Top fit

rficalora · April 04, 2012, 02:00:33 PM

Folks on MGE suggest this is normal -- I know it's been a long time since I fit a top but I did several over the years & don't recall there being such little overlap at the top of the windows.

Possible the top was made for an earlier frame (I have the later micholetti black frame)?

Or maybe I need to stretch it a bit wider when gluing to the front rail?

What do you guys think?

2012-04-04 Convertible top fit (2).jpg

2011-04-11 Interior Progress & Top (5).jpg

crashbash · April 04, 2012, 03:07:26 PM

The last top I fitted 2011 drip rail came down nicely to top of the window. Looks like yours is high. My top was from Moss on a fold up frame. Your material looks nice and tight, not sure you could stretch it any more laterally. What was on that frame before?

rficalora · April 04, 2012, 03:26:32 PM

Previous was black vinyl top that was on it when I bought the car - not sure of the make. It's been too many years since I took that top off & sold it to remember what it looked like except that it had a rear zip out window & had a couple of tears that had been stitched up.

ex-tyke · April 04, 2012, 05:24:50 PM

Based on my (new Moss) original vinyl top on Michellotti frame, 1/2" top overlap to the window is about all I see too.
Sometimes an extra tug can gain a bit.

MGBV8 · April 04, 2012, 11:34:24 PM

Sorry Rob, that is a piss, poor fit. Seems to be the norm these days.

My dad went thru 3 different tops before having one custom made.

Should fit like this (George Herschell's MG):

MGB top close up.jpg

rficalora · April 04, 2012, 11:56:56 PM

That's more like what I remember Carl. I'm going to mess with mine this weekend, but if I can't get it fitting better, I'll have to see if an upholstery shop can do some magic. I like the cloth/no quarter window look [although visibility is more impaired than I thought it would be] & the company I got it from was the only one willing to do that for me. So I need to make this one work.

MGBV8 · April 05, 2012, 07:25:04 AM

Then you need to specify a MG RV8 top. That's what Evan Amaya used. His has a headliner in it.

rficalora · April 05, 2012, 10:08:44 AM

they don't do the RV8 top in tan. At least didn't when I got mine. Choices were Henry's any color you want as long as you want black. I think there was a 'cabriolet' top with a headliner but it was something around or north of $1000 and that was just way too much for a top.

DiDueColpi · April 05, 2012, 12:53:24 PM

Hey Rob,
I'd be pretty unhappy with that fit too.
It looks to me like the frame is sitting too high.
I don't think your top has enough stretch in it to make it fit.
Might take some customization to get it right but the results would be worth the work.