Well, I finally made it across to this new forum. My motive for signing up was that a year or so on from getting the hardtop painted and put back together, I've now made a detailed plan to complete the headlining to finish the whole thing off and I'm about ready to start - but I can't not share my journey with you lot cos that would be mean.
So - my next post will be a brief recap of the hardtop project so far,with a few details around the sidescreen latches/locks and installation of the rear glass in the tailgate. - Glenn. 8)
Some of you may remember where it all started...
(https://i.ibb.co/W6jbcHW/IMG-2096.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W6jbcHW)
A few memory joggers...
(https://i.ibb.co/yf2bBW7/IMG-2098.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yf2bBW7)
Screen re-positioned and GRP work to correct the front channel moulding...
(https://i.ibb.co/qxB0r0f/IMG-2152.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qxB0r0f)
Construction of sidescreens...
(https://i.ibb.co/tczTbFh/thumbnail-IMG-2274.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tczTbFh)
Tailgate install...
(https://i.ibb.co/5n6NMn0/thumbnail-IMG-2242.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5n6NMn0)
Next I'll post a couple of pics of the final solution to the sidescreen latches, rear window, finished shots and then we're up to date.
I couldn't find any other suitable handles anywhere, but these are fine. Cobra bonnet handles are an option, but these handles came fitted with a theaded shaft rather than the square drive type. This suited me, as I wound on a cam-lock which is held still by a locknut, then I bought a finger-sized marine eyelet from a boat chandlery and wound that on, securing it with a grub screw in the side. Easy to operate, neat, lockable.
(https://i.ibb.co/zmYPmPF/IMG-3549.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zmYPmPF)(https://i.ibb.co/ZWXrnVP/IMG-3550.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZWXrnVP)(https://i.ibb.co/jkFH6H8/IMG-3551.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jkFH6H8)
Fitting the glass rear window involved more than a dozen dry-runs, using proper suction handles and a trestle to keep the glass in one piece. Once I had installed the required packers in the lower corners to get the glass in exactly the right place and studied the variable gap around it to gauge the required quantity of adhesive required to fill the gap without excessive squeeze-out everywhere, I went for it.
The results were near -perfect, with no squeeze-out and only a few small gaps along the bottom edge which I simply back-filled with a dyringe and a bit of tubing. A weather seal around the GRP inside the tailgate neatly finishes off and hides the adhesive from view.
What a relief it was to finally get the glass safely in. It opens and closes beautifully too.
(https://i.ibb.co/KzFvFXg/IMG-2930.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KzFvFXg)
(https://i.ibb.co/jyS4Ps4/IMG-3102.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jyS4Ps4)
Looking good - and looking forward to seeing your updates on this, especially the internal trim.
You might remember I've been working on a 289 bubble top adapted to fit a Crendon 427-style body, with DIY paint job. Starting to think about internal trim, so this thread looks very relevant!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0B_9zDOgmKk
I hope this thread proves to be helpful Kev - time will tell. Ok - I have some ingredients to show...
(https://i.ibb.co/SxTpmKh/IMG-3561.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SxTpmKh)
...which is the base for the panels - 3mm acrylic sheet: 1000mm x 1000mm.
(https://i.ibb.co/m9cjtCM/IMG-3562.jpg) (https://ibb.co/m9cjtCM)
(https://i.ibb.co/8M9vzy5/IMG-3566.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8M9vzy5)
(https://i.ibb.co/M66DgJX/IMG-3563.jpg) (https://ibb.co/M66DgJX)
(https://i.ibb.co/GsFv1Tx/IMG-3564.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GsFv1Tx)
(https://i.ibb.co/wBr5jmP/IMG-3565.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wBr5jmP)
...all of which combine to make these stand-offs, which will hold the acrylic panels in position. These will be glassed into place, the extension section cut to the required length, then the 'foot' with the velcro disc can be wound in or out a few millimetres, to allow fine-tuning of the panel's 'height' to get it sitting just right. Once the panel is attached to the velcro, the disc can't rotate and is therefore self-locking.
(https://i.ibb.co/dKzDtdP/IMG-3569.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dKzDtdP)
...and this is the headlining material. It's faux Alcantara, in Charcoal/Black. It's diamond-stitched, slightly padded and I think it'll look great. I got 5 metres for something silly like 150 quid - enough to do the job twice, so if I screw it up I get another go!
(https://i.ibb.co/rQf7PJQ/IMG-3567.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rQf7PJQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/FHVXTkG/IMG-3568.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FHVXTkG)
I've got two cans of spray-on contact adhesive on order - I went for Evo-Stik brand -reason being that I want it to last a long time and can't risk cheapo glue drying out in two years' time and my headliner fall down. My plan is to glue the main section of headliner directlyto th inside of the roof, as it's fairly flat over a large area, with the side panels covering the curvier areas at the extremities.
The panels will probably be trimmed using a pot of brush-on glue.
I expect to make a total of seven panels. Two panels per side - split at the 'B' pillar. One above the door, and the rear quarter panel. The rear quarter panel needs to be removable for access to the mounting bolts, obviously. I'll make a trim panel to go across the top of the windscreen. I also expect to make two small trim panels - one to go either side of the tailgate hinge mounting bracket.
I'm currently hunting for suitable cardboard to start making the templates - then I can start. Also, i'll keep the templates because if somebody feels they could use them, I could send out paper copies of them for...ONE BILLION DOLLARS!!! 8)
Excellent!
I am intrigued....not sure I understand the velcro and stand-offs, but that can wait for the pics :)
I have been thinking along similar lines, but using very thin bendy ply that our fitter used before he laid down the Karndean flooring in our kitchen. The bubbletop probably have more of a compund curve on the roof than you, so jury still out on that bit.
.... watching eagerly!
I'll be following closely too, I hope to be putting a Le Mans hardtop on my Hawk 289 Sebring.
Work has begun. This is slow work though, it's not much fun - infact it's slightly tedious. But - good progress for one morning's work, you can see that I'm starting by making a patchwork template to begin with, tackling the tricky areas individually, particularly the top rear corner where the panel meets the tailgate frame. I'll likely make a small capping panel to finish it there, but more of that later. I ended up buying ten sheets of 300GSM card for around 18 quid which turned out to be slightly on the flimsy side, but fine for the task nonetheless, and what you see in the photo is where I'm at. Once completed, I'll transpose it to a single sheet of card, re-check it, then transpose again onto the acrylic sheet and cut my panel out of it.
I'll install the panel with the standoffs (hopefully you can see why I'm installing standoffs now - cavity walls!) to get it exactly right, then it can be trimmed.
This isn't a five-minute job guys, so be patient with me. 8)
(https://i.ibb.co/DzqB9Gs/card1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WGTrkDq)
Looking Good.
Enjoying this read.
May want to put some thread lock or PTFE tape on the thread of the 'Big head' studs for your standoffs, otherwise it may be possible that although the velcro will stop the stand off from rotating, the long nut could still vibrate loose and unwind itself by rotating down the threads of both parts.
Just a thought.
Looking forward to more installments.
Cheers
More progress - I've made the final template for the left side rear quarter. It's accurate enough to be used to make the acrylic panel, which will need minor fettling once it's mounted properly on the standoffs.
I think it's sensible to complete both rear quarter panels before moving on to the adjacent ones as they would make a good datum once in their final position to work from. So - next job is to to the same again for the right hand rear quarter.
(https://i.ibb.co/3cJ5Dns/card2.jpg)
(https://ibb.co/3cJ5Dns)(https://i.ibb.co/jyM5319/card3.jpg)
(https://ibb.co/jyM5319)(https://i.ibb.co/LzFcTtf/card4.jpg)
(https://ibb.co/LzFcTtf)(https://i.ibb.co/J577Byt/card5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J577Byt)
...and of course - I had to at least try the template on the right hand side, just for giggles. I mean, as if it was ever gonna be even vaguely symmetrical!!...
(https://i.ibb.co/2Sn25Tm/card6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2Sn25Tm)
I can use the patchwork template as a starting point for the right-hand side which is better than starting from scratch anyway.
Quite a few hours went into making these patterns...
(https://i.ibb.co/h9nZJJ9/card7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/h9nZJJ9)
More soon hopefully. 8)
I am watching and learning from the Master!
I shall be copying this technique, albeit modified for a bubbletop, over Easter.
Quote from: KevinW on Mar 25, 2023, 02:06 PMI am watching and learning from the Master!
I shall be copying this technique, albeit modified for a bubbletop, over Easter.
btw, Easter is in 2 weeks. Your student keenly awaits instruction! ;D ;D
Quote from: KevinW on Mar 28, 2023, 07:18 PMbtw, Easter is in 2 weeks. Your student keenly awaits instruction! ;D ;D
You've got some templates to make...crack on! ;D
Where did you get the acrylic sheet from? A quick Google and I'm looking at £85 per square metre.
Quote from: KevinW on Apr 09, 2023, 08:35 AMWhere did you get the acrylic sheet from? A quick Google and I'm looking at £85 per square metre.
. I paid £48 for a square metre on eBay. That was the best price I could find.
Quote from: Bannon on Mar 31, 2023, 11:07 AMYou've got some templates to make...crack on! ;D
Done,
Not as tidy as yours, but here's my templates. :)
That looks really good. I like the idea of using three sections across the roof - solves the problem of trimming the compound curve. I haven't progressed at all in the past few weeks - must get back to it...
Thanks. I've watched probably more Youtube videos on this issue than my wife would like - she's sick of it.
But.... what I have learnt is that the 'sections' are the only way to handle a compound curve unless you make a splash of the external surface in grp, trim it, and then have a talented trimmer to hand.
I will need to add a flexible channel of some sort around the door aperture edge so that those 3 roof sections sit in the right position . This will be hidden by the side panel that will have a slight curve on it above the door line. Have also learnt it is difficult to get the correct curvature so that the 3 sections line up nicely along the long edges unless each panel is exactly the right width/length across the body. I have more work to do refining those templates to make them sit right.
Looking forward to your next installment.
A bit of progress ahead of the National Kitcar Show at Three Counties Showground. I've now cut the acrylic panels, and to get them fitting really nicely, they need to be sat in their final positions, obviously. So - today I glassed in the mounting points for the stand-offs. Once I've cut the stand-offs to the correct length I'll mount the panels, fine-tune them to fit - and then start the whole process again for the next two panels which will fit above the doors.
(https://i.ibb.co/7nNwJzd/ab1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zXHyh5T)
(https://i.ibb.co/xFNM4nX/ab4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nPFDWX6)
(https://i.ibb.co/FXq2cQF/ab3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LrhmBT3)
(https://i.ibb.co/2SsJ96K/ab2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sC67fP3)
Excellent. Curious to se ehow this is going to work.
Are you going to Stoneleigh, oops , I mean Malvern?
I am planning to be heading out from Brookwood, near Woking on the Saturday morning.
Quote from: KevinW on May 19, 2023, 10:18 AMExcellent. Curious to se ehow this is going to work.
Are you going to Stoneleigh, oops , I mean Malvern?
I am planning to be heading out from Brookwood, near Woking on the Saturday morning.
Yeah, I'm going, but I need to refit my rear window first as it came loose. Doing it today. Saturday morning departure is the plan, with the family in the 'support car'. Convoy maybe?
Update on my progress: I've found the acrylic sheet to be too rigid for this job, Although it can be heated and formed, I'm not happy with it. I'm going to try using expanded aluminium mesh, with the possibility of stiffening it after forming with resin and/or matting, if needed but I don't think it will. I only need to do some mild shaping to get it sitting right so this might just do the job...
Quote from: Bannon on May 30, 2023, 12:44 PMUpdate on my progress: I've found the acrylic sheet to be too rigid for this job, Although it can be heated and formed, I'm not happy with it. I'm going to try using expanded aluminium mesh, with the possibility of stiffening it after forming with resin and/or matting, if needed but I don't think it will. I only need to do some mild shaping to get it sitting right so this might just do the job...
Have you thought about bendy ply? My problem is that what I have seen may not be long enough.
The other option would be 1mm ali sheet, again, re-enforced with some grp if its too bendy.
I've made no further progress on my interior, having been focussed on trying to get the fixings sorted in case its needed for the Malvern trip, but at the moment I am thinking of driving 'al-fresco' anyway. Like all things kit car, its been a bit more complicated than I first thought.
Great to meet you on Saturday Glenn.
And in case you hadn't seen this.....yours I think? ....
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=633499858798101&set=pcb.633503305464423