As others have stated, as long as the header fits the windshield top bar,
you should be ok.
I replaced the top on my 1980 B a few years ago, and am about to do the same
to my '66. I hope I can make this one fit as well as the one I installed on
the '80. One thing I do remember is that a few people said to do it on a
warm day. It softens the vinyl enough to make it stretch a little. And,
you should assume that it will stretch a bit more under tension. So, mark &
fasten the front of the top to the header bar carefully using these
assumptions.
Does anyone out there in Digestland know if any of the header bars were
different from one year to another? I have two bars, and one fits the
contour of the windshield perfectly. The other has less of a curve, and
sits back about 1/8-inch from the center of the windshield top frame. It
still seals well, But, it looks "funny."
As to using the detachable bows, both my first MGB (a '65) and my current
(the '66) had/have detachable bows. I wasn't happy about it back in 1965 &
'66. But, now that I'm racing, it's the ONLY way to go. My roll bar was
built to fit precisely between the two rear bows. If I had non-detachable
bows, I wouldn't be able to put the top up & down at all. I'd be in the
same predicament as I was with my '57 Healey - hardtop only. Either you
have a top, or you don't. No top & rain? Drive faster.
Norm Sippel
'66 MGB daily driver / occasional vintage racer
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