Lost roof panel....

[mash]

Whilst blasting down the A12 on friday night my girlfriend stopped to put the roof on, fearing imminent showers, but neglected to secure the drivers panel properly. She wishes to apologise to the frightened driver behind who almost had a face full of roof.....so if anyone hears of a single drivers side panel or a complete roof would they please let me know!
Thanks guys!

[lordb]

I didnt think it would be possible.....unless the rear roof strut wasnt snapped correctly. Im alarmed to think that those little roof latches are the last thing between me and a major law suit.....?

[exitleft :rushingtogaragetochecknow:]

[tvrgaas]

My S1 didn't have those latches, just the lugs - after loosing and finding a panel on the A34 south of Oxford I spotted the catches on the then new S3, hence I called Blackpool and got one - I think you can get them from Radio Spares - do a search.

As to a roof panel, sorry don't know, there was someone asking the other month. I guess ask the usual suspect DG, Venn, sTeVeR etc.

[crossle]

Why didn't you send her back with a torch to find it?

[Psychobert]

Know of a couple of cars that regularly drive around with the front latches undone, so I'm guessing the back wasn't popped in properly. Probably something to watch for in cars that have had the later ally struts retro fitted - might not be as tight a fit.

Have a horrible feeling that roof panels are not the cheapest of items to buy..

[Tripps]

Psychobert said:

Probably something to watch for in cars that have had the later ally struts retro fitted - might not be as tight a fit.

Shouldn't be a problem really as the ally struts are longer, so unless the new fittings are placed a lot further down.

Mine take a mighty shove to tension them up, onlookers must think something mightly strange is going on..

I'd reckon that the lugs might have been a little to short, or perhaps one was missing altogether, most probably at the front end.

[Tripps]

Only place I can think for roof panels is the breakers really, try placing a wanted advert here on PH, I got three replies to my advert (for ally struts) the day after posting it, so the breakers will spot your advert and call you ASAP if they have one...

[RichardR]

I think Douglas Valley were breaking an S at one point. Might be worth giving them a ring.

[spivvy]

try www.autohoods.co.uk they do replacement roof panel for S and not to dear

[Big_M]

Which bit of the A12? I travel the Marks Tey - Ipswich bit every day so could keep a look out for it if you didn't find it.

[crossle]

spivvy said:

try www.autohoods.co.uk they do replacement roof panel for S and not to dear

It looks to me as if the Autohoods only manufacture the fabric covering for the panel - especially at the price they're quoting!

[pavlova]

David Gerald quoted me about £550 + vat for new hood and 2 roof panels - £300 of that was for the hood so they may be worth a try

[mash]

Big_M said:

Which bit of the A12? I travel the Marks Tey - Ipswich bit every day so could keep a look out for it if you didn't find it.

Thanks for the offer but unfortunately it was the southbound side near Chelmsford, much appreciated!

[mash]

Thanks for all the offers guys, I'll give all the avenues a go. Heres hoping I'm fully roofed before the 20th for the Wells action.....

[mmickgoodall]

My S shed its roof too. When I got it back and checked it the lugs on the front were half the length off the ones on the rear. I have removed the old ones and made new longer ones out of ally bar, and reemed out the holes in the header rail.
A local trimer has Quoted me about a hundered pounds to recover the roof.
I have also fitted the catches from the later cars cost about twelve pounds from david gerald. Not conviced they'll hold much though.