Hardtop time

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ArntyR
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Hardtop time

Post by ArntyR » Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:46 pm

Aw...hardtop went on today...
It feels like starting back to school at the end of the summer hols :x

Mikeadman
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by Mikeadman » Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:48 pm

A real no no in my book :lol: :thumbsd:

Cheers

Mike.

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Reckless Rat
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by Reckless Rat » Thu Oct 26, 2017 7:03 pm

Not for me it isn't! Took the car and the Mem'Sahib out for a spin today down to Grau du Roi on the Med for a spot of lunch. Fine, sunny and 25°C.
Had lunch here:

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.5361988 ... 312!8i6656

Meal for two - 34€, Cushty!

Bloody chinese cat gave up the ghost on the way home. Type approved one ordered from Germany.

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talkingcars
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by talkingcars » Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:35 pm

When it's on the road I'll use the F all the time, nothing beats driving to work at 5.30 am in light snow in mid February with the roof down.
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Bazzajay
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by Bazzajay » Fri Oct 27, 2017 12:07 am

talkingcars wrote: nothing beats driving to work at 5.30 am in light snow in mid February with the roof down.
That reminds me of the Winter of 1963. Really cold and a great deal of snow. I had a 1936 Morris 8 Tourer, no heater and no Tonneau. As the condensation always froze on the screen I had to put the hood down. That meant wearing a Jeep coat with a flying helmet and goggles and sheepskin gloves. On one occasion I couldn't get it away from the kerb as the camber was very steep, so I removed the spark plugs and wound it out using the starting handle. The car is still on the road, but I sold it in 1974 to help with the deposit on our first house.
Barrie

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Geoff.F
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by Geoff.F » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:43 am

My first car was a 1937 Austin 7 Ruby which I gave a chassis up Restoration in 1962 and painted it BRG with Brushing Belco paint which needed flatting with wet&dry after each coat. With a 36 mile commute with no heater , in the winter two pieces of wood lifted the back of the bifold bonnet so ram air came thru the radiator and engine bay onto the screen. This was replaced in 1066 when I had twicw ekkiy buisness trips from Coventry to Bristol.
The majority of the miles on our "F" (59 K since 2000) have been on European trips to Switzerland or Spain, Pottugal, Norway, Sweden and Italy. The car now has a HardTop or Full Tonneau with the hood in the garage.
The TOP gives a pleasant Autobahn/Autoroute drive, being silver the sun is reflected, the AirCon keeps cool and the Softop space is used for luggage.
I had a new MGB-GT (with no power steering or A/C) in 1970. Living in Belgrade and travelling to Greece, the white roof kept the car cool in the hot sun. There were concept designs for a MGF-GT but MGR could not resist in making it a high power version at a ridiculous cost way beyond the "F" market so they went for a rebadged existing Italian car.
Geoff.F

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talkingcars
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by talkingcars » Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:02 pm

Bazzajay wrote:That reminds me of the Winter of 1963......
Don't remember then, I was conceived sometime around then.
Geoff.F wrote:.....in 1962.....< >........in 1066.........
Prehistoric.................LOL
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ArntyR
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by ArntyR » Sat Oct 28, 2017 1:16 pm

Now there's a thought from Geoff.F: Is it a good idea to take the soft top out before putting the hardtop on? It'd save lots of squeaks + rattles and stop the hood going into fold fatigue lines.

Is it hard to do (and a pain to find somewhere to store the old hood) or don't most people bother?

Ps talkingcars reminds me of the Monty Python 'Yorkshiremen' sketch? 'Awww...we 'ad it tuff...ah used ta remember...in't septic tank in't middl o' rowd'...we used ter eat gravel... cup o' tea wi' no tea...'

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talkingcars
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by talkingcars » Sat Oct 28, 2017 5:38 pm

ArntyR wrote:...........Is it a good idea to take the soft top out before putting the hardtop on?.....'
Geoff doesn't use the car as a convertible, the only reason I see to remove the soft top is because one doesn't plan to ever use it again.

I am probably a secret biker, I love to drive with the roof down and live by the mantra - wipers off, roof off.
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by gerry.laing » Sun Oct 29, 2017 8:07 am

I agree I also enjoy the the Tf with the hard top on during the winter months although its not fitted yet, I believe the mgf/tf is one of the few cars of its era that looks good with either option, not got round to painting one for the 85th yet.
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Geoff.F
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by Geoff.F » Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:01 pm

The HardTop sits on the rear rail of the Hood therefore the rail from a scrap frame is needed.
The SofTop is easily removed,held by 4 bolts after removing the "T" Bar.
We have a simple pulley system in the garage to lift the HardTop so we have plenty of OpenTop motoring in the right weather whilst the full tonneau keeps the bird s*** off the Oxford Leather seats when parked.
Our other answer is to take out Ann.F"s RagTop Fiat 500 .
Geoff.F

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ArntyR
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by ArntyR » Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:38 am

Ah gottit...the idea is that the hood always stays attached because it normally supports the hard top.

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Bazzajay
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by Bazzajay » Mon Oct 30, 2017 2:58 pm

ArntyR wrote:Ah gottit...the idea is that the hood always stays attached because it normally supports the hard top.
Yes, that's right, but don't forget to unzip the rear window and fold it flat, before folding the hood and fitting the hardtop. I must admit also to covering the rear window while the hardtop's on.
Barrie

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mgtfnut
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by mgtfnut » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:59 pm

ArntyR wrote:Ah gottit...the idea is that the hood always stays attached because it normally supports the hard top.
Don't know about your soft top frame, but mine has detachable brackets for the hard top. I intend removing the soft top for winter - the advantages are less weight and a big parcel shelf as Geoff suggests. The only disadvantage is access to the engine compartment - I have to get help from a neighbour to manhandle the hard top if needed :roll:

Horses for courses, yes it is nice to drive about in the cold fresh air, but even nicer in warm air ;) Best of both worlds to have the option.
Jerry
MG TF 135 - 100k
Suzuki SJ 413 - 309k
Skoda Yeti SE 110 4x4 - 131k

bigmac
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by bigmac » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:02 pm

just how do i post photos on here ?

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ArntyR
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by ArntyR » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:05 pm

Hmm...I didn't know about these detachable brackets, unless they're the round 'pencils' that the hardtop clip/levers sit on? (one on each side?)
The curved part under the rear window sits on the soft top frame. Mine's a TF too.

Yep easy enough to take off - but awkward to move around and store...

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mgtfnut
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by mgtfnut » Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:45 pm

ArntyR wrote:Hmm...I didn't know about these detachable brackets, unless they're the round 'pencils' that the hardtop clip/levers sit on? (one on each side?)
The curved part under the rear window sits on the soft top frame. Mine's a TF too.

Yep easy enough to take off - but awkward to move around and store...
Yes, those "pencils" are the brackets, and the hard top should gently rest and seal between the black plastic trim on the body and the soft seal on the bottom of the hard top - the weight being taken by the brackets.
The folded down soft top doesn't take any weight of the hardtop, just takes up a lot of room.
Jerry
MG TF 135 - 100k
Suzuki SJ 413 - 309k
Skoda Yeti SE 110 4x4 - 131k

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ArntyR
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by ArntyR » Tue Oct 31, 2017 8:20 am

Brilliant...all that makes sense.

Those bracket 'pencils' are metal and so is the hardtop stirrup. There's a bit of creaking and rattling going on so I think I need to get something soft between them. Also, perhaps, unwind the stirrup downwards to firm up the grip of the locking levers/clamps to make the fit more 'solid'.

bigmac to post pics: I made this hardtop pic smaller (800 x 600px) using an image editor (Lightroom) - 'cos big files won't work - and simply drag-and-dropped the image file into the bottom of the message box. It gets put at the bottom of the message as an attachment like so:-
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talkingcars
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by talkingcars » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:05 pm

mgtfnut wrote:
ArntyR wrote:Horses for courses, yes it is nice to drive about in the cold fresh air, but even nicer in warm air ;) Best of both worlds to have the option.
I'm lucky, I have other MGs to choose from if I want a car with a roof.
Home to black Alfa 159 3.2 V6 Q4, blue MGZR160, green MGF VVC and grey MGF 1.8i, and red MG Maestro T16.

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bigmac
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Re: Hardtop time

Post by bigmac » Fri Nov 10, 2017 8:03 pm

lets see if my photo appears.......
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