I'd have rather gone for a root-canal...

[Randy Forbes]

But I managed to get the top fitted to the Healey today. I still need to fit a few fasteners (the caps for the "hide-em" strip and obtain some shorter screws for the forwardmost "awning" holes).

Scratch another task off the list /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

So I no sooner get done with that, and another sidescreen car shows up for some service work...

 

[Randy Forbes]

BTW, which way does the header weatherstip go; thick part of the wedge to the front, or to the rear?

TIA.

 

[GregW]

Hi Randy,
Looks like the rollbar is gone. Does that unbolt? Or was a sawzall the tool of choice?

P.S. Top looks nice!

 

[Keoke]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif

Thick part of the wedge to the front.--Fwiw--Keoke

 

[Randy Forbes]

Hi Randy,
Looks like the rollbar is gone. Does that unbolt? Or was a sawzall the tool of choice?

P.S. Top looks nice!

Yes, bolt-in. I may bend a shorter one; or not /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Thanks, the two-seaters looked very unique with the top up; certainly NOT glamorous, more of a form follows function type thing. But I like the look.

 

[Randy Forbes]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif

Thick part of the wedge to the front.--Fwiw--Keoke

Thanks for verfyng that. It sure looked like that would do the most good, given the angle of the top bow to the wndshield header, but you never know with these cars...

I'll probably wrap that up tomorrow.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Looks very nice.

I've never tried to install a top myself, and with all of the reports about what a headache it is, probably never will.

Bravo on the stick-to-it-iveness. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

 

[Lin]

Randy,
Who supplied your top? Is it a Robbins?
I need to order one for my BT7.

Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[Keoke]

Randy,
Who supplied your top? Is it a Robbins?
I need to order one for my BT7.

Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

Hi Lin, Robbins is a top Hood manufactured here in the US. You can not go wrong using their product.--Fwiw--Keoke

 

[Randy Forbes]

Looks very nice.

I've never tried to install a top myself, and with all of the reports about what a headache it is, probably never will.

Bravo on the stick-to-it-iveness. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

Thank you.

I've done dozens of MGB & TR-4 (through 6) tops, but not as many Healey tops. I guess I'm a little out of shape. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

 

[Randy Forbes]

Randy,
Who supplied your top? Is it a Robbins?
I need to order one for my BT7.

Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

Good question; I found it on Ebay a few years ago. I was curious about trying a tannish color top with the wine-red paint, and didn't want to spend full-price on a look-see.

I agree with Keoke; you cannot go wrong with a Robbins top. They have (historically) always fit the best, with the least amount of trouble. Nearly always, all the hardware is in place, and oftentimes, even have the header line marked with chalk to simplify installation.

 

[nevets]

looking good...and no dentist drill required!

 

[John Loftus]

Nice job. Relax and have some ice cream until the pain goes away!. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[Randy Forbes]

Nice job. Relax and have some ice cream until the pain goes away!. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

LOL! That's the best recommendation I've heard all week /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Incidently, a couple days ago, my wife was wearing a T-shirt that said "there's nothing wrong with me that a little ice-cream won't fix"

Sure beats snake-oil...

 

[roscoe]

Looks very nice, Randy. Is that a vynl or a Sunfast top? I'm going to be doing mine soon. I've never done one and would appreciate your thoughts on the two materials. Is Sunfast worth the extra expense? Seeing as how my last name is Robbins, I can really only consider one brand, on the other hand it doesn't seem to get me a discount at the ice cream store either.

Jon

 

[Randy Forbes]

Looks very nice, Randy. Is that a vynl or a Sunfast top? I'm going to be doing mine soon. I've never done one and would appreciate your thoughts on the two materials. Is Sunfast worth the extra expense? Seeing as how my last name is Robbins, I can really only consider one brand, on the other hand it doesn't seem to get me a discount at the ice cream store either.

Jon

Hi Jon,
Thanks. I'm not really sure; it feels more like rubberized canvas than either vinyl or sunfast cloth. As I got it on Ebay, I don't have a clue who made it.

My BMWs have sunfast cloth tops, and they look so much nicer than vinyl, though I'm pretty sure that vinyl would be more appropriate from an originality standpoint, as far as Healeys are concerned.

If I were to do it again...

I would install my own vinyl tops, but I would seek out a professional to install a sunfast cloth top. The reason is that I think the vinyl is more forgiving to tucking, stretching and contours, whereas the sunfast (canvas) may require "darts" to achieve the desired results.

But I don't know, as I've never installed a canvas top, though I'll find out soon enough, as soon as the black or gray car needs another one (BMW OEM tops are notorious for being an excellent fit).

 

[Lin]

Thanks, Randy.
I think I will go with the Robbins vinyl top

Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[steveg]

What kind of exhaust system is that?

 

[Randy Forbes]

What kind of exhaust system is that?

Garbage. It's laying on the shop floor, as of this afternoon. It's main components are a pair old school Smitty's glasspacks and a locally (and poorly) bent set of tailpipes.

A new Monza exhaust was delivered yesterday, so I'm planning on going back down to the garage in a little while to start fitting/welding the header connectors to the muffler.

Unfortunately, the rear tube shocks occupy the same spot the new pipes need to run through, so fitting them will have to wait a few weeks. I'll be collecting all my spares from storage in Florida in another couple of weeks, and a set of nearly new (laughs to self...) lever arm shocks are part of the collection.

Might even pull the MGC gearbox out and go back to the sideshifter. Funny how one's priorities can change over the course of a (extended) restoration...

 

[Randy Forbes]

... A new Monza exhaust was delivered yesterday, so I'm planning on going back down to the garage in a little while to start fitting/welding the header connectors to the muffler...

Muffler fitted to headers last night, and remainder wrapped up today.

Great looking/sounding exhaust, but now only three (3) shock-absorbers! I'll get that resolved as soon as I bring all the spares up from Florida.

As for the Monza's three (3) fitted hangers, of the two (2) I used, they were both in the wrong place to match the factory isolators. More cutting & welding.