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Retrofitting removable soft top to a '71 B

William

Darth Vader
Offline
Hey gang! So, was talking to Dad, and we realized that the folding soft top on the B was in dire need of replacing. The vinyl itself is coming apart, and the frame has been broken since we bought the car (wrestling the thing up or down is a two person job and usually takes ten minutes). In addition, the mounting plates just behind the door all have loose screws that won't tighten up. Our car is a '71, with the original folding frame (the vinyl was replaced at some point before Dad bought the car). From what I can tell, the removable "roadster" style soft tops from earlier MGBs (the packaway tent kind) should be pretty easy to fit to a later car-all the ragtop fittings, snaps and such, should be the same, and the removable frame itself should use the same brackets as the tonneau brace. Is this correct info? I'm stumped, and can't find a clear answer in any of my books.

By the by, the reason Dad thinks the removable packaway tent is a good solution is simply because his old '67 B had one, so he knows how to put one up or take one down in under a minute. Since the car's far from original to begin with (engine mods, repaint, interior, etc.), fiddling with the ragtop won't bother us.

Thanks!

-William
 
The tops are all interchangable. You will need to find an early frame and be sure you have the tonneau sockets installed on your car (chrome brackets with vertical slots where the old frame attached). You can reuse your existing header rail. I've used both types and the folding type is faster to raise when needed. That said, I prefer the stowaway type because it leaves a huge storage space behind the seats. Living in So Cal, I usually leave the top at home anyway.
 
Patton- Sorry I took so long to reply-I only get to check email a few times a week. After conferring with Dad, we're definitely interested. Offline email being sent shortly......

-William
 
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