POLL: Convertible Top Side Rails

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KettleCarver

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I am at that point in my restoration that I need to install a convertible top on my MK1a project. I want to go with a Stayfast (canvas) type top. A friend of mine has a Stayfast top on his car. He told me not to use the side mounting rails, because they would make it impossible to fold the top down into the well.

Have you found that to be the case on your car? Please let me know if you have the side mounting rails installed and what type of top do you have. Any issues in being able to properly fold the top down?

Any other advice in getting a top installed would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Marty

Convt top side rails.jpg
 
if you try to use these to secure the sides of the top, whatever the material, the top will rip.... these are not supposed to secure the top.....
 
These retaining strips on the sides secure the rubber seal to the body and provide a ledge for the MKI side covers to rest on.

On no series of Alpine or Tiger should the soft top be secured behind the side retainers...only the rear one.
 
michael-king said:
These retaining strips on the sides secure the rubber seal to the body and provide a ledge for the MKI side covers to rest on.

On no series of Alpine or Tiger should the soft top be secured behind the side retainers...only the rear one.
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So, these strips hold the rubber seal to the body. Then does the top material go over the top of these strips? I am having trouble understanding the relationship between the top material, the strip and the rubber seal. Can someone provide a picture?
 
Watch this - it explains everything. I was unclear how this is supposed to be done until recently.

 
Installing the top is really pretty easy. First you locate the top correctly at the base by the back of the door and up the "B" post portion of the top. Then you can glue the top flats to the rear top frame rail. the next step is to tension the top across the back below the window. The top will be marked at the center point with a small cut. I usually attach the rear securing rail with the screws on the 3rd hole inboard from the ends. Then I feed the top between the retainer and the body and pull down until the tension takes the winkles out of the window. It's just a matter of working out from the center at that point. the rear points the flaps on the sides of the top should be pulled right up tight to the body... Then you can install the button snaps and lift-o dot snaps...

The front part of the "drip rail" flap should fall right at the corner of the header rail. Then it's just a matter of glueing the top to the header rail and reinstalling the channel for the header rail seal...

Early cars will have little clips (3 a side) for the inner part of the top where the drain tubes are. later cars have a button snap.

The key to a successful top installation is a quality adhesive... hardware store contact cement just will not work as it will heat release on the first warm day. I recommend Weldwood's landau top adhesive... follow the instructions and it works fantastic. The other bit of advice I can give is to set the top out in the sun, or someplace really warm so that the creases will relax. Having an upholstery steamer is also very helpful.
 
Is the rubber seal that follows along the body glued or fastened in any way? Or is it only held in by the rails?
 
I usually glue it on, otherwise it's a complete pain in the ass sliding around during the top installation!
 
Yes, it'll just rip the top.... But by all means go ahead and try! It's only a hit for the cost of the top and whoever you pay to install it wrong. I just installed a new top on a MK1a because of this.... only about a grand (USD $) in losses for the owner.
 
Austin Healer said:
Yes, it'll just rip the top.... But by all means go ahead and try! It's only a hit for the cost of the top and whoever you pay to install it wrong. I just installed a new top on a MK1a because of this.... only about a grand (USD $) in losses for the owner.
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So, you recommend not using them.
 
look at the MK1a on BAT right now (just listed) you will see that the inner flaps of the top on both sides are ripped about 3". it's not a recommendation. The side rails are not designed to retain the top. I've only been restoring these cars for 40 plus years...
 
KettleCarver said:
So, you recommend not using them.
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It's not like I am trying to get work... Warren has accused me in the past of using the forum for that. I want to make it clear. I am NOT accepting ANY new work of any kind. I have arranged to give away my 40 year collection of spares to another CAT forum user. The operative term is, GIVE AWAY.

I have decided to move to the UK and as such I won't be taking any of the parts I have accumulated and it wouldn't be fair to possible clients to take work and then leave.

You asked a question on the forum about how to install a top correctly, in the interest of providing a service to users of the forum, and you in particular, I attempted to provide the best possible advice. How you chose to proceed, is of course, completely your decision... I just wanted it to be clear that there is absolutely nothing in this for me.
 
Austin Healer said:
It's not like I am trying to get work... Warren has accused me in the past of using the forum for that. I want to make it clear. I am NOT accepting ANY new work of any kind. I have arranged to give away my 40 year collection of spares to another CAT forum user. The operative term is, GIVE AWAY.

I have decided to move to the UK and as such I won't be taking any of the parts I have accumulated and it wouldn't be fair to possible clients to take work and then leave.

You asked a question on the forum about how to install a top correctly, in the interest of providing a service to users of the forum, and you in particular, I attempted to provide the best possible advice. How you chose to proceed, is of course, completely your decision... I just wanted it to be clear that there is absolutely nothing in this for me.
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I appreciate your input based on 40 years of experience. I am not questioning that at all. I am just looking for clarity.

I get that you DO NOT use the side strips to hold the top material down on the sides. If you look at the Alpine video that was provided, they show them installed to hold the rubber seal down, which you confirmed in the discussion above. Then it looks like the top material lays over the top of the side rail and is clipped onto the lip of the top well. So, if the rubber seal is glued down with the recommended glue, it would seem that the side rails serve no purpose, and may just be in the way of folding the top into the well. This goes back to the question I asked in the initial post.

If my questions have offended you, that was not my intent and for that I am sorry. I am just trying to do the job right the first time. Also, I am not doing a concourse restoration, just a nice driver with maybe some changes that people have found to work better over the years, than the original design.
 
The clips are used on the Mk1 Tiger only. (3 each side) Mk1a and Mk2 Tigers have a single button snap that holds the inner flap in the drainage well. I'd be happy to take pictures.

The side rails only purpose is to serve as a shelf in the MK1 for the folding top covers. In the later cars it's only purpose is to hold the rubber strip to the body as it extends forward toward the top frame pivots.
 
Austin Healer said:
The clips are used on the Mk1 Tiger only. (3 each side) Mk1a and Mk2 Tigers have a single button snap that holds the inner flap in the drainage well. I'd be happy to take pictures.

The side rails only purpose is to serve as a shelf in the MK1 for the folding top covers. In the later cars it's only purpose is to hold the rubber strip to the body as it extends forward toward the top frame pivots.
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Like they say. Pictures are worth a thousand words. I do have a Mk1a and have never seen the snap as you described. If it is not to much trouble, I would appreciate a picture, when you have time.

Thanks for all the solid advice you have given me over the last couple of years!! It has made building what is a pretty a fairly complicated car, a whole lot easier.
 
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