Convertible top installation

[Griz]

I'm preparing to install the convertible top on my BJ7 and need some advice. Does the convertible top fabric attach to the inverted "J" metal piece before or after the "J" is attached to the drip gutter? Is the "J" attached to the drip gutter with sheet metal screws or rivets?

Thanks,
Griz

 

[Randy Forbes]

I'm preparing to install the convertible top on my BJ7 and need some advice. Does the convertible top fabric attach to the inverted "J" metal piece before or after the "J" is attached to the drip gutter? Is the "J" attached to the drip gutter with sheet metal screws or rivets?

Thanks,
Griz

I no longer remember the exact order in which I did everything__presumably in the opposite order that I got it all apart, eh?__but you're welcome to browse through this album of the work I did putting a top onto a BJ8 (very similar, save for how the window attaches):

https://spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/reMKIII/top_work

It's looking like the material is clipped on before installation...

The fit at the bottom, onto that strip, you can play with and adjust until you get it right. I think the part that had me the most stressed out was gluing the fabric flap around the rearmost top bow; to me, this dictates how the finished top "looks" positioned correctly, aligning the seam to the bow.

It's an off putting process, but clearly doable; if you get to a task/series of tasks that are getting you riled up, just walk away from it for an hour__or a day__before going back. With a fresh approach, nearly always that which was an earlier frustration is more easily worked through the second time around. Good luck!

EDIT: for inspiration!

 

[Keoke]

I'm preparing to install the convertible top on my BJ7 and need some advice. Does the convertible top fabric attach to the inverted "J" metal piece before or after the "J" is attached to the drip gutter? Is the "J" attached to the drip gutter with sheet metal screws or rivets?

Thanks,
Griz

Just make sure the ambient temperature is above 70 degrees F when you decide to reinstall the top.

 

[bob hughes]

Well, this is roughly how I set mine up - twice, for various reasons. I marked the centre line of the hood (soft top) with a yellow pencil crayon (easy to rub off later) front and rear and also the windscreen and the rear of the cockpit. I fitted the edges around the rear of the side windows with a temporary tack or two using some scrap vinyl as a sort of a washer (matching up the centre lines as best as I could) then did the same with the front to the wooden bow.

Then turned to the rear and pulled the hood down and marked the line around the bottom of the hood where it hit the drain channel. Now this is where the gamble comes - you fit the J section to the base of the hood using the clips then I used a few small clamps and the odd self tapper to fit it to the drain channel as best as. to see the O/A effect. Talking to an upholsterer in the Healey / car trade he said that he sometimes has several attempts to get it right.

Once all is fine, screw the J section into the channel . The surplus hanging down below the J section could then be trimmed off. Then the side window areas and then the front bow can be tacked properly. I can not say that the look was as good as Randy's but there is no distortion when viewing through it using the rear view mirror and it looks as good as most of the Healeys I see around.



Bob

 

[Griz]

All good comments guys, thanks a lot. Randy, I see from your first photo that the J metal looks to be one piece. The replacement that I got from Moss is two pieces, split right at the middle of the car. I would think that welding them together would simplify the top installation process. Comments?

Griz

 

[BJ8Healeys]

Griz, the original J-channel is in two pieces welded together.

Attaching the top fabric to the J-channel with the barbed clips is a trial and error process to get it right. If you wrap around too much material, the top will be too tight at the rear and you won't be able to line up the screw holes in the J-channel with the holes in the drip channel. If you don't wrap enough material, the top will be too loose at the rear although lining up the screw holes is easier, of course. I found that using a few probes (awl, ice pick, any such similar tool) as temporary fasteners to judge the correct fit of the top at the rear is much better than installing and removing screws. If you will contact me directly at sbyers@ec.rr.com, I can send you a written procedure for installing a BJ7 top.

 

[grimes6]

I have been researching the forum for the soft top installation to the rear scuttle . From the original parts BMC parts book (akd3524) I have been able to glean the following:
The clips (14a4497)required on the rail trim rear (ahb9556) (806-735 moss) are :BJ7 -early clip out window x36 ; later zip out window bj7/8 x44 .
The rubber seals for the above rail trim are ; early BJ7 AHB9918 - 75" long ; later bj7 bj8 ahb9935
Can anyone supply the original part number for the drain channel ? Image attached

Regards,
Greg