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British on the Green, Granby CT - this weekend....

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: British on the Green, Granby CT - this weekend....
From: Doug Phillips <Douglas.W.Phillips@williams.edu>
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 1994 09:38:08 -0400 (EDT)
This Sunday, August 28 is the "British on the Green" show in Granby, 
Connecticut. I plan to be there, weather permitting. I hope to see a few 
SOL'ers there. Look for me in the (massive!) row of TD's; mine is MG red. I'll 
write "SOL" on my windscreen card. You might see me wandering about with my 18 
month old daughter in a green "Tough Traveler" child carrier/backpack.

I finally got around to installing the top on the TD this weekend. Not a 
terribly difficult task - but tedious. I found the directions that accompanied 
the Moss top to be terrific. I followed them to the letter, and obtained a good 
result. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
TECH TIP (installing Press Dot fasteners)
--------
A Press Dot fastener is a circular dome with a tubular protrusion that the 
installer must "flare" into the snap portion of the device when installing it 
onto canvas. The fastener is typically employed to attach top canvas to the 
body tub on our cars. The snap portion (female side) then clicks onto a (male 
side) stud that is attached by a screw to the body tub.

Moss recommends purchasing their installation tool to simplify this task. You 
can do it without buying the tool. Here's how:

   1 - find a small counter-sunk flat head screw (wood or sheet metal) with a 
shaft size small enough to fit into the tubular part of the female end of the 
fastener 

   2 - clamp the threaded portion of the screw in a vice, and hacksaw off the 
screw head, leaving about 1/8" of shaft remaining on the screwhead

   3 - find a C clamp small enough that the round threaded portion will fit 
into the snap portion of the fastener. Cover the fixed side of the clamp with 
tape or a small bit of wood (to protect the outer surface of the fastener)

   4 - punch a hole in canvas where the fastener is needed, and join the two 
female sides of the fastener

   5 - place the shaft of the screw head into the tubular portion of the 
fastener (it helps if you point the tube upright)

   6 - place the fixed side of the C clamp on the outside of the fastener, and 
tighten the screw side of the C clamp down onto the screw head (it helps to 
press the two sides of the fastener tight against the canvas). Keep tightening 
until you can go no further.

   7 - remove the clamp, and test to assure that the fastener is secured. The C 
clamp can be tightened again without the screw head to futher compress/flare 
the tube. 

    (repeat steps 4 to 7 for the remaining fasteners)

    This procedure provides a surprisingly nice result, and it is not nearly as 
diffucult to accomplish as my lengthy explanation might imply. YMMV :-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I'll see you at Granby this Sunday!

                                        -Doug

============================================================================
"Lethargy bordering on sloth remains the cornerstone of my restoration style"

        Doug Phillips (Douglas.W.Phillips@Williams.edu)
        1952 MG TD, Member, New England T Register (#11109) and Berkshire 
        County British Motor Car Club / Williams College, Williamstown, MA
============================================================================


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