Looking for a Hard top
- Thread starter Ash31479
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Better to go black.. The odds of a med blue top are minimal.. The odds of the med blue mathcing your cars paint even less..get the best top you can condition wise and paint to match if desired
Warren
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Kinda like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get, till you get the corner pads off.
Then there's the real estate saying location location location...
No window trim and guys scoffed at the 400 dollar price in late 2019.
As for the paint to match I'd say leave the *"$@ gutter trim on and mask them.
Then there's the real estate saying location location location...
No window trim and guys scoffed at the 400 dollar price in late 2019.
As for the paint to match I'd say leave the *"$@ gutter trim on and mask them.
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I just saw a listing for a black hardtop on BaT that looks to be in good condition. It's missing the back window but Rick at SS has them. The headliner is carpet that has been glued on. But the shell seems to be rust free. No relation to seller.
Rick
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/sunbeam-hardtop/
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Agree with Warren, picture 8 looks like something is bubbling up along the rubber. I drove to a neighboring state to see an “original” condition hardtop just to find original bondo from the previous owner. The one on BAT might be a good start if without, at $1,100 now.
Warren
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Thanks Joe...
It's pretty hard to get out a standard screwdriver and pull of the hardened rubber. I put drain holes in cars decades ago and I was smart enough not to cover them unlike the guy at the factory.
I'd like a top that has a bastard 80s sun roof in it for a project No I don't want to cut off the bottom
It's pretty hard to get out a standard screwdriver and pull of the hardened rubber. I put drain holes in cars decades ago and I was smart enough not to cover them unlike the guy at the factory.
I'd like a top that has a bastard 80s sun roof in it for a project No I don't want to cut off the bottom
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Thanks for the heads up Rick. I’m definitely going to bid on this one.
Austin Healer
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There are some patch bits available in the UK, but I found it easier to just make up new parts. The UK parts are close, but not totally dimensionally accurate. I did buy them, and in the end modified or made my own. The parts that rust the worst are the back bases and then the entire horizontal part below the rear qtr windows. I rebuilt one with pretty severe rot... It's best to be able to test fit (several times!!) prior to final welding... These hardtops can absorb a massive expenditure to restore. The last one I restored required repairs right up to the latches for the qtr windows, most of both horizontal parts below the qtr glass (plexi) and about half of the lower flanges for the rear window.
The rear stainless trim for the rear window has reached insane asking prices on ebay. There was a time when these brought about $600, now it's well over twice that. If the rest of the chrome bits are there, it probably warrants restoration, but it won't be cheap. If I had a rust free hardtop that was complete, I wouldn't let it go for less than $5K
Just as a matter of originality... all of the hardtops were black, unless ordered FROM THE FACTORY when the purchase agreement was made. If you bought the car from dealer stock, and wanted a hardtop after the fact, it was going to be black (or possibly in primer)
The rear stainless trim for the rear window has reached insane asking prices on ebay. There was a time when these brought about $600, now it's well over twice that. If the rest of the chrome bits are there, it probably warrants restoration, but it won't be cheap. If I had a rust free hardtop that was complete, I wouldn't let it go for less than $5K
Just as a matter of originality... all of the hardtops were black, unless ordered FROM THE FACTORY when the purchase agreement was made. If you bought the car from dealer stock, and wanted a hardtop after the fact, it was going to be black (or possibly in primer)
Austin Healer
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In the early pages there are quite a few cars starting in the 9470800 range... after that they aren't recorded. I find it interesting also that color (exterior) isn't recorded in the ledgers. There are some cars in the first few pages, but after that nothing.How many ledger pages have H/T one of my cars have it but it's black.
Of course, the GT cars would have had body color hardtops and all of those cars can be identified by their unique JAL tags starting with "575".
I have a fairly early mk1 in the shop for resto now that was carnival red, it has a factory hardtop that is in original carnival red paint. The owner is sure it's always been with the car.
Austin Healer
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There's a late MK1 not far from me in Oroville, Wa. (B9472476LRXFE) it is Carnival red with a black hardtop... There are at least three types of hardtop. The early cars MK1) didn't have the clips on the rear rail for the fabric top cover. MK1a hardtops have the clips for the retainers for the fabric cover, and these are just pop riveted to the rear rail. Mk1 and Mk1a hardtops have small chrome buttons for the qtr. window latches. These buttons were also used on Mini Coopers (and Minis) with sliding door glass and are available from Moss and other vendors. The Mk2 hardtop was just like the Mk1a except that the chrome buttons for the qtr windows are significantly larger.
I have also noticed a 4 digit number stamped in 2 locations on hardtops that I have restored. One stamping is in the flange for the rear window glass (dead center at either the top or bottom of the opening). The other stamping was in the hardtop above the door glass on either the LH or RH side. I have no idea how these correspond to an individual car, or if they even do.
I have also noticed a 4 digit number stamped in 2 locations on hardtops that I have restored. One stamping is in the flange for the rear window glass (dead center at either the top or bottom of the opening). The other stamping was in the hardtop above the door glass on either the LH or RH side. I have no idea how these correspond to an individual car, or if they even do.
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I agree on a rust free complete core top for 5k... Because you are probably only looking at paint, headloner and seals.. Hopefully chrome on the latches is ok and same for windows.
The issue with hardtops at the moment is people ask 2/3 of the price of a compete decent top for rusty incomplete cores...
On the colour...yes only black from factory unless specified at time of order from factory... Or a GT alpine/tiger which were body colour.
Id suspect they didnt ship them in primer as all the stainless trims..headliners etc wouldn't be fitted ...to much work at other end.. Dealers probably swaped GT cars tops for people or masked up tops and re-painted at buyers cost
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Kinda what I bought some years back can't remember what I pd I think $125?? but less than $200 for sure. Have roof on now and in primer all the parts and hardware just needs paint and assembly. Bought on ebay maybe seller is on here and can remind me. I don't think shipping was offered so I was the only bidder
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Warren
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Too bad can't get the ledger page holders to respond. My survey of one car is not too convincing, plus about 10 or 12 pages in my collection. I've found black under all that I have taken apart. White is very UK proper high visibility and much cooler than black especially with the useless jute stock padding.
Austin Healer
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starting somewhere around car B947800 or so, Jensen started noting color on some of the cars, but not all. there are also some notations for "ST" or "HT" which I am guessing is soft top and hardtop. why it's only some of the cars I have no idea. Jensen continued to make sporadic notations on color and with the ST or HT notation at least through car B9471900. There are no notations for color or ST/HT for the B382 or B3821 series of tigersHow many ledger pages have H/T one of my cars have it but it's black.
I suggested the possibility of primer as Jensen also supplied hardtops for the Austin Healey 100/6 and sidescreen 3000's which were built at the same location as the Tiger . If ordered with the car they were also usually body color, but Jensen also supplied them to dealers in primer.
Austin Healer
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that's an interesting car! looks like Jaguar fender vents and painted TR4 taillight housings