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MG MGB Technical - Roof bows

Is there a difference in soft top roof bows for MGBs? I have a 71 and it doesn't want to close properly. This B is new to me. Any info is appreciated.
John Farrell

There are three different hood frames - one removable and two collapsible, and these are all different. Also how are you folding it? Some seem to be able to fold with the hood still fastened to the rear deck, but don't go all the way down so you can't use a hood cover on them. Others will go all the way down, nearly level with the rear deck so a hood cover can be used, but the rear has to be detached. It depends if it won't fold at all, won't quite fold flat, of gets stuck halfway etc. If it doesn't fold quite flat make sure the back bow isn't jamming on top of the rear arches.
Paul Hunt

John

Have a look here
http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/bodytext.htm#hood
DK McNeill

John
Sorry, you need to mouse/click on Roadster Hood/Top to see how to fold the hood
DK McNeill

Paul,

By closing properly I meant to say in the 'up' position. Fastening the clamps to the windshield.
Perhaps this top just wasn't fitted correctly when installed. The rigid 'bar' across the back is missing. All of this is from memeory of my first B...years ago. Thanks for the help.

DK,

Thanks for the web site. I'll have a look see!

Cheers!
John
John Farrell

Hi John,
Is it just a tight fit or does it not reach the top of your screen at all and is it a fold down top ? I have a fold down top fitted to my 63B and if i leave the top down for a couple weeks or more it actually shrinks making it extremely difficult to hook up at the front.The front bow on mine actually tilts forward alleviating the tension on the material and in turn making it a lot easier to snap into place.
Hope this a help.

Spoggy.
Dave ( spoggy )

John, if you have the early pack-away type, the rearmost of the three roof bows is only partially extended until the screen clips are locked in place. The bar is then fully extended backward to take up any slack in the top.

I'm not sure if the folddown type is installed in a similar way, but it may be worth trying (if it is possible).

Like Dave's top, mine appears to 'shrink', particularly in cold weather, such that the header rail just fails to reach the screen top unless the above technique is adopted.

Regards
Roger
Roger T

If anything a missing rear bar should make it easier to fasten the header rail, much as Roger T says, although it is the front and middle bars that I would class as 'rigid' or fixed, the rear bar swivels and will drop down unless pulled into place by being glued in to the flaps in the material or pulled into position by cords attached to the rear bar.

It's quite easy to attach the header rail to the material in very warm weather by stretching it, only to find that it then won't close in colder weather. Lyndsay Porter warns about this using the apt phrase 'team of horses' being needed to close it. As far as shrinking goes I've come to the conclusion that it's excessive heat and sun that causes them to shrink, whilst mine (20 years old) is a little harder to fasten in cold weather because it is stiffer, it hasn't shrunk in UK sunshine, not that it's erected in sunshine very much anyway.

As Spoggy says I've also noticed that when up but not fastened the frame can be manipulated with some effort which moves the relationship between the bows, but when mine is fastened it always takes up the same position. But I've 'adjusted' mine anyway. As purchased the hood wouldn't go down far enough for me to fasten the full tonneau cover properly when used as a hood cover, but I could lower it from the driving seat (even under way) without having to unfasten the rear clips. I then found that by making a small adjustment in the frame each side it would fold down far enough to use the tonneau cover as a hood cover, but then I couldn't lower it without unfastening the rear clips or it was in danger of ripping the material. Seems you pays your money and makes your choice.
Paul Hunt

Paul,
my top folds down completely but all clips and hooks must be undone so i can use a hood cover but care must be taken when putting back up because as you said material can be torn by the bows which i did on a previous top. Not happy.
By the way, if the clips are not undone my top only folds back half way.

Spoggy.
Dave ( spoggy )

This thread was discussed between 23/03/2009 and 27/03/2009

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