Paul,
Not to put you off, but be prepared for a struggle fitting the hardtop. I
have had a really hard time getting mine to fit anything close to
acceptable. However, I am told it is highly variable, and they fit well on
some cars and not on others. I am also told that when fitted by the factory
(as when a car was ordered new with a hardtop option), the front edge of the
fiberglass was trimmed to fit each car before the front rail was installed.
Tops bought over the counter were a generic length, a sort of "one size fits
all" approach. However, I cannot confirm that.
My top seemed too "long", as the distance from the front rail to the rear
aluminium trim was greater than the distance from the top of the windshield
to the rear cockpit surround trim. I had to move the windshield forward and
it took some doing. You can't just tip it as the base of the windshield
pillars have to sit firmly on the rubber pads. The holes for the three
bolts that hold the bottom of the windshield posts, as well as the front one
that takes the chrome Phillips screw, are over-sized to facilitate some
adjustment, but I had to enlarge all of mine further. You need to do a
trial fitting and determine if the windshield has to move forward or
backward to accommodate the top. Then loosen all the bolts and move the
windshield accordingly.
I actually went a step further and made an adjustment to move the whole top
backwards. This involves removing the inside quarter panel trim on the
hardtop and removing the angle brackets that hold the locating pin on each
side of the top. I then had new angle brackets made up with the pin moved
forward 3/16", which in effect moves the top back the same amount. A lot of
work for 3/16", but I needed to get everything I could as I could not get
the windshield forward any further.
The rear aluminum trim on the hardtop may extend past the aluminum cockpit
trim more than you expect. The rubber seal around the rear edge of the
hardtop is quite wide to accommodate the variability in the cars, and as
long as the rubber seal sits on the cockpit rail, you are OK, do not worry
about the overhang.
Lastly, be sure to check the sidescreen and softtop fitment as well. The
position of the top, windshield and sidescreens are one big compromise and
you have to noodle everything around until you get the best overall fit.
Mentally set aside a few days to do this, it took me weeks of weekend work.
I found this job required much patience and I had to reduce my expectations
of a perfect fit. I know this is highly variable and perhaps you will be
luckier than me. On the plus side, the top fits quite well now and looks
fabulous. It is really a different experience and extends the driving
season for us in the GWN.
Bonne chance, Mirek
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Healeys@autox.team.net
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