Nothing like a cloudburst...

[SaxMan]

...to learn just how fast you can throw up the top on your LBC.

I was taking Little Blue out for some routine exercise with my daughter in her usual spot as co-pilot. We starting getting a couple of spatters on the windshield. Then the heavens opened up on us. I pulled off into an elementary school and threw the top up. I didn't time it, but it had to have been in the neighborhood of a minute or less. I'm not sure how much longer it would have taken me on and older Spridget or BE, but today I'm glad I had a Sprite IV. Also discovered that the triple wiper set up works reasonably well.

If it was up to my daughter, she would have left the top down, downpour and all.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I can't imagine how long it takes to erect a BE top. Tell me team as I am curious.

 

[nomad]

Never timed it but a BE top goes up in a flash compared to the 64 to 67 top. Those square bodies are the cars that I prefer but you don't take chance's when you see rain cloud's looming. Also keep my eyes open for gas station's with canopy's and car wash'es. I've saved myself from a couple of hail storm's by diving into car wash'es. No one is washing their car when it's raining.

Kurt.

 

[SaxMan]

Got caught in a second one today, but not as bad as yesterday's or as prolonged. This time I was by myself and quickly discovered that maintaining a brisk pace tends to keep the rain out of the car, or at least off of you. When I first test drove the Sprite, I marveled at how close the windshield was to you, but that some closeness offers some degree of cover from the rain. I did get rain spatters on the inside of the windshield. I kept thinking "Boy these wipers aren't doing the job today", until I realized that the wipers were on the opposite side of the window. Fortunately the car mostly dried off by the time I got home, but I'll clean things up tonight.

 

[drooartz]

I can't imagine how long it takes to erect a BE top. Tell me team as I am curious.

Never timed it myself, but it's not too bad. Frame out, around, and in, top over, release the springs. Digging the top out form behind the seats takes the most time for sure.

 

[BillW103]

If I ever get a top I now know how long it will take to put it up. Haven't been caught yet.

 

[aeronca65t]

I have a '69 MGB with the removable frame and packaway top. I can get the top on (but I may skip about half the snaps) in around 5 minutes.

My folding top '73 Midget can be up in less than a minute (but not all the snaps will be done).

My Miata top can go up in about 10 seconds.

I'm pretty sure my ~Robin Hood Super 7~ would take about a half an hour!

 

[nomad]

Wondering Nial what makes the super 7 a "Robin Hood"? Also what engine is in it and if it takes in rain like the early BE since it has lift the dot fastener's at the windshield?

Kurt.

 

[Keith_M]

I know this is the Spridget forum, but along these lines there's an interesting article in the latest Austin Healey magazine that proposes a tonneau cover that covers the driver and passenger. It's a sort of a cross between a tonneau cover and a rain coat. I tried to find a picture on the club website but I couldn't find a link to the magazine. Anyway, it's worth a look if you can find a copy.

 

[aeronca65t]

Wondering Nial what makes the super 7 a "Robin Hood"?.......

Kurt.

Kurt:

I did an intro with details of the car ~HERE~

 

[nomad]

Don't know how I missed that thread, Nial. Looks like lots of fun and good lookin besides. By pinto engine I assume, as someone else mentioned in that thread, that it is the later overhead cam Pinto engine. The early Pinto's over here had the cross flow push rod Kent engine. Don't think they were 2 liter either.

Kurt.

 

[aeronca65t]

Yes.....2 liter, OHC Pinto engine.

I actually owned one of those Kent-powered 1600 Pintos (and later, I owned two of the 2 liter, OHC Pintos).

 

[nomad]

I've been looking for the early pinto's with the Ford Kent cross-flow for years in old junk yard's but haven't found one. Think the formula ford guys have got them all.

Kurt.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Here you go Nial: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Other-Make...d23540de0&item=331305192928&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

 

[nomad]

Trevor, that makes a rusty spridget project look like a piece of cake. Amazing what some people put time and effort into. Actually doesn't look too bad except from the front.

Kurt.

 

[JPSmit]

I've been looking for the early pinto's with the Ford Kent cross-flow for years in old junk yard's but haven't found one. Think the formula ford guys have got them all.

Kurt.

interestingly, I was thinking the other day about a (one day) 5 speed swap for Ms Triss. For the 1500 engine this is easiest with a Ford T9 transmission, which is cheap and common in the UK and rarer haere having been used (as far as I can tell) only on the Merkur XR4ti. Which got me thinking about a whole engine swap which got me googling the engine which seems to be related to the Pinto engine.

thoughts?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkur_XR4Ti

 

[nomad]

I believe the T9 was used on a bunch of things in England and Europe which we didn't get. Some nice engines as well but you would have to know someone that could get it here cheap. Read about someone that I think was adapting a T9 to a MG TD that had business in England and brought one back as carry-on.

Kurt.

 

[nomad]

Why not a Spitfire overdrive, JP?? Been done and I think I prefer a over-drive to a 5 speed.

Kurt.

 

[aeronca65t]

Here you go Nial: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Other-Make...d23540de0&item=331305192928&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Good grief! Who would spend all that time on a result like that?

JP-My 7 has the T9. It's OK, but nothing great. Clunky really.
I'd actually prefer your stock four speed with a taller (3.7) final drive.

 

[JPSmit]

Good grief! Who would spend all that time on a result like that?

JP-My 7 has the T9. It's OK, but nothing great. Clunky really.
I'd actually prefer your stock four speed with a taller (3.7) final drive.

Interesting to know - My understanding of the benefit of the T9 has more to do with size - being smaller than a T5.

"Why not a Spitfire overdrive, JP?? Been done and I think I prefer a over-drive to a 5 speed.

Kurt."

Have thought about it Kurt, though I know where two T9's are - and no Spits.

Of course this is all just hypothetical because I have too much time and not enough sense to leave things alone. As well, I am on a British forum as well - which is much more about customizing, lowering and new engines - and it feels like the Brits are much more ingenious about engine/ transmission swaps than we are.