reviving a tonneau

[TonyPanchot]

Hi all was just wondering if ?? some how I can stretch my original tonneau. I hate to not use it as it is in mint condition with the original Triumph logo still on the rear side
it looks to be off (shrunk) 2 inches from front to rear
have put it in the dryer, in the sun and most recently soaked it hot water any thoughts ?? A good mineral oil bath ??

Thx,

Tony

 

[NutmegCT]

Tony - just heating it won't do the trick. Heat it - then stretch while it's warm - and in place.

During warm weather, lay the tonneau loosely over the car - in the sun. Let the sun heat it up, then, staying in the sun, stretch it slowly, snapping one tab at a time, moving from rear to front. If it still won't fit, you may need a new tonneau cover.

When I first got my TR a few years ago, the top and tonneau didn't fit. It was mid-winter, so during the cool weather, I put my car in the garage (actually ... the shed), loosely lay the tonneau over the car, and put a small catalytic heater (electric) on the passenger floor. Let the interior (and the tonneau) warm up, and again, gently stretched it. Worked like a charm. Leave it all in place while it cools.

Again - yours may be too far gone, but at least give the "heat and stretch" technique a try.

Hope this helps.
Tom

 

[Dale]

I don't know about yours specifically, but on some the seats with headrests must be folded forward. A goodly dose of patience helps, too. If you can get some of the snaps hooked and let it sit in the sun, the others may come around in time. The depressing thing is that it's the same routine each time it's installed as a few degrees cooler while it's off shrinks it back up again.

 

[Brosky]

I really have to get mine modified to fit the roll bar. I'm probably going to be stuck using it for a template to have a new one made.

 

[TonyPanchot]

spoke with a few old timers (from the interior division (GM)) today

and it was suggested that I should re-impregnate oils to the piece in question

then set in the sun for the day

next day install the best I can and

then use a pole to push up or a weight atop to apply downward pressure

let set and stretch

will let you know the results

 

[sail]

Mine is very tight however I find it easier to do the hard to reach snaps by the windshield first and then work back.
Maybe a year ago someone here posted a photo of neat extensions they added to the front that added a couple inches.

 

[NutmegCT]

spoke with a few old timers (from the interior division (GM)) today

and it was suggested that I should re-impregnate oils to the piece in question

then set in the sun for the day

next day install the best I can and

then use a pole to push up or a weight atop to apply downward pressure

let set and stretch

will let you know the results

oils?

what oils did they recommend you should use?

 

[rchakr]

I made some elastic 'extensions', using a male snap on one end, and a female snap on the other end of a short piece of elastic. Attached the extension to the tonneau (male snap) and the body tub (female snap), and it held the tonneau in place. I just didn't care for the looks, so I drilled out the snaps from the tonneau, and moved them to the edge, to give more room. Not perfect, but it looks better, and the tonneau fits perfectly.

 

[Brosky]

Nice avatar Bob!!

 

[Gliderman8]

Yellow Addict!

 

[Tomster]

Sorry for the re post (did this elsewhere) but I hung mine with a couple of buckets of weights clamped to the hanging end. I know that they use methyl hydrate to stretch shoes in shoe repair shops but am reluctant to do same with the tonneau. I replaced the zipper, adding 3/4 of and inch in width and have made up snap extensions similar to rchakr (above). I made mine out of 1 inch wide webbing similar to seatbelts for the windshield end
will repost in a couple of weeks when I am on the road