MG TD TF 1500 Plasticon TD Hardtop BBS discussion at MG-Cars.info

MG TD TF 1500 - Plasticon TD Hardtop

I'll open the line of communication. I sent an email with more pictures and descriptions. I'm slipping this onto the Bulletin Board for now if anyone else has interest or should someone dig this out on the archives in the future. I wonder if yours has the Plasticon buttons on the side. Ours eventually lost both. It now has a pair of cadmium plated U-bolts inside with chrome acorn nuts on the outside. Originally, ours had steel brackets with a slot that slid over the typical studs/single winged nut in the tub to hold it down via friction. On a trip with 50mph sidewinds, the top lifted off so easily, I had to rig a tow strap over the roof and wrap it around my leg to hold the top down. I've since made a second bracket with a hole that mounts over the original to prevent it from lifting off! I had to make new clamps with long hex screws to hold the front down on the windshield studs. Not very accessible to engage and remove, but they work well. I don't recall what were originally used. Weatherstripping on the roof where it sits on the windshield does a good job of eliminating wind and rain from coming through. As for side curtains, they were so drafty, the heater didn't make a dent in the cold. It isn't nearly as drafty now, but we can at least feel the heat on legs or warm your hands now. Keep in mind, we're in Michigan. The original vinyl was so yellow, you could barely make out anything on a sunny day and nothing after dark. There was a small sliver of a side curtain that resembles the shape of a sail, rather appropriate for mounting against the sail panel. Since Moss nor anyone else offers a set for these hardtops, I spent probably hundreds of hours recreating a new set in leather that matches the cream color of the car. The only components reused were parts of the wire frames. It order to curve it around to meet the windshield, I needed to go with a straight flip-up flap along the side of the door but a smaller, fixed flap up front. To hold shape better, aluminum screen was sandwiched in with the leather and vinyl.

JIM N

Hi Jim Long time since we have chatted off line. Hope you are well haven’t read your email yet. My top still has one Plasticon button attached on one side. I don’t have the front windshield weatherstrip, or the pinch moldings on the side drip rails. Rear seal to the tub is intact. My rear brackets are intact with the slotted flat stock that engages the rear side curtain brackets on the tub. My top also has a lever that then engages over the retaining side curtain wing nut ( presumably to prevent the top from lifting. There are also two more identical latches near the front of the tub above the doors along the drip rails but they appear to be distant from the windshield frame so I’m not sure what they engage). I haven’t tried to fit it on a car yet. My purpose for buying the top was to use it to protect the tub from weather on a MK II project that is sitting outdoors waiting for restoration. I will look at your email next and will respond offline. Any relevant information that would be helpful to this thread will be added.

W A Chasser

This pic is a bit blurred but here is the Plasticon button Jim mentioned Bill Chasser TD-4834

W A Chasser

Forward latches over drip rails Bill Chasser TD-4834

W A Chasser

This thread was discussed between 20/11/2018 and 27/11/2018

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