Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

289, FIA & Daytona topics
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Kevbuts
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Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

Post by Kevbuts »

Hi All,

I have a Mk1 BRA 289 which I love, but I would really like to put a hard top on it, and particularly a Le Mans style hard top.

I would love to know if anyone has already done this with a BRA? If so, how difficult was it? If anyone has any photos of the fitting process on any 289 I would love to see how it’s done.

I am considering buying one of Gerry’s (Hawk) Le Mans hard tops and making it fit my car, but I’m just concerned whether it is too big a job, or even possible.

Many thanks,

Kevin
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kdavies3
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Re: Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

Post by kdavies3 »

Hi Kev,
I have a Le Mans hard top for my Sebring, not fitted yet though.
I have already fitted a split boot in readiness for when I do though.
If your roof of choice isn't a good fit around the body contours some fettling will be required.
I guess it's down to how good you are with glass fibre modifications?
Or get Nigel to do it ;-)
If you are a club member, I may be wrong but I think there's an article about doing it in the Wiki.
Sure I've seen it somewhere.
Kev Davies
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peterc
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Re: Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

Post by peterc »

Kev, the first thing to be aware of is the angle of the windscreen. To suit the Le Mans roof the windscreen is raked back to make it more streamlined. This in turn will affect your side screens and a hood if you have one.
As advised you will also need a split boot lid otherwise anything in the boot will be trapped unless you un bolt the hard top.
Not what you want to be doing too often and certainly not road side.
Peter C
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StewbieC
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Re: Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

Post by StewbieC »

All do-able but a fair bit of work. As Pete has mentioned the rake of the windscreen is the most important to deal with, especially if you have a soft top and side screens. The bubble top was designed for street cars with standard rake screens and you can use a standard boot. Not to everyone's taste I know.
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agnoraan
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Re: Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

Post by agnoraan »

As Kev says, check out my thread " well that didnt fit", in the " General Cobra" section of the forum, it shows how I made a LeMans hardtop fit a car that it wasnt designed to fit, it gives step by step procedure.

Nige
Last edited by agnoraan on Wed May 25, 2022 12:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Kevbuts
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Re: Le Mans Hard Top on BRA Mk1 289 - Anyone Done It?

Post by Kevbuts »

Thanks for all the responses and advice. Most appreciated.

I will take a look through your thread Nige. What you’ve done with your Cobra is simply amazing. What a transformation. Love it.
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