--===============4698595551957079645==
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
--Apple-Mail-07A90AE2-2FD8-49BD-9635-4E393F4469B9
charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
No joke about how hard fiberglass is to work with. I lost my factory Bugeye h=
ardtop in a fire. Hagerty gave me $4500 for it based on a used one for sale o=
n eBay ($900+$300 shipping), and $3300 to restore it.=20
> On Mar 24, 2026, at 6:18=E2=80=AFAM, Tim Collins via Spridgets <spridgets@=
autox.team.net> wrote:
>=20
> =EF=BB=BF
> Back in September of 2022 Rick Fisk posted a Spridget hardtop as a give a=
way item. After a day or so I sent Rick a note saying if no one else wanted t=
he hardtop I would take it rather than have it get trashed. Rick responded; "=
Come and get it." Several others were interested until they learned where Ri=
ck lives.
>=20
> I'm 33 miles away from his home so getting the top was "easy." Easy is in q=
uotes because I don't have a truck. I drove to Rick's in my (at the time) 20=
02 Mercury Sable "grandma car." - inherited from my mother-in-law. The top w=
ouldn't fit in the car easily no matter how we twisted it. I finally lashed i=
t to the open trunk lid - partly in the trunk - and drove home.
>=20
> My wife had passed away 5 months prior so I thought this would make a good=
project to keep me busy.
>=20
> Here's what I learned about restoring a fibreglass hardtop;
> I don't like working with fibreglass
> Free is quite expensive
> Parts may be available - somewhere else in the world, but not nearby
> Some parts are not available - anywhere
> I had fun with the project! Maybe the most important part of this story.
>=20
> The hardtop was missing one sidelight. I made a pattern and went to a glas=
s company with an aluminum pattern to be sure I would get a perfect fit. On t=
he second try they made a window that matched the pattern. The cost was in t=
he neighborhood of $168, but it is tempered glass as it should be. McGregor B=
ritish Car Parts in Canada was able to provide most trim and seal parts exce=
pt for the window seals for the sidelights. I never did find an exact replac=
ement so I ended up buying the closest size I could find and then trimmed so=
me off to fit. It's not perfect, I couldn't use the lock strip, trade offs w=
ere made. I chose a MG blue paint, Iris Blue - I don't know why, it just wor=
ked for me.
>=20
> It isn't that heavy, but putting it on by myself wasn't easy and as I get o=
lder it won't get any easier. So, I put a hoist on the ceiling of my garage w=
hich also provides an elevated storage location. That's another story.
>=20
> Thanks again to Rick for the hardtop!!!=20
> =20
> Here's some before and after pics.
> <sprite top 2.jpeg>
> <20240912_163214.jpg>
>=20
> <20250528_084837.jpg>
>=20
> I couldn't find a good pic of the sidelights in the weather seal. These pi=
cs have temporary plastic sidelights.=20
>=20
> Tim Collins
>=20
> ------------------------
>=20
> spridgets@autox.team.net
>=20
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>=20
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets http://autox.team.net/ar=
chive
>=20
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/darede=
lvis@gmail.com
--Apple-Mail-07A90AE2-2FD8-49BD-9635-4E393F4469B9
charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html class=3D"apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equi=
v=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body dir=3D=
"auto"><div dir=3D"ltr"></div><div dir=3D"ltr">No joke about how hard fiberg=
lass is to work with. I lost my factory Bugeye hardtop in a fire. Hagerty ga=
ve me $4500 for it based on a used one for sale on eBay ($900+$300 shipping)=
, and $3300 to restore it. </div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D=
"cite">On Mar 24, 2026, at 6:18=E2=80=AFAM, Tim Collins via Spridgets <sp=
ridgets@autox.team.net> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type=
=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_def=
ault" style=3D"font-size:small">Back in September of 2022 Rick Fisk po=
sted a Spridget hardtop as a give away item. After a day or so I sent Rick a=
note saying if no one else wanted the hardtop I would take it rather than h=
ave it get trashed. Rick responded; "Come and get it." Several others were i=
nterested until they learned where Rick lives. <br><br>I'm 33 miles away fro=
m his home so getting the top was "easy." Easy is in quotes because I don't h=
ave a truck. I drove to Rick's in my (at the time) 2002 Mercury Sable "grand=
ma car." - inherited from my mother-in-law. The top wouldn't fit in the car e=
asily no matter how we twisted it. I finally lashed it to the open trunk lid=
- partly in the trunk - and drove home. <br><br>My wife had passed away 5 m=
onths prior so I thought this would make a good project to keep me busy.<br>=
<br>Here's what I learned about restoring a fibreglass hardtop;<br>I don't l=
ike working with fibreglass<br>Free is quite expensive<br>Parts may be avail=
able - somewhere else in the world, but not nearby<br>Some parts are not ava=
ilable - anywhere<br>I had fun with the project! Maybe the most important pa=
rt of this story.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small=
"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">The hardt=
op was missing one sidelight. I made a pattern and went to a glass company w=
ith an aluminum pattern to be sure I would get a perfect fit. On the second t=
ry they made a window that matched the pattern. The cost was in the neighbor=
hood of $168, but it is tempered glass as it should be. McGregor British Car=
Parts in Canada was able to provide most trim and seal parts except fo=
r the window seals for the sidelights. I never did find an exact replacement=
so I ended up buying the closest size I could find and then trimmed some of=
f to fit. It's not perfect, I couldn't use the lock strip, trade offs w=
ere made. I chose a MG blue paint, Iris Blue - I don't know why, it jus=
t worked for me.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-s=
ize:small"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">=
It isn't that heavy, but putting it on by myself wasn't easy and as I get ol=
der it won't get any easier. So, I put a hoist on the ceiling of my garage w=
hich also provides an elevated storage location. That's another story.</div>=
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div class=3D=
"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Thanks again to Rick for the hardt=
op!!! </div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">&nbs=
p; </div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Here's s=
ome before and after pics.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-s=
ize:small"><div><sprite top 2.jpeg></div></div><div><20240912_16321=
4.jpg></div><br><div><20250528_084837.jpg></div><br><div class=3D"g=
mail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I couldn't find a good pic of the si=
delights in the weather seal. These pics have temporary plastic sidelights.&=
nbsp;</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div>=
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Tim Collins</div><div=
class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div></div>
<span>------------------------</span><br><span></span><br><span>spridgets@au=
tox.team.net</span><br><span></span><br><span>Donate: http://www.team.net/do=
nate.html</span><br><span>Suggested annual donation: $12.75</span><br><span>=
</span><br><span>Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets http=
://autox.team.net/archive</span><br><span></span><br><span>Unsubscribe/Manag=
e: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/daredelvis@gmail.com</spa=
n><br></div></blockquote></body></html>=
--Apple-Mail-07A90AE2-2FD8-49BD-9635-4E393F4469B9--
--===============4698595551957079645==
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
------------------------
spridgets@autox.team.net
Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets http://autox.team.net/archive
--===============4698595551957079645==--
|