Hard top acquisition

[KevinBN]

I met a fellow Healey owner at a show this summer who said he had a hard top for a big Healey. The photo is the result. He wasn't sure which model it was for so I took the chance and had it shipped to my home. Sadly it is the a BT and not a BN. Thought I would share the find. Kevin

 

[Healeysince59]

Sent you a PM. Marv J

 

[DanZ_BT7]

You should probably sell it to me. I live in the Northwest where hardtops are necessary.

 

[KevinBN]

DanZ, The top isn't for sale. If I cannot use it there are local people who already have dibs on it.
I'm not sure why I was so **** bent to own it. I'm still trying to imagine a scenario where I would have it on. This car gets about 1500 miles a year. All in the sun.

 

[maxwedge5281]

there is a factory hardtop on ebay right now...asking around 4-4500 i think...no affiliation!

 

[wolf]

okay , I am going to show my lack of knowledge here .... what is the difference between a BN and a BT hardtop ?

 

[British_Recovery]

Rear window lower edge and aluminum piece, and the mounting brackets inside.
Bob

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

The BT7 and the BN4 tops were the same. The BN6 and BN7 tops were also identical to each other but significantly different than the BN4 and BT7 hardtops. The late Ron Phillips wrote a nice article on the difference between the two and four seater tops. (Link Below)

https://www.mossmotoring.com/factory-hardtops-big-healeys/

okay , I am going to show my lack of knowledge here .... what is the difference between a BN and a BT hardtop ?

 

[John Turney]

DanZ, The top isn't for sale. If I cannot use it there are local people who already have dibs on it.
I'm not sure why I was so **** bent to own it. I'm still trying to imagine a scenario where I would have it on. This car gets about 1500 miles a year. All in the sun.

I find having mine on keeps the sun off the top of my "hair-challenged" head much better than a hat, which has been known to blow off.

 

[rossco]

I have a sheet metal top with the proper clamping hardware. I've never tried to fit it to the 100 but it's not fiberglass. Wonder what it is.

 

[wolf]

many thanks for the hard top information and the link to the Ron Philips article .

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

If anyone's looking for a 2-seater hardtop, there's now one for sale on eBay!! (No connection.)


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Austin-Hea...ash=item33ad239983:g:y9YAAOSwcBhWUgbB&vxp=mtr


Duane
'58 BN6 w/factory HT

 

[Keoke]

If anyone's looking for a 2-seater hardtop, there's now one for sale on eBay!! (No connection.)

Duane:
Available for local pick up only.

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

If anyone's looking for a 2-seater hardtop, there's now one for sale on eBay!! (No connection.)

Duane:
Available for local pick up only.

Keoke,

Yes, but there are numerous shipping companies that you can contract with that will pick it up for you and handle the complete shipment! All you need is $$$!

Thanks,
Duane

 

[SideShifter Tri-Carb]

What is the consensus as to scratching of the shroud and fenders with the hardtop installed? I would like to have mine refinished, but have had trouble finding someone to do it. I have somewhat given up because of the potential wear/scratching issue.

 

[John Turney]

What is the consensus as to scratching of the shroud and fenders with the hardtop installed? I would like to have mine refinished, but have had trouble finding someone to do it. I have somewhat given up because of the potential wear/scratching issue.

It's not a problem for the 4-seat cars. The hard top rides on the aluminum cockpit trim and not the pained shroud (or fenders). I put some silver duct tape over the cockpit trim to make sure I didn't scratch it when putting it on or off. The tape is covered by the bottom hard top trim, or the tonnneau cover when it's off.

 

[healeyblue]

The hard top takes some time to do up right, but can be done even in bad shape as my thread proves. It's one of the few cars where a hard top actually looks good installed. And with us longbridge cars its so difficult to raise the soft top that the hard top is so much more appealing.
https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?94916-The-longbridge-gets-a-hard-top

 

[Michael Oritt]

Given how hard it is to find a two-seater top the price is not bad though it will definitely need a full restoration.

Years ago I bought a top for my ex-wife's BN7 that was owned by a fellow who had a beautifully restored BN6. He sold the car to someone who simply did not want the top and I bought it for $2200.00. I drove her car up to the Harrisburg PA area, paid for the top, clamped it down and drove home.

The top was a fair fit with some significant gaps along the rear deck and it needed new windlacing and gaskets. I figured that new rubber would make up the difference but no matter what I did and how hard I applied the clamps the gaps would not disappear. I am of the belief that even though Healeys were production cars there was enough variation from car to car to require custom fitting and when tops were fitted to cars at the factory they likely had the benefit of having several on hand to choose from and picked the one that fit the best before doing final trimming, etc.

I always intended to do a complete rebuild of the hardtop but we got divorced before I got around to it. I miss that car.

 

[maxwedge5281]

the two seater hardtop on ebay went for 2395 plus it was local pickup. it was missing some parts and would need a total rebuild. i was thinking of bidding, but no where close to that price. i know new ones are expensive but this seemed to be rather pricey considering condition. any comments from the forum regarding the ebay sale price?

 

[Bobbydsport]

I had two '56 BN2 Healey's when young. One was my first car in 1959 that I traded in '61 for a '58 Impala. The other one in '63 when I was in the service. The 2nd one had a hardtop that I think was fiberglass & had a dark red vinyl top material on it. It fit very well & I never had any issue with it having any gaps or leaks. I sold that Healey in 1965 for $250 when I got married. Good thing I got rid of that one (not).


Bobbyd