BritishV8 Forum

General Category => MG Sports Cars => Topic started by: rficalora on April 04, 2012, 02:00:33 PM

Title: Top fit
Post by: rficalora on 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?  

2012-04-04Convertibletopfit2.jpg
2012-04-04Convertibletopfit1.jpg
2011-04-11InteriorProgressTop5.jpg
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: crashbash on 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?
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: rficalora on 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.
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: ex-tyke on 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.
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: MGBV8 on 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):

MGBtopcloseup.jpg
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: rficalora on 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.
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: MGBV8 on 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.
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: rficalora on 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.
Title: Re: Top fit
Post by: DiDueColpi on 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.