The later aluminum framed sliding side screens are better in all respects. I would have the window openings in the new top contoured to match the later screens which have a higher rear corner, & use later aluminum framed screens.
I agree with Michael on the proportions, side & rear window contours. I guess everyone has different preferences but these things are very hard to change later.
D
Thanks bighly, have after 10+ yrs finally acquired a pair of the early one piece perspex sidescreens, now making up new ones,
[/ QUOTE ]
It is only my opinion. I had one piece Perspex side screens once. They are hard/impossible to keep sealed to the top, especially at any speed, are a royal nuisance to open or close, like roll up windows that won't roll down, & have a down sweep rear contour at the back that makes for very little head clearance when entering or exiting, Unless uou have an extra short neck. They work even less well than the original BN1, BN2, plexiglass/canvas affairs, which can at least be opened. If you put the solid plexi screens on a hardtop, you will almost certainly need to install some kind of external door latches to get the doors open.
The later aluminum framed sliding side screens are better in all respects. I would have the window openings in the new top contoured to match the later screens which have a higher rear corner, & use later aluminum framed screens.
I agree with Michael on the proportions, side & rear window contours. I guess everyone has different preferences but these things are very hard to change later.
D
Thanks for the comments Dave and Michael, sounds like a challenge ahead!, me thinks if I can at present do the finsbury flop into the car with the soft top up then with the same clearance around the window space with a hardtop should present no difficulties to me, I am 6'1", the only thing is headroom, might have to take the seat slides out!
It sounds as though there is no hard and fast design then?
It sounds as though there is no hard and fast design then?
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
These the side screens you are referring to Dave Russell?
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes - exactly. I really wish you could drive the car for a while with these screens on before making a final decision. It's hard to describe how awkward it can be to have fixed side windows. My BN2 came with the older fixed screens for some reason, PO preference? I agree that the canvas - Plexi original screens were butt ugly. I had a couple of years experience with them. There is a reason that the factory went with sliding sidescreens on later cars.
How are you planning to access the inside only door latches. On the softtop it could be unsnapped & a hand reached in to move the latch. Not so with a hardtop.
Good luck,
D
These the side screens you are referring to Dave Russell?
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes - exactly. I really wish you could drive the car for a while with these screens on before making a final decision. It's hard to describe how awkward it can be to have fixed side windows. My BN2 came with the older fixed screens for some reason, PO preference? I agree that the canvas - Plexi original screens were butt ugly. I had a couple of years experience with them. There is a reason that the factory went with sliding sidescreens on later cars.
How are you planning to access the inside only door latches. On the softtop it could be unsnapped & a hand reached in to move the latch. Not so with a hardtop.
Good luck,
D
healey_100_s
Senior Member
Offline
Thanks Dave Russell, am going to do as you suggest, that is drive it with the one piece sidescreens for a while, want to keep it original within reason, seeing as its body number 860, have some ideas on access though, just gathering info/thoughts at this stage!
How I got hold of the original perspex is a saga in its own right!, but thats another story!
How I got hold of the original perspex is a saga in its own right!, but thats another story!
Thanks healey 100 s,
Yours is the second pic of that type i've seen, how is the vis rearwards?, it appears to use the original front screen latch, does it use the rear shroud cleats also? might have to have you cover with glad wrap and cover with plumbers foam so as to make a mold that my metalman can make a last from!.
Look out, the dockers are coming to get you!
Yours is the second pic of that type i've seen, how is the vis rearwards?, it appears to use the original front screen latch, does it use the rear shroud cleats also? might have to have you cover with glad wrap and cover with plumbers foam so as to make a mold that my metalman can make a last from!.
Look out, the dockers are coming to get you!
healey_100_s
Senior Member
Offline
Hi,
Excellent vision and yes, is uses the latches and rear shroud teardrops . Whats your email address ( if its ok to disclose on this forum)- I have 20 odd photos you can view. Ive sent you a pm
Excellent vision and yes, is uses the latches and rear shroud teardrops . Whats your email address ( if its ok to disclose on this forum)- I have 20 odd photos you can view. Ive sent you a pm