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Hard top painting question - SV

Ragg Mopp

Ragg Mopp

Donation Time
I painted my car last year but didn't get the hard top painted. I just took the top apart to prepare it for painting but there are chrome strips on the rain gutters. Does anyone know if they come off or do I have to work around them? They look like they might slide off from the bottom with care.
Thanks, Greg
 
jack Bacon

jack Bacon

Donation Time
hard top chrome trim removal

Mike Phillips gave a tech session on headliner replacement at Invasion 2007. As I remember, the strips can be pried off starting at the bottom and carefully working your way up until they are off.

But contact Mike for more details. I will be restoring my hardtop this winter so I will have to take my trim off also. Pretty straight forward after everything is off.

Regards,

Jack
 
Ragg Mopp

Ragg Mopp

Donation Time
Thanks,
The headliner was my next big problem. There is no liner or trim left there so I think it will be un-Alpine like when done but at least no rust.
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
They do come off, most tops are missing them. They are easy to damage when removing, and i dont think they slide off.. think they have to be gently levered off?
 
M

mikephillips

Donation Time
They will come off, usually with little trouble. When I remove them I start at the bottom corner and carefully twist them off. Going round the corner where they go from 45 degrees to horizontal is about the only place the hang up, but they'll still generally pop off. Now, when replacing them you may need to spread the bottom a bit, particularly in that corner section, to get them to go back on. And pay attention to where you start since it can move around a bit and make the corner hard to fit. And have a hard rubber mallet or small tack hammer available to tap the spread out section back down when it's on.

As for the missing headliner, the only thing that needs to be there is the riveted on front bow it tucks under. If you don't have the 4 bows that hold it up, you can make those easily enough from 1/8 rod stock you can buy at the harware store. But measure and make each one individually since they need to be slightly different lengths to fit the hardtop. You know where these go of you look for 4 holes in the flat section just above where the window would end.

We can get into a whole thing on reassembly of the top if you'd like.
 
Alpine Bob

Alpine Bob

Donation Time
When we replaced the headliner on the Series II, we went to an upholstery shop that installed a modern headliner, he recovered the sun visors to match, it's not original but it sure looks good. Just my 2 cents worth. :D
 
Ragg Mopp

Ragg Mopp

Donation Time
Thanks to all for the help. I have been using the info from the forum for several years as I pieced the beast back into running condition but this is the first time I have waded into the pool.
 
Jay Laifman

Jay Laifman

Donation Time
Yes, the come off. But, they are a hassle both ways and can be damaged. They can also end up chipping off the new paint going on. So, I'd almost be inclined to just tape over them!
 
64beam

64beam

Donation Time
Hi,

Were all the factory hardtops metal or were the later Alpine/Tigers fibreglass?

Thank you, Robin.
 
Wombat

Wombat

Donation Time
Robin

The hardtop on my SIV is metal (I can tell by the rust :(). I am pretty sure they remained that way to the end of production.
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
64beam said:
Hi,

Were all the factory hardtops metal or were the later Alpine/Tigers fibreglass?

Thank you, Robin.
Click to expand...


The sI-II hardtops were ally, the S3-V tops were steel. All fibregalss tops are aftermarket. The parish ones were popular and there are a few other companies. I believe you might have a fibreglass replica of the stock top rob, i have seen those available in the UK, though they look to have crude fixing methods and do not have the opening windows at the back.
 
64beam

64beam

Donation Time
alpine_64 said:
The sI-II hardtops were ally, the S3-V tops were steel. All fibregalss tops are aftermarket. The parish ones were popular and there are a few other companies. I believe you might have a fibreglass replica of the stock top rob, i have seen those available in the UK, though they look to have crude fixing methods and do not have the opening windows at the back.
Click to expand...

I thought that might have been the case. Mum and I lifted it quite easily on to the Tiger and Mum did not seem to struggle.

Thanks, Robin.
 
64beam

64beam

Donation Time
jmthehermit said:
The steel tops are light too. Did you try a magnet on it? Jeff
Click to expand...

They must be very light guage. My hard top is an original by the look of it. It is definately metal opening rear quarter windows and all. I did not realise they were so light weight.

Regards, Robin.
 
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