Fitting a hard top.

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simonjrwinter
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Fitting a hard top.

Post by simonjrwinter »

Right, my FIA came fitted with a hard top. After I‘d bought it I removed the hardtop and adjusted the screen rake to give me more headroom in the car. I was originally going to sell the hardtop but decided to hang on to it in case a future owner wanted to revert to FIA spec.
As you can see from the pictures, the hardtop is now to short (in two directions) to fit the car. I’m pretty sure as it’s only glassfibre, pretty much anything is possible if you have the skill and ability. Just wondered if anybody had undertaken anything like this? As the hardtop fits really nicely to the bodywork, I would think cutting the lower flange and re-glassing it to the roof with a filler strip would befavourite...any suggestions?
Simon
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

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Hawk 289 FiA...AT LAST!!!
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

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Interesting.....
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peterc
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

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I don’t think it’s a job for the faint hearted. The more vertical position of windscreen wasn’t intended to be married with the Le Mans fast back top. It will be a case of trying to blend it in and getting the proportions correct to make it look intended. Don’t forget that the side screens will also be different. I assume that you don’t have a soft top.
If you are conversant with moulding fibreglass then as Nige has shown anything is possible.
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

Post by KevinW »

I have a similar problem fitting a bubbletop to a 427 body with a roll bar. I am going to have to split it in half, add a 2-3" fillet and re-profile the rear skirt, as described in the technical articles on here. Quite a lot of work, still plucking up the courage to get the angle grinder out.
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

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On a related note, does anyone have a pic/measurement of the sidescreens fitted without a hood?
I am not sure exactly how far short of the top of the windscreen these should come, as shown in pic below, taken from

http://www.the289register.com/members/T ... ue%201.htm
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

Post by StewbieC »

Hi Simon,
The Hawk LeMans hardtop is made to replicate the LeMans 289's of the 60's with the flatter rake of the track cars.
Nigel is more than capable of making the hardtop fit the more vertical rake of the screen. There's a fair few man hours required to get it right and getting it "to be right". I'd trust Nigel implicitly to do both.

Kevin, don't have a picture but that describes the process precisely. The Perspex screen sits proud of the frame at the top and level with the Sidescreen frame at the bottom. The Perspex sits flush against the inner windscreen pillar. I have a rubber U seal glued to the leading edge of the Perspex screen to reduce rattling and squeaking.
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

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It was just a thought, to be honest I probably won’t do anything with it.
Simon
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

Post by KevinW »

StewbieC wrote: Mon Sep 02, 2019 6:27 pm Hi Simon,
The Hawk LeMans hardtop is made to replicate the LeMans 289's of the 60's with the flatter rake of the track cars.
Nigel is more than capable of making the hardtop fit the more vertical rake of the screen. There's a fair few man hours required to get it right and getting it "to be right". I'd trust Nigel implicitly to do both.

Kevin, don't have a picture but that describes the process precisely. The Perspex screen sits proud of the frame at the top and level with the Sidescreen frame at the bottom. The Perspex sits flush against the inner windscreen pillar. I have a rubber U seal glued to the leading edge of the Perspex screen to reduce rattling and squeaking.
Thanks for the info.
Would you be able to tell me what the distance indicated in the pic between top of sidescreen frame and top of windscreen frame? That would tell me if my screen is at the correct rake for fitting the sidescreens correctly (and then the hardtop).

The pic also shows the sidescreen protruding slightly rearwards of the door aperture - again, i'm not sure how far back this should extend? - the instructions show it straddled across the door opening
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Re: Fitting a hard top.

Post by peterc »

Kevin, I can’t photo the side screen without the door as it won’t stay in position but the dimensions shown in the related fitting instructions tally with my set up. Top of side screen frame is 7 mm short of the screen side pillar and could be closer. Bottom of frame is 12 mm beyond the pillar.
Rear of main part of the side screen frame is flush with the rear of the door with the thin deflector protruding beyond.

Perspex is flush with frame at the bottom but protrudes 5 mm beyond the pillar at the top. Like Stuart I have attached some U shaped trim ( door protector) to protect the edge and reduce the wobble. See also the other posting on side screens recently for Alan about a side screen bracket to stop the wobble.
Peter C
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