Paul,

I use the tonneau most of all. Whenever I leave the car, the tonneau goes on. Saves the leather, and anything else that is typically rolling around the floor. Those black seats get damn hot in the sun.

As for the 18's :3DSMILE: I don't have any decent pics. I will however be competing in the Clipsal rally in a few weeks and they will be on the car. I'm thinking of doing a blog for the event, just for fun, I'll keep you posted. You should have come over for it you know... just the place to stretch that mighty engine of yours.. :MECOOL:

Merv, Wazza (QLD Pres) made a hard top for his Harrison, and did a really nice job of fit and finish. I know there was a lot of faffing around to get it just right, but in the end it was and looked great. Maybe he can chime in with advice.

Cameron

Thanks for the info Tony will chat to you further about it at the next meeting.

Rgds

Gregg

Found a link to an Aussie source for Tenax http://www.classicfasteners.com.au/Tenax.htm

Cheers

:LOL: 谢谢

Bloody SABB. It's missing off their TT form.

Cheers

Thanks Cameron. I think Warren's old car was a DRB. His new one however...

Merv

The MB cloth was usually a Haartz product. They can be vinyl or cloth based. Their many fabrics are shown at: http://www.haartz.com/en/#

Not sure of the Australian agent but any good trimmer should know.

Merv

That Aussie source of Tenax in SA doesn't seem to carry the black version of those fittings. I too like the change from just using the plated variety.

Anyone know if the we can get the black option?

And I presume it would be a case over time that the black gets rubbed / scratched off over time. Has anyone experienced this?

Cheers

Something different to consider
 

Hi Merv,

I saw this roof at a recent NSW Cobra Club picnic and will be incorporating the idea into my soft top.

The rear window zips completely out of the soft top.

It is held in at the top by a heavy zip along its entire length which is attached to the inside rear edge of the soft top.

The bottom edges are fitted under two tenax clips on each side of the roof and also under the chromed teardrops.

The benefits of this idea is that it allows fresh air to circulate throughout the cabin when the soft top is erected, even when it's raining.

Baz


http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...Top_Small_.jpg

Baz,

For what it's worth. I had a similar set up in a different car, and it sucked in all the exhaust fumes and dust. With the hood off, it was clean cobra motoring, but the top on and it was a vacuum cleaner.

I'd be trying to test something like that.

Cameron

Thanks Baz it looks very good.Could reduce 'ballooning'. But I can see where Cameron is coming from with a vacuum effect. Most MX5s had that detachable rear window as I recall.

Merv

Thanks for the info Cameron. I hadn't thought about the consequences as far as sucking everything back into the cab is concerned.

I'll be running side pipes, therefore I shouldn't be eating my exhaust fumes as would be the situation with the pipes at the rear. Did your other car have side pipes or did they exit at the rear as in your present Cobra?

Now that you have mentioned it, the dust and dirt being sucked back into the car really disturbs me. That is one major aspect that I hadn't thought of. I have spend a small fortune on Connolly Leather for my interior trim and I don't want it stuffed up by having dirt and dust sucked into the cockpit caused by this new idea (Removable Rear Window) when the conventional fixed window would do the trick and cost a lot less to manufacture.

Yes. You've changed my mind. Fixed rear window with triangular side quarter windows it will be.

I am wrapped in the shape of Tony Crams soft top and will be using the same shape in my car. If Merv wants that effect and wishes to get away from the original Cobra look, where the soft top is lower at the back than in the middle, it is only a matter of extending the height of the rear upright bar by about 1 to 2 inches on the standard Bow Kit, which I obtained from Snakebite. This will give that squarer appearance in the top rear of the soft top.

Baz

Baz,

my old car, with a much younger me at the wheel %/

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...18837cones.jpg

Big 'ol live sidepipes.

I'm not saying don't do it, clearly it works for some cars, and the shape of the hood would have lot to do with the aero effects.

The good news is the leather you have in the car kept a few cows dry during the winter months, so it should hold up great to anything you throw at it. I have really good leather seats in the current car, they have been rained on and roundly abused. A good clean and leather conditioner and they look showroom...

Cameron

Here are a couple of Tonneaus - quite different!

Merv

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...braTonneau.jpg
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d.../Tonneau_2.jpg

Love those centre spinners on the wheel

(fyi - Ben Hur is 50 this year - appropriately the car is Black)

LoBelly

I liked the way that the stripes continued down the tonneau!

Merv

Stripes
 

Merv

I have always wanted to do the stripes on my car through the soft top as well. I am not sure if it would be too much, I also like plain black so as not to take away from the paint colour.

When I (eventually) do my soft top and tonneau, I would like to have just one set of clips over the rear of the car. I have seen a few examples where a *frame* (with apropriate protection for the paint) is attached to the back of the car and the soft top attached to the frame. This could also serve as a mounting point for the tonneau if it sat high enough.

So much to consider ...

Cheers

Geof

The ony time you need a roof in the rain is when you actually have to stop for some reason!

I have used my roof quite a bit over the years,
lots of Nationals and long distance trips,
its only been the last year or two we Qlders have managed to dodge the rain on the way down..
I have also put it on for scorching hot days to avoid the Qld sun...
Tenax Fasteners are the go,strong and neat,
I used a fibreglass mould around the rear body to attach the roof to the car,
attached by tenax to the body and press studs to hold the roof to the moulding..
also the 1 piece DRb header rail to give some extra height and shape at the windscreen,
held at the ends with overcentre latches..
Never bothered with side windows etc,
just a drip gutter trimmed over the window openings
I used a double thickness Mercedes cloth I think,
the Heavier the better,

A light vinyl or cloth will flap more than a Quality purpose made heavy cloth.

Don at Snakebite also has all things softtop and good advice...

Annvid did my trim side of things..

Cameron, Heidelberg , AIR Conditioning,doesnt that cost horsepower?

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d.../IMG_17391.jpg

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d.../IMG_02261.jpg

Of course, that's why they invented NOS.... :cool:

Cameron

Thanks TuUF427 (Darren?). That is a good hood. I agree about the "drip gutter trimmed over the window openings" - sounds very sensible.

Merv

Hey Merv,

That's the famous and very TUF Peter Hancock....and that's also the same roof I'm going to have on the new car.

It's brilliant...

Cheers,
Warren.