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hardtop help

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barnekow

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there have probably been a lot of posts on this but i cant find any of them so i have to ask.

how do you put on a fiberglass hardtop for a midget. i belive it is a snugtop. I can fit it onto the windscreen fine but i have no idea how to fix it on the back. The back had brackets on the back but i couldn't find where they attached so i took them off. I've run out of ideas so any advice would be great.
 
HI, I have a fibreglass hardtop on my 1970, and it is a snug fit. There are 2 clasps on the windscreen for the soft top or hard top. The clip portion of both tops matches the clasps. The bacck of the hardtop actually just sits on top of the neatly folded and stowed soft top or tonneau top. Be careful when putting the top on if you are alone you can scratch the paint on the back deck. Lifting it off is easy. I can do both on and off by myself. The top is not heavy it is just a bit awkward. Been running that way by the PO and now myself for years, and its never blown off.
 
I think there should be two turnbuckle type clamps that connect to the brackets for the tonneau bar
 
agreed Trevor there are two side brackets that bolt up to the tonneau bar, but I do not have a tonneau bar, and seldom use it. The brackets are still on my top though. They sort of help me align the top when dropping it in place, but if I make a mistake will defintely cause a BIG scratch in my new paint,,,HMMM...I think tonight they will come off. Hey I gotta post a couple of pics of SPARKY now that he's finished,,but its gotta stop raining so I can take them first....
 
well that takes care of most of the problems i couldn't figure out. Thanks for the help, but the back of the top is still doesn't look right though. even with the soft top installed it doesn't look quite right. The back of it seems to hang to far over the raised profile between the interior and the seam of the trunk. Is that normal or am I being to much of a perfectionist?
 
How far back does it go?
 
The area that i'm looking at the most are the corners, it starts out matching the body lines but it doesn't follow the curve in the back. I'd say the corners sticks out about an inch, the back of it seems reletively straight but the body has a curve. If i can find a way to get pictures to the internet i will post them.
 
Now I'm wondering if the hardtop is correct for the car...there were 4 different factory hardtops for the Midget & I've found that none fits all...I've got an extra hardtop just because of that!
 
here are some pictures of it, i hope it helps
 

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There was only 1 photo but from what I see, its a factory hardtop...need to see the side of the car with the hardtop on it.....what year is your car?
 
See post below (sorry for double post)
 
Problem is, you've got a factory hardtop for a MkII Midget - it won't fit your car which is a MkIII....see that indented area in the front of the top? It fits the earlier body...I've got an extra one of those tops for the exact same reason - I wanted to put it on my '74 RWA MkIII Midget - won't work!

The correct hardtop for your car should be straight all along the bottom.
 
well that explains why it doesn't fit, I wouldn't think the MkII would be that different then the MkIII. I guess I've got some figuring out to do. Thanks for all the help!
 
From <u>Original Sprite & Midget</u> about the MkIII Midget:

"...the rear edge of the cockpit was extended 4" rearwards to accomodate the new folding hod. The rear edge was now formed by a raised section with an upwardly turned flange to act as the securing face for the rear edge of the hood. The new hood frame was bolted to the inside of the B-posts throgh three captive nuts per ide, the mounting sockets for the earlier hood frame being deleted."

All that changed the way the hardtop fits. Here's what is said about the hardtop itself: 'The factory hardtop for the Sprite MkIV and Midget MkIII was based on that of the previous type, but with revised shaping to suit the new rear edging of the cockpit."

Look at it this way: that hardtop is worth a few hundred dollars!

Me, I've gotta buy a MkII Midget ('64-'66) since I already have a MkI ('61-'64), III ('66-'74), & 1500 ('75-'79).
 
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