Soft top replacement

[segrave]

I want to replace my soft top before Tigers United. Interested in staying as close as possible to factory orig. Car is a very late Mk1 with square doors and hood but round trunk lid, what Norm calls a transition car. Are there any diffences in the soft top hardware between Mk 1 and 1A that would affect my order of new material ? If so how do I spot the difference ? What top is most like original top ?

Thanks

Steve

 

[66TigerMK1A]

Hi Steve

I also have a 'transition' car and was just today putting the trim on my new soft top after spending the weekend installing it.

I queried the 'list' as to installation instructions/ preference before I purchased mine. I got a couple of replies that led me to the fact that the 'cloth' tops look much better but were more expensive.
I phoned Robbins and had samples sent and then phoned Rick at Sunbeam Specialties... He said that the 'exact' material for a MK1A was unavailable ( apparently the exact MK1 material IS...) and he had pinpoint or crush grain vinyl 'Robbins' tops for about $300. His website says they are 'the most original top available'. He also had Everflex British vinyl for an extra $110 although strangely the warranty for this top is shorter than the 'Robbins' .
The cloth top ( Sun-Fast material ) was available for $630 ( special order ) and that is what I bought. I am VERY impressed with the look of it and not that concerned with originality as my car already has small flares, T5, 302 roller, ad infinitem mods

I did the install myself which was a bit tedious but with good instructions from the Tigers United and TEAE site, it all came out fine.

For me, the look justified the price...

As far as the 'hardware... your MK1A will be velcro which I think is the only style available anyway ( early cars have to modify rails to suit )

Jim
B382000446

 

[66TigerMK1A]

As far as the soft top install... I had some trouble with the catches at the front... The back of the front bulkhead/bow? that they fasten to was on too much of a slope... the catches needed to be more 'vertical' to fit the slots in the bracket on the windshield frame.
I had 2 top frames to work with on this install...the one that was in the car with a replacement ( but old ) top and one from an Alpine SV that I got from a parts car... luckily there were enough good parts between them to make one good frame. I used the front piece from the Tiger and it had the catches bolted directly to it so I assumed that was correct and manage to force the catches in with the screws backed off but never did resolve it...
Yesterday, I took the catches off the old Alpine and lo and behold there were these nice little cast aluminum wedges behind them. I'm sure they are not home made but either way, they are exactly what I needed to correct the alignment problem on the catches !

 

[segrave]

I'm not going to try to do it myself. The bows have some surface rust and need blasting and painting. The chrome bits need rechrome. I have no space for blasting and painting and no interest or time in hand sanding. Through the Alpine board I got a lead on Alpine West Midlands in UK that sells the British everflex tops supposedly with correct factory texture and grey inside as well. I've got a material sample headed my way to compare to my existing orig top. If its a good match they want a fairly reasonable
£ 200 for a sewn and ready top. We'll see.

 

[michael-king]

As far as the soft top install... I had some trouble with the catches at the front... The back of the front bulkhead/bow? that they fasten to was on too much of a slope... the catches needed to be more 'vertical' to fit the slots in the bracket on the windshield frame.
I had 2 top frames to work with on this install...the one that was in the car with a replacement ( but old ) top and one from an Alpine SV that I got from a parts car... luckily there were enough good parts between them to make one good frame. I used the front piece from the Tiger and it had the catches bolted directly to it so I assumed that was correct and manage to force the catches in with the screws backed off but never did resolve it...
Yesterday, I took the catches off the old Alpine and lo and behold there were these nice little cast aluminum wedges behind them. I'm sure they are not home made but either way, they are exactly what I needed to correct the alignment problem on the catches !

Those wedges are not home made.. they were on all alpines and tigers, they take up the angle difference between the header rail and flat face of the clip mount. Make sure you put them on the correct way though!.

 

[66TigerMK1A]

I'm not going to try to do it myself. The bows have some surface rust and need blasting and painting. The chrome bits need rechrome. I have no space for blasting and painting and no interest or time in hand sanding. Through the Alpine board I got a lead on Alpine West Midlands in UK that sells the British everflex tops supposedly with correct factory texture and grey inside as well. I've got a material sample headed my way to compare to my existing orig top. If its a good match they want a fairly reasonable
£ 200 for a sewn and ready top. We'll see.

Sounds not to far off Rick's price of $407 at S.S. My guess is the shipping would be the problem...I have bought a lot of things from England and the shipping triples over 2 kg. !! that's the Royal mail's limit !

Rick has the chrome bits... both the sockets in the header bow... and the tension rods and pivot pins... I doubt the rechrome would be cheaper...

Jim

 

[66TigerMK1A]

Those wedges are not home made.. they were on all alpines and tigers, they take up the angle difference between the header rail and flat face of the clip mount. Make sure you put them on the correct way though!.

I was quite sure they were a factory piece but there is no reference to them in the parts list either Alpine or Tiger...

.. now just waiting for my carpet kit to clear customs and I can put the interior back together...