They Said it Couldn't be Done...

[v8s4me]

I'm sure it would be quite easy to just add more GF but as it cost me £120 plus the fuel to get there and back I'm buged if I can see why I should have to do it!

[v8s4me]

Alan Whitaker said:

..........and just have to do a bit of a mod or two to make it fit...

I suppose that just depends on what you definition of what a "mod or two" is. As it stands I've already got to trim it all round to get it to the correct size, drill the holes and glass in the bolts. This is what I'd happily accept as a "mod or two" and am happy to do, but finishing of the manufacturing process to treble the thickness is stretching things a bit far.

[v8s4me]

The point is that they agreed to make a "standard" TVR part from a factory mould. They did not tell me they were just going make me a "starter for 10" which I would have to complete myself. So if the "standard part", and remember we are dealing with a TVR specialist here not some general GF fabricator who doesn't understand the use to which the part is being put, is an average of 6mm thick then what should have been supplied should have been made to the same dimensions. The wholesale cost of the materials used is probably about £10 so the rest was labour. Once the part is set up on the mould the additional time and materials required to make it the correct thickness would have been negligible.

[v8s4me]

magpies said:

....did you use the 1979 3000S as the thinking behind your roof/hood?...

No, because this design uses side-screens so I'm afraid I just made it up as I went along. All the result of my twisted imagination and why it has taken so long. I think very slowly!

magpies said:

...I realise I can't have the roof and the tonneau fixed to the car at the same time - so maybe roof (hoop and rear screen) through the winter only?

Are you talking here about your hard-top conversion?

magpies said:

.... so maybe roof (hoop and rear screen) through the winter only?..

There would certainly be a way of having a tonneau fitted at the same time as the "pram hood", either in the up or down position. You just need a bit of lateral thinking

[v8s4me]

Alan Whitaker said:

.....You can just send it back and ask for one as TVR made them.

That's exactly what I thought I was going to get by ordering one from a TVR specialist As you can see, I haven't really calmed down about this

[v8s4me]

Ooooo that's pretty Nice wheels too

[v8s4me]

I’m happy to say we reached an amicable solution. DG sent me some resin, hardener and matting so I could build up the moulding. I've found the commercial product they supplied a lot easier to work with than the DIY stuff. The matting is thicker and the resin stays workable longer and there are no air pockets.



I've bonded in the mounting bolts and used stainless coach bolts in squared out penny washers which were “pegged” in place with little self-tappers. DG did supply the “correct” M6 studs which have broad flat heads and are designed to be bonded in by the resin but I gave it some thought and, rightly or wrongly, went with the DIY option.



As you can see there is still a lot of trimming to be done but the rail is now much stiffer and an even thickness all over. It does seem to stick up a bit on the corners though so we’ll have to wait and see what it looks like when it’s trimmed back to the correct shape.



The moulding as supplied went from ‘B’ post to ‘B’ post, ie not cut back 6” or 7” where the Velcro goes. I’m thinking about leaving this so that is forms a nice neat continuous trim all the way to the ‘B’ post and have the Velcro attached to the moulding.

Onwards and upwards...

[v8s4me]

After a week of building up, sanding and trimming the hood rail is now starting to look like it should.



In the picture above you can see how the new rail will continue round to the 'B' post and make attaching the Velcro and a fixing stud a whole lot easier and neater. The trimmer who is going to do the job called in yesterday to check out the fit and wasn't happy with the gap between the rear lip and the tub so I've built that up as well now.



I've trial fitted the new interior light moulding but haven't done any blending yet.



What do we think? I've a LED strip to try as another option.

The trimmer also felt the distance between the end of the middle hoop and the door glass was a bit big and the hood fabric might sag at this point, so the final job for this weekend was to find a way of bridging the gap. This is where I got to before packing up for the night...



To be continued.....

[v8s4me]

Deeman said:

.....let alone having the balls to rip up an immaculate V8s ..

Pete - I don't want to worry you but that pram hood is only held on with three M6 bolts at the back and the two M8 pivot bolts. Taking the spark plugs out is harder than taking the roof off!

Cheers for the compliments chaps

Edited by v8s4me on Monday 2nd February 22:13

[v8s4me]

So, what do we think then?





The LED strip is still an option, but I'm liking this. A little bit more smoothing tomorrow and the hood-rail is done

I'm thinking about using these to hold the 'B' post corners down (as well as Velcro). The trimmer has suggested recessing the securing nut in the back face of the hood-rail and bond it in flush with resin. Has anyone used these? Any other options to consider?

[v8s4me]

glenrobbo said:

......

If you're thinking of making provision for a tonneau cover in the future, now is the time to be fitting and bonding the locating stud retaining nuts into your rear rail...

Thanks Glen. Great minds...! I've got that on the list to talk to the trimmer about tomorrow. Actually getting a tonneau and/or a hood cover made will have to wait until next year though as the bank has been well broken but getting the fasteners fitted at this stage makes good sense.

My only reservation is how the rear part of the hood will look with little studs or poppers sticking out of the smart black mohair.

I had thought of magnets in the seam of the hood cover located over the large penny washers I've glassed into the rail but they are too deep, even for quite a strong magnet. Are there any other ideas out there?

Edited by v8s4me on Tuesday 3rd February 22:19

[v8s4me]

greymrj said:

....The Trim Technician now uses a different method, .... It does not rely on bolts glassed into the rear rail....

This is what David Gerald recommended...



Very thin but wide top which is glass/resined into the GF moulding. Could easily be pegged as well. These aren't stainless but SS might be available from the manufactures. Look up "bigheads" based in Bournemouth.

greymrj said:

... he fastens the hood to the rear rail but fastens the rail to the body using stainless set screws from the inside. i.e. the screws go horizontally through the tub and have nuts in the top edge of the boot....

I'm not sure I follow this but I do know getting screws or bolts in from underneath will be just a tricky as getting nuts onto the downward pointing studs.

greymrj said:

.... Tenax used where the location is under a bit of stress, probably best for the hood corners. ...

That makes sense. Thanks

[v8s4me]

Today's little bits of progress....

The light works..



I've glassed in the little nut which secures the male part of the Tenax fastner...





And solved the problem of how to extend the middle rail so that it will span the gap between the folding frame and the window and hold the hood fabric reasonably firmly against the glass...



Yes it is just a bit of garden hose. TVR would have been proud!

Edited by v8s4me on Thursday 5th February 00:33

[v8s4me]

AutoAndy said:

Two questions:

1. When done, will you do a article for us to publish and inspire all TVR owners?

2. I keep seeing your floral protective materials and now it's starting to brainwash me...ever thought using that pattern in the roof material?

Thanks Andy

1. I'll think it over.

2. That is the roof material! It's designed to blend into the French/German/Swiss countryside

[v8s4me]

Thanks Glen

This TR6 was in the trimmer's shop today and we were talking about a similar arrangement for the back of the driver's door window on mine...



This wasn't his work and he says the seams and flaps on mine will be a lot neater but the basic principal of inner and outer flaps along the top edge (like a Surrey) and just an inner flap at the back is the design he is going to use as a 'starter for 10'.

I don't know if this little strip of hood fabric down the 'B' post is an original TR feature but it looks like a good idea worth copying...



I used to have a suit that colour once

[v8s4me]

glenrobbo said:

...Would a TR6 hood come anywhere close to S dimensions?.......

My guess is the length will be about right but it might be too narrow. I'll check the dimensions if the TR6 is still there on my next visit.

glenrobbo said:

........Also what type of fasteners are those black ones on the TR?....

Just ordinary Durable Dot pop studs. I could use these on the hood corners as an alternative to the Tenax by using a 2BA screw into the glassed in nut instead of the usual pop-rivet.

There's pro & cons for each so glassing in the little nut gives me the option to choose when the hood is being made.

[v8s4me]

Glen - I think you need to sober up. It's far too early in the day to be drinking that heavily.

glenrobbo said:

....You don't get this trouble in France, everything is either he or she...

I am the first to bow to your knowledge of French grammar but aren't some nouns "neuter"? Or perhaps I'd fallen asleep in that lesson?

[v8s4me]

Driller said:

.....Nope, it's all either masculine or feminine, ........

Must have been daydreaming about E-type Jags in that lesson then; or was it Emmanuelle?

Take me back....please.............

[v8s4me]

The hood rail is more or less finished now so I've used it to fit a bit of scrap vinyl to see what the final shape of the hood will look like....





It looks OK; certainly no ugly duckling like a Morgan or a kit car. This now also gives me an idea of how the fabric will will fold down between the hood frame and how it will sit behind the seats.

Definitely female. Look at the curves!

[v8s4me]

TurboTony said:

...but the only thing that I never pulled there was a five berth caravan. ..

Well lucky old you! Or is that a typo?