BJ7/BJ8 Convertible Top

[Johnny]

Thanks Roger, sorry about the name change. I was wondering if there was a way to group all these threads and store them somewhere??

 

[Randy Forbes]

Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A

Well, I have done some work on my top and it is much better than before... but not as good as AUSMHLY's.

I shimmed the frame and without the fabric it fit well - this was a result of
-replacing the bolts/pivot pins for some 10mm high tensile bolts which fit much more snugly than the old worn pins...
-shimming the hood frame
-moving both door glasses up as far as they'd go
-removing the door hinge shim on the right door (which allowed the glass further height as well as moving it forward).
-moving the windscreen a little more upright to match the 1/4 light frames.

https://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p744/356fair/Healey pics/Healey re-trim/null_zpsf980c731.jpg

However, once the fabric was added, the wood trim doesnt align as well under tension. Also There is a bit of wrinkling at the 3/4 corner. Could this be removed? It doesnt seem so from the adjusting I've done. If the fabric is gathered more to the rear to tighten the 3/4 area there is an excess at the rear window...

https://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p744/356fair/Healey pics/Healey re-trim/null_zpsfb996a2a.jpg

Otherwise the fabric is now drum tight and the windows look like they should seal pretty well. It is pretty tight when clipping the windscreen latches though - I doubt my wife would be able to put the top up alone.
Any thoughts?

You're saying "fabric" and I can't tell from the pictures if your top really is a rubberized canvas (fabric) or vinyl; if vinyl, the wrinkles will probably come out once the car gets a chance to warm up and "relax" in the sun. Careful use of an electric heat gun may accelerate this process...

It is a common misconception that a top needs to be installed "drum tight" (I know, I USED to strive for it myself) but in use, and long periods__not necessarily continous__of exposure to the sun tends to shrink most materials, particularly vinyl, with which I've had the most exposure to. I learned living in Southern Louisiana, one of the USA's hotter states, how quickly tight will become too tight, actually tearing out the snaps and hardware around the rear perimeter of where the tops were attached. Conversely, you don't want it "baggy" either, but there IS a happy medium between the two

When I installed the (vinyl) BJ8 top on the green car, its owner lived in Michigan (same town as Jeff Daniels) but moved to Los Cruces, NM by the time I was finished with his laundry list of repair items, so I'm particularly glad I struck that happy medium with his car!

 

[Johnny]

Sorry Roger, having a bit of a problem accessing the links to the old forum. Apparently my old and new logins are conflicting.

 

[HealeyRick]

Deleted

 

[CanberraBJ8]

Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A

Thanks Randy

Yes the top is canvas - I was told by the PO that is was Mercedes fabric (but he said a lot of things...). I've been pondering easing off the rear a little to see it that will let the wrinkles out.. I think I might have got it too tight in the side sections of the rear bow that the clips fasten to.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A

Thanks Randy

Yes the top is canvas - I was told by the PO that is was Mercedes fabric (but he said a lot of things...). I've been pondering easing off the rear a little to see it that will let the wrinkles out.. I think I might have got it too tight in the side sections of the rear bow that the clips fasten to.

Hi CanberraBJ8,

I looked at all you photos. Nice job with the Dynamate.

Noticed you have a large gap where the rubber over the top of the side window meet the rubber along the back of the side window. Water will come in there when you wash the car.

View attachment 27156

The wrinkes on the side are from pulling the material down in that area and not having enough pull going towards the rear and the front (I'd try more pulling towards the rear, and continuing to pull the material down as you go towards the center of the rear window.)
View attachment 27157

It's a lot of trial and error finding the right amount of tension in certain areas to pull everything evenly. It can be done, if you have the patience.
View attachment 27154
View attachment 27155

 

[CanberraBJ8]

Hi guys

Just a little query about the Bristleflex seals. I've been talking with the guys at The Healey Surgeons about a recent order and they say that the seal that goes around the windows is not fuzzy like the Bristleflex door seals. However photos that AUSMHLY sent me show what looks like Bristleflex but with a different rubber bulb from the door seal. Healey Surgeons described the window/top seal as a webbed material not the fuzzy stuff like bristelflex.


Can anyone shed light on this?

AUSMHLY's photos


I would have gone straight to AUSMHLY, but he seems to be away from his internet.

cheers
Simon

 

[HealeyRick]

The top on my BJ7 is original and the material is not fuzzy but is webbed as described:

Looking at Anderson-Moment, however, it is described as furflex.

 

[chicken]

Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A

Hi canberra
I am about to fit my hood on my bj7 but as yet i still need to mount the hood brackets to the inner wings, dont suppose you could get me some measurements for the hood brackets from different datum points, i dont know the best datum points to use though.
Rob

 

[Keoke]

Surgeons described the window/top seal as a webbed material not the fuzzy stuff like bristelflex.

This is correct

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Hi guys

Just a little query about the Bristleflex seals. I've been talking with the guys at The Healey Surgeons about a recent order and they say that the seal that goes around the windows is not fuzzy like the Bristleflex door seals. However photos that AUSMHLY sent me show what looks like Bristleflex but with a different rubber bulb from the door seal. Healey Surgeons described the window/top seal as a webbed material not the fuzzy stuff like bristelflex.


Can anyone shed light on this?

AUSMHLY's photos

I would have gone straight to AUSMHLY, but he seems to be away from his internet.

cheers
Simon

Originally it was webbed gray fabric. I remember going to the Dealer to buy it. I wish I had known then that I'd still have my Healey because I would have bought all they had!

 

[HealeyRick]

Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A



Hi Johnny, who's this guy Rick?...lol.
My reseach on the web came up with...

A quick word to the wise: If you have the opportunity to protect your convertible top—whether it's vinyl or fabric—do it the very first day you bring it home, before it has a chance to get dirty. Pay special attention to the stitching. Manufacturers use poly-cotton thread—comparatively weak, and always the first thing to go. The stitching needs a UV sealant or protectant, if it's to hold things together for any amount of time.

We have found in our testing RaggTopp is one of the top products on the market. 303 High Tech Fabric Guard is also a quality product. Either will restore the repellence to factory specifications and keep your fabric top looking good. Be sure to apply protectant to a clean, dry top. Never saturate; light, even coats are always best. Reapply monthly to maintain an optimum level of water repellency.

Johnny, I can't say if the water beaded on my top from what Robbins applied. I put two coats of RaggTopp sealer on my top before it left my garage. Maybe because my top is new, I found the process very easy. I used the RaggTopp kit.

1. I washed the fabric with RaggTopp cleaner and a horse hair brush.
2. Rinsed it off well with a garden hose.
3. Dryed it with a waffel weave micro fiber towel, and made sure it was absolutely dry by letting it sit in the sun.
4. Applied a light coat of sealer from the spray can. Let it dry, then I applied another coat.

When I wash the top, the water beads.

Roger, aka Rick

I wanted to thank Roger for all his convertible top posts. After years of dealing with the ill-fitting original top on my BJ7 I bit the bullet and replaced it with a new Stayfast from Robbins. I knew I didn't have the skill and patience that Roger did in replacing his top so I farmed it out to a pro. Came out great, and I took Roger's advice on protecting it with Ragg Top. Sometimes posters help us by showing how we can do things ourselves, other times they're helpful by showing what we best leave to others.

 

[Simon Bayes]

Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A

Rick,

Sorry, my intentions were not to scare anyone from trying to do the job on their own, rather to offer help in the form of what others have contributed also.

I've gotten a lot of PM's asking for my help, being I spent a lot of time learning about it. So I thought I'd start a post with links that may help others.

How's that saying go...no good deed goes unpunished.

Cheers,
Roger

Hi Roger
I was wondering if you could advise me on the glueing the BJ8 softop to the roof frame, does that strip on the rear roof rail wrap around and glue to itself or to the frame?
Simon.

 

[Warren]

Hi Roger
I was wondering if you could advise me on the glueing the BJ8 softop to the roof frame, does that strip on the rear roof rail wrap around and glue to itself or to the frame?
Simon.

I just installed a new top last year, Robbins Everflex British Vinyl, and used Weldwood contact cement and rolled the flap around the rear top bow and secured with the metal rail and substituted chrome screws instead of the traditional pop rivets. Hope that helps.

 

[Warren]

I just installed a new top last year, Robbins Everflex British Vinyl, and used Weldwood contact cement and rolled the flap around the rear top bow and secured with the metal rail and substituted chrome screws instead of the traditional pop rivets. Hope that helps.

A photo........