stowing soft top for hard top installation

[hopsedge]

Can someone send me a photo or two of your soft top stowed with your hard top on the car? I cannot really decide how to stow the soft top cover flaps (the ones with the zipper in each corner) to accommodate the hard top. I know that I cannot snap the cover flaps down on the sides and rear deck of the car, but what do I do with it/them? Just tuck it/them in as best I can? Seems like they could easily lift and start flapping around in the wind if I have the hard top windows down.

 

[puff4]

There is a seam on the soft cover that allows you to fold the outer portions (with the snaps) under the inner (padded) portions. Once folded under it then lays neatly on top of the folded top. Yes, I suppose it has the possibility of flipping a bit if all the windows are down, but it’s not normally a problem.

 

[alpine_64]

There should be 2 x straps with tennex fasteners that hold the cover in place. If the hardtop is original to a series V there are 2 small brackets the strap hooks will clip into on the hardtop rear rail to hold the cover in place

 

[65sunbeam]

Sunbeam Specialties sell these straps

STRAPS WITH HOOKS FOR VINYL TOP BOOT, PR. ALPINE V
STRAPS SUPPORT THE BOOT WHEN TOP IS UP. TIGER IA, II
AT70
46.90pr

 

[puff4]

There should be 2 x straps with tennex fasteners that hold the cover in place. If the hardtop is original to a series V there are 2 small brackets the strap hooks will clip into on the hardtop rear rail to hold the cover in place

I think those straps are only used when the cover is put in place with the soft top up - i.e. with the soft top up there is no support under the cover to hold the cover up and it will fall into the well, so the straps hold the cover up. But IMHO with the top in the stowed position, the straps really aren't needed since the cover can't fall into the well (it's filled by the stowed top).

 

[alpine_64]

I think those straps are only used when the cover is put in place with the soft top up - i.e. with the soft top up there is no support under the cover to hold the cover up and it will fall into the well, so the straps hold the cover up. But IMHO with the top in the stowed position, the straps really aren't needed since the cover can't fall into the well (it's filled by the stowed top).

Kevin, when the soft top is up the straps attack with the little hooks into the retaining strip. If the straps are in good conditon and still have a stretch tension fit they hold the cover up at a more tought angle and stop it from exposing the rear curtain area and retaining strip.
On the SV hardtop ( and mkia and mkii tiger) they had little L shaped brackets with a hole for the hooks to go into to do the same

 

[Paul354]

Here are some pictures that may help
the straps are available from Sunbeam Specialties as noted above they have a snap and hook mine are damaged I have purchased a new pair
The Tenax snaps or buttons are spring loaded and pulling on them releases them from the post located on the cover
The straps are used when both the soft top as well as the hard top are used to hold the cover in place
when the soft top is up the hook attaches to the rear curtain area retaining strip preventing it from dropping into the bin
when the hard top is installed the hook attaches to the bracket on the hardtop

 

[puff4]

Ahh. None of my hardtops had those.

 

[hartmandm]

Kevin,

No brackets on your hard tops for the straps, or something else?

Mike

 

[puff4]

No brackets like that on my hardtops, no. I do have the holes in the top well rim to support the straps, but not any on a hardtop.

 

[Jay Laifman]

I do not know when the change occurred, but definitely, the earlier S3-SV type hard tops did not have those little brackets.

I believe it was when the soft top hard covers moved to the soft boot cover.

The point is that there is no way of knowing if your hardtop came with the car or not - and if it from one of the earlier ones or later ones.

 

[sunalp]

I have an early SV and my hardtop ( at the moment) doesn't have those, never did.
I may add them though as they'll keep the vinyl cover looking good!

 

[alpine_64]

I think people need to remember that often the hardtops people have didnt come with their cars new.... They have been acquired over the years.

Also.. If not ordered with the car from factory the dealer would supply one from stock.. So you can imagine early in SV amd MKIA production that dealers were taking tops from stock that didnt have the brackets as they predate the later soft top setup.

A 1 owner MKI cross body Tiger i owned had a hardtop and it had the brackets, the top had been bought from the dealer, but shortly after the purchase of the car.

 

[alpine_64]

I do not know when the change occurred, but definitely, the earlier S3-SV type hard tops did not have those little brackets.

I believe it was when the soft top hard covers moved to the soft boot cover.

The point is that there is no way of knowing if your hardtop came with the car or not - and if it from one of the earlier ones or later ones.

Jay, they came in at start of SV/ MKIA .. When the cover changed.

 

[tigereater]

Just as an aside. We've owned early Sunbeams, SI and SII and fitting the soft top into the hard covers has always been a real challenger. Sort of like fitting 10 pounds of not really soft top into a 5 pound monkey puzzle box. lol
Gina

 

[BERNARD ROSE]

Just as an aside. We've owned early Sunbeams, SI and SII and fitting the soft top into the hard covers has always been a real challenger. Sort of like fitting 10 pounds of not really soft top into a 5 pound monkey puzzle box. lol
Gina

That's the main reason my soft top still looks like new...I rarely use it.

 

[Jay Laifman]

I'll take that one step further. My car is now a GT, and my old top is in the attic in perfect condition! And my hardtop similarly rests inside the garage - only on the car for fitting after painting/assembly way back when I restored it