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MG TD TF 1500 - Any owners here with hard tops?

I have questions
L E D LaVerne

Yep. I have Plasticon hardtop.

W A Chasser

Would suit me. I have to use the "flexibility" in the hood to get in to the car. Less hair means less protection against impact.
JK Mazgaj

We've run a Plasticon lid for years and recently acquired another one.

What's your question? ...or do you prefer email?

sorry, problems with pics timed out pasting images
JIM N

Jim, you and had had a long conversation about our hard tops several years ago. Did your second Plasticon have a set of side curtains? I’d like to make patterns and frames for mine. I haven’t restored mine yet. I’m also missing one of the Plasticon buttons on the side. Don’t know if I’ll ever find a replacement. Lol

Bill Chasser
TD-4834

W A Chasser

i have one.
TRM Maine

It seems to me the front side curtains are the same used for rag tops.

Both of our tops came with rear side curtains. The second one is pretty rough. Those sidecurtains don't have a frame and the top must have been permanently attached.

I went crazy fabricating rather complicated leather side curtains for our first Plasticon. The rear curtain is pretty simple. I started with 5/16" steel rod- made about a 150degree bend on a long straight piece and cut a short, curvy rod for the bottom and brazed or gas welded the pieces into the triangular frame. There's a short piece of 1" flat stock brazed into the triangle. That has 3 sort screw braze into it to accept the frame bracket and acorn nuts.





JIM N

Jim. I remember you showing the ones your fabricated to fit behind the B pillar. That’s why I was asking about the recent acquisition. I’ll see if I can find your email and we can talk about this in more detail.

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

As for the Plasticon buttons, ours disappeared on the road long ago.

I found out the hard way that the rear top bracket that used a slot to engage the wing nut was incapable of holding the top on with 50+mph side winds, so I fabricated a few pieces of stainless sheet metal for much better integrity. A larger Z shape affords better seating to the tub but it has a slot to slide over the wing nut bracket for easy removal and installation. A smaller L bracket utilizes a hole to engage the tub's bracket to hold the top bracket down securely. It just so happens that a U bolt has the same spread as the original hardtop holes, so now, there's a loop inside for bungy cords. Acorn nuts and conical stainless washers adorn the outside of the top.

However, I no longer trust the new wing nut brackets. They only use a tiny nub on the bolt shank press fit into the base. The tighter you crank that wing nut down, the more likely it is to separate when driving down a bumpy road. Oooops! I TIG weld the studs in place. It only takes a couple of seconds so the exterior does not get discolored.





JIM N

My apologies. When my friend brought out tese side curtains I assumed they probably went with a hard top. He informed me that he has a folding top with a glass window. So now I would be looking for any information about who might have manufactured these as they do not appear to be a home made deal.




L E D LaVerne

They look like a perfect fit for the Plasticon and very innovative approach incorporating the rear curtain into a flap that is free to hinge. I'll have to try that on our second hardtop.

All hardtops I've seen have a thin, lightweight acrylic window but there's nothing to stop someone from going to glass. Safety glass wouldn't be out of the question, but a one-off tempered glass would be pretty outrageous pricewise.

I'd suspect someone confused a "folding top" with "removable top."

email jrnorthrupsr@Yahoo.com

I like emails because I can dump a bunch of pics at a time rather than struggle to get only two on for a BBS reply.

By the way, our 2nd top came with a deep depression in the top from years of improper storage, so I've had it setting upside down with boxes weighing it down and the deformation has lessened over a year of so. I might install a skylight that I saved from my wife's '88 minivan as the frame might help straighten it up. Also considered going with 3 skylights like the MG TA Airline. I may have to fabricate a bow or two to restore it's shape.





JIM N

This thread was discussed between 23/12/2020 and 01/01/2021

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