>this is a re-post of a message sent yesterday that apparently got lost<
Ross-
On Spitfires Mk1/2, the tubular brackets behind the doors are used for both
soft and
hard top mounting. To whit-
soft top:
1. slide top frame into tubular brackets (it is spring loaded, should be
compressed)
2. fold out forward hoop of top frame
3. arrange soft top over frame
4. front edge of soft top slips into groove in upper forward edge of W/S
frame upper trim
(there is a sleeve sewn in the material which has 3 thin metal strips, 1
long and 2
short, to reinforce this area; without those the top will probably blow
off..)
5. two snaps on upper front corners, many snaps around rear deck
6. two hooks at upper leading edge of door glass, 1 each side of car (these
are for
attaching the side tensioner straps; they are buried in the weatherstrip
if they are
even there- they break off, are a bear to replace and the top works
without them)
7. release the spring load on the top frame to tension the material. Happy
Motoring!
hard top attachment points:
two holes through W/S frame for bolts/screws, should have rubber plugs when
top is off
but most likely they are long gone; factory has a seal on top of W/S trim
some kind of attachment at the tubular brackets behind the doors-
factory- cylindrical adapter in tubular bracket attached to triangular
bracket on HT
Parrish Plastics- long piece of threaded rod thru tubular bracket
(washer/nut on
lower end to keep it from pulling thru) with an eye bent on the other
end, turnbuckle,
bracket on H/T
one (or more?) bolt(s) on rear deck between cockpit and fuel cap, used on
factory H/T,
not used Parrish Plastics
excerpt from message of 96-03-16 18:39:22 EST-
>What I have on each side right behind the door jamb is a vertical <--good
>tubular bracket, about 3" to 4" long with a diameter of about 3/4" <--good
>and a heavy spring mounted to it.<------?huh? not supposed to have that,
may be part of your soft top frame ? aftermarket H/T mount ? can you
remove it ?
The soft top on Mk3,4 and 1500 mount more or less permanently and work like a
normal convertible top. The Mk1,2 cars are roadsters with removable soft
tops; i.e.
the Whole Thing comes off when the top is "down". (I like it like that!) It
sounds like
you have a later convertible type top, and no, it will not work on the
roadster.
The good news; someone (not me) has a soft top frame they no longer need,
the
cost is quite low for a new soft top, and the erection (did I write that?)
procedure
above can be quite quick with practice.
I hope this makes sense and is helpful........
Gary Schlosser
San Diego
1964 Spitfire 4 <-- project car, my first Spitfire (1984)
1965 Spitfire 4 Mk2 <-- daily driver, future restoration
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