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MG MGA - Moss soft top problems

Hi

I have just received a new soft top (vinyl) from Moss and I have started to install it. I have a number of problems though. The top doesn't fit my car! (1600 mk1) The top is too narrow at the front, making it impossible to fold the top around the ends of the front wooden beam. (Since the front of the top is tapered, it could be that I’m not able to pull it far enough forward, that is making it too narrow). Also, the rear window will not straighten out, because the two seams, between the rear window and the small windows, is taking all the stretch. The part below the rear window and in front of the metal bar is laying flat against the scuttle no matter how hard I pull the top forward. The sides will not reach fully up to the side window, they will leave a vertical gap behind the window. I have checked the position of the chrome retainers and they are spot on in the same positions as on a friends car. The new top is of a different design than my old one, making it difficult to compare them. Anybody that has similar problems with recently bought soft tops from Moss (manufactured in march-april 2005)?

Regards
Christer
C Lundgren

Part of a good fit is a tight fit...
it helps to lay teh top out in the sun and let it get good and warm (read hot) that will alow the vinyl the stretch.
Not saying the top isn't faulty but this could be the case as well.
havent done a top recently, but will be soon.
I'll be waiting to see how things go with you.
Tennessee Glenn
Tennessee Glenn

Hot? Sweden? In May??
D Sjostrom

Hummm...

I got one of these from Moss UK and I thought the same thing about it being too short across the wooded header rail...
So I put it back in the box and moved onto restoring other things....
You have me worried now....
and I don't think the english sun will stretch it approx 8 inches ...

Keep me posted !!!
Cheers <MARK>
Mark Hester

Guess I did most of my Convertible tops in Florida during the summer... but even that wont make up 8 inches...
sorry :(
hope everything works out.
Tennessee Glenn
Tennessee Glenn

I have just fitted a vinyl top, no problems, used Barney Gaylords instructions, but I think my top came from Brown & Gammonds not Moss.
Dave
Dave

Christer; Maybe your windshield is too vertical.The angle is adjusted , after loosing the side struts, by bolts in the footwells. Good luck, Bill
w.g cook

Thank you for your comments. Some additional information:
When I made my attempt to fit the top I was out in the sun. The sun in May can be quite nice even in Sweden, although I had to wait for the right day! This is the only way the material will be soft enough to form it properly.
I have compared my top with another one from the dealer i Sweden and they were identical (also made about the same date). The dealer understands the problem and he will take the information to Moss.
The major problem is that it will not straighten out the rear window and the sides are too short to reach to the side windows. I have also compared the top with a similar, older one, from a friends car and the old one is larger in all dimensions! It seems to me that they have put the printer on a 10% scale reduction when they printed out the new drawings!

Regards
Christer
C Lundgren

Christer,

Is this what you are describing, where the hood needs stretching width ways to cover the wooden header rail?

http://freespace.virgin.net/marka.hester/MGAHood.JPG

Thanks
<MARK>
Mark Hester

An electric heater placed inside the car with the top stretched out over the bows will help to keep the top warm. I have done this in cool weather on MGA and mgb tops and it works quite well.

Ralph
Ralph

Mark,

I looked at your linked picture and it is the same kind of top as mine. The problem you describe is exactly what I see. The other problems are not directly related to this, but to the sides and the rear window. I don´t think heating it up will solve the problem. When I tried to get i to fit, I left i in the sun for a couple of hours and it the material was very hot.

regards
Christer
C Lundgren

Christer,

A picture is worth 1000 words.
Email me a pic and I will post it on my web site when I get a chance.
Cheers <MARK>
http://freespace.virgin.net/marka.hester/index.htm
Mark Hester

This thread was discussed between 19/05/2005 and 25/05/2005

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