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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Question about top frame

I'm about to install a new top (hood) on a '77 Midget. While inspecting the frame for the top I noticed that there is a lot of play where the frame attached to the header rail. Are these rivets supposed to be relatively snug or is the excess play necessary for proper articulation?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.
Trevor Jessie

the frame is screwed to the header rail, do you mean the seal retainer strip that's riveted to the header rail?

perhaps a photo of your header rail would help
Nigel Atkins

I'm referring to the very last link/pivot of the bit that is screwed to the header rail.
Trevor Jessie

in that case no not beyond a reasonable amount for wear, many of my links are a bit loose (especially after oiling) but not those two

I had a hood fitted years ago by Do Hoods they made an excellent job of it but 6 months later the frame snapped and when I put a new frame in it was a very tight fit and didn't look anywhere near as well fitted

see the John Twist video where he explains how much time and effort he puts into fitting the hood allowing time and raising and lowering many times before the final fit

even a cheap that's not too well made hood can be made to fit and be water tight but it doesn't compare to a well made hood well fitted
Nigel Atkins

Dont know if this will be any use to you did it last summer


http://www.flickr.com/photos/markythesparky/sets/72157633862111410/
mark 1500 nearly on the road

My experience is that those last links that attach to the header rail are very loose.
Dave O'Neill2

perhaps my hood frame is better than I thought then Dave as mine seem reasonable allowing for wear, a couple of the others seem a lot more loose perhaps it was the muck holding them together and the couple of times I've oiled them has washed out some of the muck bond
Nigel Atkins

OK, Thanks. I'm still debating on renewing those pivots, so if anyone else has any relevant experience I'd love to read about it. I'm still waiting on my replacement top since the first one they sent me was too short. It was like a combo MkII/MkIII top. Someone was asleep at the sewing machine.
Trevor Jessie

Where the header rail sits atop the screen, there are two small plastic blocks either side that tip it forward so that it retains the right angle at the front. And I think a certain amount of "articulation" is needed in the front-most pivot of the frame itself, to allow this. If you leave those blocks off, then the front seal doesn't.
Guy W

Echoing Mark's post, here are some pics from when I installed a Prestige Autotrim soft top on my Midget:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/safety_fast/sets/72157623606866759/

In answer to Trevor's original question, I recall that my header rail mounting was a bit sloppy as well. But once it's clamped down to the windscreen frame, that doesn't seem to matter. Guy's right about the little plastic blocks, and I mention those in my photo captions, in which I describe all the steps I took... in detail.

Cheers,

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Thank you, Gentlemen.
Trevor Jessie

This thread was discussed between 06/11/2013 and 08/11/2013

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