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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Frogeye hood header rail

I am sure I have asked this before bits) cannot remember the answers and b) cannot find it in the archives.

I now have a hood for my Frog, 2 stud screen, but no bar to fit into the front seam to attach it to the screen. What section bar should I be using? I have a variety of steel and alloy stock that I might be able to use, but it would help to know what the original was like.
GuyW

Yes you have asked before! Search “Frogeye hood” in Technical and ‘this phrase’ - 6th result I think.
John Payne

Thanks John. Found it.
I need to experiment. From that thread I got 3 different sizes quoted, but I get the idea.
GuyW

I now have a header bar that fits snugly into the hood hem at the front, and then tucks securely up under the top of the screen frame. So far so good! But, the hood now won't pull far enough to fit the bar into the slots in the tear-drop fittings at the back. This is with the sprung frame retracted and also the forward bar folded back.

After a lot of effort I have one side hooked up but this skews the hood and the passenger side is no-where near.

Its a new hood so I expected it to be tight and need some heat. But I had hoped to get it to fit with the springs compressed and the frame folded and then leave it like that for a few days to allow it to acclimatise and relax before maybe then warming it up and folding the frame up.

The only other variable I can see would be how far down the frame legs should go into the fittings by the B post
GuyW

Guy
I've just checked my frame that came with the Frogeye. It's an early one without springs so I anticipate more trouble than you with hood fitting. I know it's drastic and irreversible but how about shortening the legs of the frame, say 2 or 3 mm initially? I had to weld the original frame holders to my shell and the position is approximate within a few mm so maybe adjustment of leg length is reasonable?
Bill Bretherton

I've always installed mine by hooking the rear first and then attaching the two studs to the wind screen and finally wedging the front bar in before releasing the rings on the frame. You might try it that way.
Martin

Guy

The hoods are tight to get over the rear deck mounts. 2 of us spent 30 mins in the rain just before the November lockdown trying to get both sides to locate. It went eventually so I have left the hood up over winter. In the summer it went on without any issues at all!
Bill, I can't remember if your Frog is an early studded screen car. The adjustable frme is for the later cars with the bar like Guy's
Bob Beaumont

Bob

Yes, mine is an earlier studded screen car but I intend to use the bar type screen (which I have as well as a studded screen) - maybe it won't work with the old frame.
Bill Bretherton

Well I have managed to get it stretched into place. The frame was fully seated in its brackets but I think the rear bar for mine may be wrong. It is straighter than the natural curve of the hood. I am wondering if it is off a later car with the square body style. Or even maybe an MGB if they used the same system on early cars? I abandoned the long bar and as a temporary measure I replaced the one piece bar with 2 short lengths borrowed from my tonneau cover. Still very tight to pull back far enough to get over the tear drops but it did go eventually. I will now leave it like that for a few days and see if it relaxes a bit.

Martin, it hadn't occurred to me to fit the rear first. I might try that next time and see if it is easier to pull into place, though as yet I don't have the fittings for the two screen studs in place.
GuyW

I loop two zip ties around the rear bar close to the tear drops. This makes it very easy to get the rear bar over the tear drops. It does leave the zip ties visible though.
Rob
MG Moneypit

Yes, I had seen using strong zip ties mentioned before somewhere Rob, possibly by you. That is what I did but it was still VERY tight to pull over the rear clips.

I am suspicious of the rear bar that I have. It came with the other parts from the car but it doesn't match the natural curve of the hood.

It is of 1" X 3/16" and 36" long with a slight curve but it still seems too straight particularly at the outer ends where the hood line curves forwards but the bar doesn't. I may try re-shaping it but could do with knowing if the length is right to start with.
GuyW

Can someone confirm how long the correct bar is for the rear of a frogeye hood.

Mine is 1" X 3/16" and 36" long with just a slight curve but seems either too long or too straight at the outer ends - it doesn't follow the line of the hood fabric very well. The one I have may not even be for this car!
GuyW

Guy

Just dug mine out! Hope this picture helps. It's about 38" long and, where the ruler is, the outermost parts of the ends are 2" or so from the inner straight edge. I was given this, probably off a mk2 Sprite, but Moss suggests they are all the same.

Bill Bretherton

Guy

Just dug mine out! Hope this picture helps. It's about 38" long and, where the ruler is, the outermost parts of the ends are 2" or so from the inner straight edge. I was given this, probably off a mk2 Sprite, but Moss suggests there are all the same.

Bill Bretherton

Thanks Bill. That could well explain it. Rather different to mine which is about 1.5" shorter, but much less curved. That offset measurement on mine is just under 1/2".

Can anyone else verify Bill's version



GuyW

My Moss supplied one looks just like Bills.

Just removed the hood today after it’s been in the car for about 9 months I guess. When I first fitted it, it was so tight I thought I’d leave it on to form to the shape better and then hopefully be easier to fit again! I fitted it when it was about 30 c and in bright sunlight last June I think.

I have always fitted them by fitting the front rail first (but leave the lift the dots ears undone) then pulling back onto the deck clips. Sometimes it’s easier to push from the inside through the unclipped side window area.

John Payne

Thanks John. I am pretty sure mine is wrong, though I've no idea what it is for in that case. For the cost of a new bar, I think I will just order a new replacement
GuyW

Get ready with your file if you get it from Moss. It looks to be laser cut from sheet and like a lot of things you buy now they’ve never heard of deburring!

I think it was around £15 but if you imagine having to cut the curves yourself from 1/8” sheet it’s well worth it.

John Payne

In the "old days" I would have walked round to the blacksmith's and got him to hammer a bit more curve into it on his anvil. Unfortunately his old forge was converted into a house shortly after we moved to the village, 34 years ago.
GuyW

Just a tip. When I had gaps it had a very tight like a drum roof. You would bugger up your fingers trying to put it in on a cold wet day. Fairly OK on a hot sunny day when you didn't need a roof anyway.
My solution was to have it rolled up under the bonnet above the battery. It would always be lovey and warm from the engine heat and would go on a lot easier. Obviously I kept any metal bits away from the terminals.
G Lazarus

That's a smart idea Garry. I like that!
GuyW

This thread was discussed between 12/03/2021 and 24/03/2021

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