TR2/3/3A TR3 Hood Stick Webbing

[martx-5]

I want to install the hood sticks and webbing on the TR3 and have a couple of questions.

1. I've found at two different sites dimensions on how far apart the sticks should be, but they are not the same. One has rear bow to back mounting as 16", the other as 17 1/2". Middle bow to rear bow as 8", the other at 7". The front to middle is dictated by their distance when unfolded, so that's not a problem. What are the dimensions really supposed to be, or is this more of a whatever works best situation??

2. I lost the rear most mounting plate and need to make something, anyone have any pics of those??

3. Does the webbing that goes under that plate fold over itself for extra strength??

 

[Twosheds]

Rather than measure between the bows, I have always used trial fittings. The bows are supposed to align with the seams in the hood. Leave the rear bow to back mounting long and fiddle with the screws until everything fits.

I find that if you align the bows with the seams, the top is hard to erect, but looks good. I leave the rear bow to back mounting long to make the top easy to erect, even though the bows don't align with the seams, but I'm not going for concours anyways.

 

[TR3driver]

To further confuse the issue, I've got a diagram from TeriAnn Wakeman that shows the distances as 15-3/4" and 8". But the only time I've done it, I've just fitted the bows to the seams as John suggests.

If you don't attach the rearmost bow to the webbing, it makes the top much easier to erect, IMO. Leave the rear bow folded forward while you do everything else, then from inside the car push it back until the top is tight. At least for me, it will stay in position from friction alone. Then as the top warms up and/or stretches from tension, you can push the bow a bit farther to keep the top tight, right from the driver's seat.

 

[Geo Hahn]

2. I lost the rear most mounting plate and need to make something, anyone have any pics of those??

3. Does the webbing that goes under that plate fold over itself for extra strength??

2. That plate is similar to the ones that hold the webbing to the sticks. It secured with a panhead machine screw (outbooard) and a machine screw LTD peg (inboard). Obviously the hole in the plate are larger than the holes in the ones on the sticks.

3. That is how I did it.

 

[martx-5]

Thanks for the info and suggestions guys. I should be able to get this job wrapped up today.

 

[Don Elliott]

Art - This may help.