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Hardtop interior solutions?

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Jim Lee

Jedi Trainee
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This is not at the top of my list of priorities but has anyone else come up with a reasonable solution to finishing the interior of an ancient hardtop? I have a TR3 hard top that is in excellent condition with the notable exception of the scratched up foggy rear window. I had a sheet of insulation and some nasty fabric on the inside of my hardtop but it has outlived its usefulness for sure. I was riding around with my balding head being pushed down by my hardtop interiors confused configuration. I am not a stickler for originality but it would be nice to know what was originally there. I am thinking of just painting it white to improve the amount of light in my cockpit.

Thanks very much,
Jim Lee
 
Apparently, some had fabric simply glued to the metal; others had the fabric supported by bows. I don't know why or when the difference, but my top has the remains of the bows & hanging fabric, while the photo below (from Carl Musson I believe) is supposedly original as well.

Hmm, I just noticed that Carl's photo also shows the post-60K rear view mirror, while my car was much earlier. Perhaps that explains the difference in headliners ???

I never liked the hardtop much, so it's been hanging in the garage rafters for over 20 years. Not sure I'll even bother transferring the fittings to the project TR3.
 

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If anyone has a spare angle bracket for the steel factory hardtop, the 90Âş piece mounted to the hardtop that the securing bolt goes through, (to the body), please let me know.

I may have to fab one up, but just asking......

According to TRF, who doesn't have them, there are two sizes; One for the three in the back, and another for the two on the sides of the hardtop.
 
Jim? If you need more light in the cockpit, take the top off. lol
 
The original hardtop trapped gearbox and road sounds and made the interior quite noisy. The best solution I've seen was one trimmed with a modern sound absorbing material. It was sort of like an aerated foam and an auto trimmer supplied and fitted it.

Viv.
 
Hi Jim I use my hard top here in Washington because we have a lot of rain. I do not have a liner in mine, but the people who have commented when they see mine say they are surprised to see the thin metal band that is still in it. They maintain that the liner itself was Mohair fabric and was glued and held in by that one band? I have never seen an original so I am not sure.
Steve
 
"I never liked the hardtop much, so it's been hanging in the garage rafters for over 20 years. Not sure I'll even bother transferring the fittings to the project TR3."

I hear you. I had a dream that I was going to use it all winter and in the hottest days of the summer to escape the Carolina sun. I even rigged up a scary looking contraption which suspends the top from the ceiling of my garage so it would be easy to take on and off and store. It is not so bad getting on and off now, used to take an afternoon, but I have not followed through on the top allowing me to use it through the winter. I really do like the way it looks with the top on. An impossibly small car to us in the New World today. It really emphasizes how compact the post war food rationed Englishman of the early 60's was.

I think I am going to throw originality to the wind, as I usually do, and stick some of that dynamat (sp?) stuff that the kids with the super loud stereos use to insulate their cars and pretend they are sound studios. Stick a bunch of that on the inside and then paint it white...or at least a light color so I can see the interior of my most excellent car more clearly.

Thanks all,
Jim Lee
 
Mine has the single band and the entire inside is coated with a textured black, red underneath.

I purchased a foam core automotive headliner material from ebay that I will put underneath the band and fold and glue the edges.
 
Thanks for the excellent pix, Randall.... looks like I'm going to try out my fabbing skills sometime soon...
 
Jim Lee said:
This is not at the top of my list of priorities but has anyone else come up with a reasonable solution to finishing the interior of an ancient hardtop? I have a TR3 hard top that is in excellent condition with the notable exception of the scratched up foggy rear window. I had a sheet of insulation and some nasty fabric on the inside of my hardtop but it has outlived its usefulness for sure. I was riding around with my balding head being pushed down by my hardtop interiors confused configuration. I am not a stickler for originality but it would be nice to know what was originally there. I am thinking of just painting it white to improve the amount of light in my cockpit.

Thanks very much,
Jim Lee
Click to expand...

Jim: Have you considered "flocking" the inside surface?

https://www.craftflocking.com/index.php?pr=Home_Page
 
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