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Triumph TR6 - Top replacement

I am starting to replace my top. Does anyone know if the original tops were riveted or screwed to the body through the rear angle plate below the rear window. I read somewhere that they were screwed on, but my '74's was riveted (sloppy) and it appears to be an original top judging by its looks and a 1975 parking sticker(!).

Thank you, W
Wayne

Wayne,
The TR6 to is attached to the rear support bar with male snaps, rivited in place. The male snaps allow the attachment of the boot cover or tonneau covers with their female counterpart snaps. The initial placement of the top on the back bar is extremely important to a proper installation. Fold the new top in half along the back edge and mark dead center on the top with chalk in the area where the rear bar inserts. Start with this center mounting with the snap and rivit. Then start working outwards from side to side in order to keep the tension the same from side to side. If your lucky, the top will be even on the ends and this will make a great installation. The is a somewhat challanging job but can be done at home, I have done a few with very good results. Good Luck... Steve
Steve Yott

Wayne
Do yourself a big favour and get the hand held snap tool installation kit. There is a past thread this subject called ( I think ) snap tool. If you can not find the thread e-mail me.
The top is rivited using male snaps to the bar then the bar is bolted to the body. I put some weather stipping ( that black self adhesive stuff about 1/2" wide) on the underside of the bar for the purpose of stopping air and water getting in. Since the weather stripping will compress very easily, you will also need to put a solid rubber gromit around the bolt to hold the bar off the body to prevent it from scratching body paint. With your back support bar attached as Steve says then the top can be installed on the car and the rest of the snaps can be done with this tool. It saves having to take the top on and off for the remaining side window snaps and the inside bow snaps. Beleive me, you will be glad you bought it!
I would not attach the front with glue yet or the side snaps at the side windows..... You need a hot summer day to heat up the top so it will stretch. If you put it on now without the front area attached at least leave the top up for the winter.
This is not a difficult job. The only part that you have to be carefull of is the front header rail when you glue it on ( 3M General Trim Adhesive). The top should have a white line marked on the front edge. This line is your exact line to follow on the leading edge of the front header bar. Centering is critical so mark the center of the top and the bar. Glue it on in 2 sections working from the center outwards...also glue it on in the inside (underside)area of the header bar....I presume you have already removed and cleaned and painted the front 3 steel channels that the rubber seal goes in. After it is glued on, trim up the inside a bit, reinstall the channels with rivets then install the rubber channel. This is a little more tricky. There is no way you can "slide" it into the channel. I started at one end, put one edge in and with a flat screwdrive worked the other edge into the channel...lots of fun!!
Hope this helps...Have Fun
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Wayne
Forgot to mention that the front channels, being very narrow, require a rivet gun with a flat rivet holder ( what else do you call the thing??). A normal rivet gun has the different sizes of rivet holders with a tapered end..I have one that is not tapered but straight and fits into the narrow channel without crushing the channel.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Wayne
Double check clean and grease neat and tidy all your frame assembly. Check for bad rivets on frame and weak points. Fix now.
Replace webbing or straps. Most come with them now I guess.

"Do not use hardware store rivets". Auto-upholstery place should guide you right. 99% of rivet problems are sloppy holes. For the rivet to work right they should barely go through.

Blunt nose RickC. Wayne you can buy different holders for most guns. A power riveter air or otherwise will hold better. Single stroke if a good one. Bang evenly distributed pear good hold.

Bill
B Brayford

Thank you all. I'll look for one of the hand held snap tools instead of the punch one that came w/ the tonneau.

Interestingly enough, when I removed the top, only about half of the rivets went through the angle plate to the body, a few made dents (no holes in body)
and most seemed to have thick, little foam rubber "washers" around the back end, maybe to protect the paint.

I plan on using aviation blind rivets..the hardware and some auto superstore rivets are barely adequate.

W
Wayne

This thread was discussed between 11/11/2002 and 13/11/2002

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