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MG MGA - Side curtain restoration

I am restoring a set of side curtains and found under the original ever flex a rubber piece on the leading edge of the fram and wondered what size this material should be. Also what is the thickness of the clear plastic vinyl imbedded in the covering. And where do I get it?

Jim
1961 mga mk1 1600.
JP Jim

Try Todd Clarke from Clarke Spares & Restorations. He has a lot of side curtain parts that he makes.

http://www.clarkespares.com/newproducts.html

Best,
Michael
Michael O'Brien

The rubber is easy... I can replace the old rubber with a strip of 1/2" neoprene. The front fixed plexi is harder to source as the thinnest I have been able to source is 3/32" and I do believe the original was 1/16" plexi. This causes fitting problems for the sliding piece.
... CR.
C.R. Tyrell

Jim, Yes I believe TC still stocks most of the side screen parts. His front rubber is 5/8" wide and it sticks out 1/2" forward from the frame and it has a rounded front section. You need the 1/2" to fill the gap between frame and windscreen.

The material sewn into the bottom flap to prevent curling was a clear Vyback type PVC. I wouldn't be surprised if they originally used scraps left over from making the back hood window. As well as being stiff it needs to be thin enough so you can sew it to the Everflex.

I have obtained 1mm polycarbonate sheet for the fixed front window from a supplier over here but I think TC does supply something similar. Bear in mind that the original material was not light fast and darkened with UV exposure. For the window channel I've bought Woolies listed channel no. 317.

Todd supplies material cutting plans but I didn't find these very useful as they don't indicate where the stitching goes.

I wish you luck doing the stitching! It is a difficult job to do neatly. I have had two attempts so far and failed. There are parts on the covering where you have to sew six layers of vinyl together! For my third attempt I am not going to use hood material because I think it is too thick (0.75mm). Instead I have managed to get hold of similar but thinner vinyl (around 0.45mm). There is some evidence (see Archives)that the original covering for the frames, although the same colour, was in fact thinner than that used for the hood covering......................Mike
m.j. moore

Home Depot sells polycarbonate and Perspex sheet.
Art Pearse

If anyone needs parts for restoration I have a bare LH frame for a VDP hardtop widescreen, and an unknown RH bare frame which is missing the triangular section under the bottom rail (i.e. just a frame with the same section dimensions all the way round).

dominic clancy

This thread was discussed between 28/11/2015 and 04/12/2015

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