LeMans hardtops

[agnoraan]

When the LeMans hardtop is removed, what happens regarding the fuel filler cap, is one then fitted to the rear decklid? How do people get around this if you want to use the car without the roof? Also, I can see that the front of the roof is secured by over cnetre catches, but what secures it to the rear end of the car?

thanks in advance
cheers...Nige

Sorry just realised that maybe this might be better in the tech section, looks like the wine is working please move if needs be, thanks

[nikbj68]

The fuel filler cap is threaded onto a flange, so it would have been simply spun off for the fuel pipe to fit to, I`ll check with Dad & see if he just moved the cap from the car onto the hardtop & vice versa, or had 2 caps.

The hardtop fits to the screen with over-centre clips, behind the doors it bolts to the standard soft/hardtop mounting tubes, but uniquely there were an extra pair of these mounting tubes halfway along the rear wings. (See HERE.)
You may also see bungee cord from the hartop around the boot handle, but I believe this was to hold the boot closed rather than the top on.

[agnoraan]

Thanks for the image Nick, that explains a lot, were the hard tops bolted on or held on with wingnuts? No panic to find out about the filler cap, just curious for future referance as to how it worked re removing the hardtop

cheers...Nige

[nikbj68]

Will check with Dad re wingnuts & fillercap

[Roger King]

You may also see bungee cord from the hartop around the boot handle, but I believe this was to hold the boot closed rather than the top on.

You'll see that on most sixties racing cars, Nik - there was a requirement for a 'back-up' boot lock mechanism, and pretty much every car I've ever seen used a bungee cord round the bumper mounts via the handle.

[nikbj68]

Yes indeedy, I was just making the point that it had nothing to do with holding the hardtop on!

In THIS PHOTO you can clearly see the rearmost mounting peg, which Willment appeared to leave in place for several races, even using them as the hook points for the boot bungee!



Check out the RACEBEARS COBRA ARCHIVE, as I can`t insert their photos here, but well worth a look!

[Paul Blore]

I hadn't realised that one of the Coupes was RHD. I think I'd just assumed they were all LHD. That particular one isn't one of the best looking cars around is it? It lacks a certain finesse of detail.

Paul

[nikbj68]

That was Willment`s own take on the Daytona Coupé, because Shelby wouldn`t sell them one. He did, however, send over a mechanic to assist with the build!
They had 2 shots at the front end as well, a short & long nose, but no, neither variant, or the Daytonas for that matter(IMHO), are a patch on AC`s Coupé, a98.

[Paul Blore]

I'm not a big fan of that one either to be fair.

[nikbj68]

No need to blush, You`re perfectly entitled to your own incorrect opinion!

As I say to Sue, "I could agree with you, but then we`d BOTH be wrong"