Cuts in BJ8 Convertible Top

[RAC68]

A short while back I asked for some wat to patch small cuts in my convertible top. Although some seemed to have experienced this issue, fold-down care did not seem to be a factor and I often felt it to be cause by the frame scissoring caught material.

Recently, I removed my 46 year old replacement top to hand sew in a new rear window zipper (what a pain). During the process of replacing the top, I happened to rub my hands on the frame and found section welds with very sharp edges that I ground smooth. I can’t be sure these edges are a cause for the cuts, however, it seems potential.

Here is a picture of one of the sections after being ground smooth.



Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[vette]

Ray, I don't believe rough welds were the cause of my tears. I am pretty sure that it was from the top being caught in the scissors of the frame bows as the top is being stowed. Years ago I didn't think I had that issue, then during the summer a year ago I just couldn't seem to stow the top without it being caught. Now recently I have lowered the top rather successfully without pinching I believe. I must be going thru spasmatic senior moments because at one moment it seems to stow fine then the next I can't keep it from being pinched. but it seems that with direct deliberate upon the stowing that I can keep the top material out of the frames scissoring effect. But it is difficult and requires constant attention to keeping the material pushed back into the corners as far away from the bows as possible.

 

[RAC68]

Hi Vette,

Yes, I agree that is the most probable cause of my cuts as well. The scissor action of the top frame on the top, even with a significant effort in taking care the top doesn't get caught when stowing, seems to be the primary cause. However, these frame welds were quite sharp and could easily be a contributing factor.

My purpose for posting was to notify others of my discovery as I had not noticed or looked at these rough welds prior and only found them when I accidently cut my hand during the reinstallation of my top.

Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[Lotuswins]

Ray, I've always wondered about the scissor action of the top frame, and have been careful about folding it since I installed it. I've wondered if the factory had glued another piece of vinyl on the inside of the top to keep it from folding into the scissor section, or somehow did something to prevent the cutting...

 

[RAC68]

Hi Jerry,

I am beginning to believe that this issue has grown with the thickness of materials used on Healey tops. I can't complain as I fitted my replacement top in 1971 and it still looks good although has these small cuts. Yes, car in folding is needed, however, it is almost impossible to guaranty that the material has cleared the frame as the space is too tight to really guide the fold-down when nearing its completion.

I have just completed removing my top from the frame to hand-sew a new window zipper (what a pain). With the top off and the rear interior sections removed, I was able to examine the frame folded without the top installed. After installing the top and before replacing the interior panels, I again folded the top carefully, moving from side to side and guiding the folding material as I have often done. As expected, a number of attempts showed that, at the very end of the fold-down process, occasionally the top fabric would just push out and into the path of the frame...but not necessarily in a way to be scissored. This activity proved to me that although care in folding could help reduce the potential for cutting the top, it could not eliminate the possibility.

I can't remember if my original top was different or if the replacement top lacked anything the original had. However, I can't think of how or where an additional panel would be placed to protect the scissoring of the top. My top is made from quite thick vinyl covered fabric ...I expect similar to original...and because of the heft of the material and, because of the tight fold-down space, seems to be more susceptible to pushing into the path of the frame. I wonder if a top of less thickness would have these same issues.

Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[HealeyRick]

Ray,

The top on my BJ7 is the original that came with the car (removed in 1965 when it was turned into an SCCA racer and many years later put back on by me). It has the cuts you described.