hood frame overhang

[ronp]

Hi I am fitting a new hood frame to a previously converted Minor 1000 saloon.The old frame had several issues. The new frame fits well but the front header rail that sits on the two locating dowels seems too far forward of these pins when in the rest position-just before engaging with them. I seem to need "unreasonable" force to get them to drop over and engage. Could someone give me an idea of how much the frame should normally overshoot the dowel pins? I expect some overshoot,so as to tension the hood itself. Sine this is a conversion, not a genuine tourer, it could be that the frame pivot bracket is wrong, or that the shell has moved during restoration.
i woukd appreciate some feedback.
Ron Palgrave

[Budgie]

I have a factory made convertible and if I don't "totally lock " the frame in the closed position and by that i mean all the "pivot points" are closed, folded, then the header rail on my car doesn't appear to line up. Not sure if this is of any help but give it a go it's both the pivots closest to the front of the car that I need to double check before I pull the header rail down that extra inch or two to locate. If this doesn't work then it could be the location of the pins post factory or an ill fitting pattern frame.

[RobThomas]

Same on mine. the hood material pulls the header rail back since it is so tight. Without the fabric, the hood frame goes a lot further forwards.

Lotttttttts of tension in the Mohair fabric.

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[Declan_Burns]

Rob,
That hood looks brilliant-well done.
Where did you buy it?
Do yo have a photo taken from the side showing the clearance to the top of the doors and the rear side windows?
I wish mine fitted that well.

Regards
Declan

[RobThomas]

Thanks, Declan.

It is from Don Hoods, Birmingham. Not cheap, but it looks 'right'. Being a Lowlight it doesn't have rear windows and I've made some stainless frames to hold the glass instead of the fabric screens. I've not got any other photos with the roof up....it doesn't go up very often. It is in the garage under sheets at the moment but I can take it out if you need better shots.

If I remember correctly, the door sits with about 1cm of fabric hanging over it when closed.

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[ronp]

So, is it the case that the tension in the hood fabric should be enough to pretty well pull back and align the hood rail to the locating pins? I just starting to fit the hood (starting at the back) and have yet to confront the issue of tension when the fabric gets tacked to the front rail.

Ron Palgrave

[RobThomas]

Yes.

Mohair is elastic but Vinyl may not spring back so much. Do it on a hot day or heat the Vinyl to allow you to tack it onto the header rail with enough tension. Glue is more forgiving on Vinyl if you think you might not have got it right first time.

[Declan_Burns]

Thanks Rob,
Very nice job.How did you make the rear frames?
Regards
Declan

[RobThomas]

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I found some 4-door rear frames, stripped them right down (drill/grinder) heated the stainless red hot and re-bent it to the right profile, using one of my new Lowlight rear screen frames as a template (Not the old one in the pic). After that it was just a case of trimming it down, adding corner brackets and welding in 2 dowels to slot into the sockets to hold them in place.
I might be possible to do the same process to create a stainless rear frame for a later Convertible car. There are still 2 screw holes that ought to be welded up. There is a saloon rear glass in the top pic and it is about 1 inch too small and a different curvature.