Tonneau conundrum

[IanIrving]

I've just fitted a new tonneau to my BJ8 bought from AH Spares. It fits well and wasn't difficult to do unaided but I have a couple of questions. There are four flaps on the top, two short ones are covering slots where the seatbelts pass through when used as a half tonneau The other two, forward of the short flaps and about three times as long running across the car seem to have no aparent purpose. My questions are these.
1) Does anyone know what those longer flaps are for?

2) In the Clausager book, page 79, only the short flaps are shown as having snap fasteners whilst in the Haynes book, page 144, all four flaps have snaps. Which is correct.

3) The short side flap which runs across the top of the door to the lift the dot pin just behind the quarter light start from underneath the panel which runs around the rear to the tenax fastener just behind the door. Do they fasten in some way to that tenax pin or are they just tucked in? Clausanger book shows them looking just tucked in whilst Haynes book (Great cars, Austin Healey) Looks much more like they are fastened in some way.

Hope that is all clear and someone has the answers, maybe Randy has some photos!
Thanks

Ian

 

[Randy Forbes]

No photos of that, but I could send you my camera...

 

[Ed_K]

Hello Ian,

Those flaps are to allow the tonneau to be snapped down to the
front surface of the rear seating area. You should have two studs on each side, ( 2 behind the passenger seat and 2 more behind the driver's seat). This is so you can have the tonneau installed while you alone or you and a passenger are riding in the car. The tonneau folds over the support bar and then snaps down to the front surface of the rear seating area when it is open.
I will try to post a picture but may not get to it for a while.

Ed

 

[gra]

Agree with above. The door side panel goes on the same stud as the panel with the fastener behind the door. The door panel portion goes on first. You need a hole in the door panel and can fit a plastic ring into the fabric or just make a hole and stitch around it. You then place the door panel with the hole on the stud first and then short panel with the regular fastener.

You can also tuck it under and it looks ok.

 

[IanIrving]

Thanks for the instant answers, that all makes great sense except maybe I'll have to lengthen the tenax stud behind the door if both thicknesses of tonneau are to fit over it. I tried today with that configuration but couldn't get the tenax to stay on with both pieces of fabric there. I'll look for the other snap studs on the rear seat fronts.

Thanks to all

Ian

 

[gra]

Re: Tonneau conundrum Pics

I have taken some pics of the flap with fasteners that you asked about as well as the side panels and how they fasten but for the life of me I am unable to attach to this message. If you pm or email me I will send to you. George

 

[tahoe healey]

Re: Tonneau conundrum Pics

If you do use the seat belt flap provided you will need to have the detachable belts that Moss sells. The work nice.

 

[NIB]

Re: Tonneau conundrum Pics

Going to buy a tonneau for my BJ8 soon.
What kind of material did you choose?

 

[IanIrving]

Re: Tonneau conundrum Pics

Hi NIB
I chose the Vinyl in black, the other option was mohair but the top and the cover which came with the car are both black vinyl so I thought it best to stay with that. I was very happy with the quality of the cover from AH Spares, no connection with them, just a satisfied customer. I hadn't realised until it came that the fittings were supplied but not installed to had to do the fitting myself but not at all difficult. Starting from scratch took me about three hours with nothing more than a piece of chalk, a bradawl, a couple of sharp cutters andpliers to bend the tabs on the "lift the dot" fittings.

I have detachable seart belts so all good there if a bit of a fiddle given how close the fittings are to the seat bases but there is just enough room to get them in an out ok.

Thanks for all the help and for your photos George.

Ian

 

[Ed_K]

Here are some pictures

 

[Doghouse]

It may seem obvious to some, but could you post a picture of how the support rib installs? I am a new owner and I can not figure out where the curved ends go!

 

[bob hughes]

Hi Doghouse

No picture, but if you have a BJ7 or BJ8 then there should be a socket on each side of the car, to receive the support bar just in front of the hood frame mounting bracket on each rear wing.

Bob

 

[Ed_K]

I'll post a couple more pictures for you in the next day or so as I get time.
Ed

 

[Doghouse]

OK, here is my issue, I see the socket, but the support bar just does not reach. The main upright of the top is blocking insertion of the rail into the socket. The support rail is about 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch too short. Do I have the wrong bar? Should I just do a little creative bending? should I just get a short piece of AL bar and make a little insert / spacer? :confuse:

CW

 

[Bob McElwee]

Hi CW,
I'd suggest checking out the Houston AHCA club here - https://www.gulfcoasthealeyclub.com/

I'm sure they could help get the problem figured out.

 

[tahoe healey]

The width is adjustable with the sliding of the two tubes. The height is not. They should all be the same. You want it to be as low as possible and it should be attached at the flaps to the wall below the rear seats. If you fuss with the height it will not attach at the wall or the dash. You could also stress the fit to the tennex on the chrome door pieces. You want to do this when it is in the sun and stress it when cold for a nice smooth look.

 

[Cottontop]

I've just fitted a new tonneau to my BJ8 bought from AH Spares.

You bought your BJ8 from AH Spares???

Tim

 

[tahoe healey]

Part by part?

 

[IanIrving]

I wish i had, probably would have been in better nick than it was, getting better now though.

Ian

 

[IanIrving]

Finally received parts and installed the snaps under the rear seat to hold down the big tonneau flaps as per the photos. I checked the panels but no sign there were ever snaps fitted before, no holes for them anywhere. Does that mean they were only ever there on BJ8s supplied with tonneau ex factory. My Heritage certificate does not show tonneau so maybe it never had one before.
Ian