Looking for a Hard Top ……. And Advice.

[rfs1957]

I may need to find a Hard-Top for an event that I am considering taking part in.

I have never looked at one of these close up and have no idea how they fit, or what you do with the hood etc - pretty basic questions I know.

Could somebody confirm that you just leave the hood in place, presumably under its bag, that they just fasten on brackets on the haunches next to the hood frame pivots, have the same clips / catches as my standard hood, and have the same capacity to have the cantrail rubbers adjusted to fit (a vague concept, that I do know) the window glasses ?

Please hold my hand.

My hood-pivot brackets are a stainless version that may not be like the originals, but my shell does have the threaded lugs to take the mounting bolts for the hard-top brackets.





Where does the Pull-To-Lift stud for the hood-bag sit once those hard-top brackets are in place ?

[Gfhug]

Are you wishing to buy or borrow? Maybe someone in France or southern England might have one you could borrow in exchange for a bottle or two of French plonk?

Geoff

[rfs1957]

Yes Geoff, that would be ideal but perhaps improbable 🤨 - tho’ I would pay more than wine juice.

My idea was to buy one and then sell it afterwards. Unless I get a taste for it maybe.

Prices asked for them seem to vary wildly, there is one on Ebay - looks great but could it really be worth 10.500€ ?

[Heuer]

Ideally you will want to remove the folding hood sticks because the assembly is quite heavy, as is the hardtop. Extra weight is your enemy on a rally! Also liberates more space for clothes etc.

Putting the hardtop on the car is easy although a two man exercise. Front clips on to existing clamps, sides slide onto those seemingly pointless chrome brackets every OTS comes with. You will need the originals. Most owners report the hardtop marks the paintwork where the rubber seal sits as it squirms when the car is driven. Best to put some clear tape down before attaching.

That price seems fair as it is complete with all chrome, looks to have been restored already and is already in Europe. Prices in the US have reached stupid levels - $35,000+. if you find a rough one you will probably need the invariably missing chrome which is unobtainable other than the brass repros. Rear screens are plastic and will need replacement as will the headlining. Doubt you would find one, restore it and have it ready for the coming season.

[mgcjag]

Rory...have a look here...its a repro but a mate has one and only the experts would know.....seller isn't far from me and its the son of Nick Goldthorp who was MD of CMC.... Steve https://ebay.us/m/Cx7mNG

[paydase]

Hi Rory,
Here a few pics of my installation when I put the hardtop.
No need to remove the soft top but you must remove the soft top cover.



Here a detail of the bracket when the soft top is up:


And here a detail of the bracket for attaching the hardtop:


Hope it helps

[rfs1957]

Have a couple on the boil now, thanks to everyone.

And to Serge, great, j'ai tout compris.

[Heuer]

No need to remove the soft top but you must remove the soft top cover.

Indeed but it makes the cabin a lot more pleasant place to be. The SNGB OTS has a hardtop and the hood has been removed. Driven it and I was most impressed.