Lemans Hardtop Install

[Tenrocca]

Been a few threads where this has come up so I thought I would start one documenting the install of my Mr Bruce Hardtop.

Background - Gav, Phil N and I had 3 tops made, crated and sent over in 2012 (I think). As of now Gav was the only one to actually get his fitted. I started 3 years ago but life got in the way and its been sitting down the side of the house for too long.

Original mods were to remove the side window and put in a naca vent, and extend the rear a little to create a more gradual taper towards the boot. I also had to move the drivers side b pillar forward a bit and the passenger side back a bit. Its a pretty good fit on the CR body now. This is how it was 3 years ago:







Part of my issue was finding a suitable hinge for the hatch. I wanted internal ones, but the longish hatch meant the usual hoopy ones were a little more intrusive then I liked. Finally settled on these mini boot hinges. The base is angled for a curve as well so no mods required. The come in chrome or cast Alum which suited me and were pretty cheap:



Will also need a new roll bar for hardtop use. Other one is a little too tall.

I want to use this style of pinch weld where the top meets the body (so the pinch bit is not visible from the outside):



So that means I needed a return lip where the top meets the body. A couple of metres of plastic angle the the bottom edge, put the top on and softened with the heat gun the form to the body and started glassing the lip in.



Ive order a 2 way rod lock for the hatch, and am planning to machine up some threaded ferrules to bolt to the body. Been tossing up the fitting where it meets the screen, but am going to have a go at a simple solution used by one of our US brothers (knurled knobs and t-bolts though the windscreen channel: