--===============3948352579705736796==
--000000000000f1d48e05b79d5821
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
At least the vinyl top has a plasticizer in it. Sunfast tops are NOT going
to stretch no matter what or when. When they're tight, they're tight. Not
sure I understand why the various manufacturers don't try out their
patterns on actual vehicles and adjust them, especially for when they use
fabrics that don't stretch. I have a hoodstick cover from Prestige in the
UK and have had a real challenge to get it to stretch to fit the
lift-the-dot fasteners properly. The manufacturer has never actually fitted
one to a real TR3 so I don't know how they derive their patterns....
Dave Friedlander
Dave
On Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 11:51 AM DAVID MASSEY <dave1massey@cs.com> wrote:
> The vinyl material used in tops is produced with a plasticizer which is a=
n
> additive that makes the vinyl soft, pliable and stretchable. The problem
> is this product is volatile and will dissipate over time making the top
> less and less stretchable. If the top stretched whens installed (and
> installers don't like wrinkles and the easiest way to remove wrinkles is
> the stretch the top to remove them) it will become more difficult to erec=
t,
> especially when cold. When I rebuilt my TR6 in 1996 a friend gave me a t=
op
> that was sitting in his basement for 20-odd years (he bought it but his c=
ar
> was totaled before he could get it installed). I had that top installed
> and it was a dream to erect and fold the whole time I had it. I attribut=
e
> that to the fact that it wasn't stretchable when installed.
>
> My advice is to get your top installed when the weather is cold and the
> material is more resistant to stretching. The installer will pre-stretch
> the top less and it will work better in the long run.
>
> Here's another anecdote: I bought a tonneau for the TR3 which was, in my
> opinion, cut about 1 inch too short. I installed the Lift-A-Dot snaps as
> close to the edges as I could but still could only install it on a hot da=
y
> in the sun. Since this car lives mostly in the garage the tonneau is
> virtually permanently installed and over the years as the cover gets less
> stretchy it has become easier to install. I think the plasticizer has
> dissipated and the top took a set in the stretched position. So, this
> raises a question: What would happen if one slit some garden hose and
> placed it over the bows and left the top up with a little extra stretch.
> After a while the top will take a set with extra slack, perhaps making it
> easier to put up.
>
> Or buy your top years before you install it.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave MacKay <dave@mdmackay.ca>
> To: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Sent: Mon, Dec 28, 2020 4:41 pm
> Subject: Re: [TR] New TR6 top
>
> I, too, have had problems with the Robbins tops although my car is a TR3A=
,
> not a TR6.
>
> Like Bob with his TR6, my tonneau (and also a convertible top) is so tigh=
t
> that I can only fit it with great effort even in warm sunny weather. The
> tonneau was installed by professional installers who complained about the
> fit. Robbins was responsive when I complained. I even sent my previous
> tonneau to them so they could see what fit, but the replacement they sent
> me after that was no better.
>
> The top hasn=E2=80=99t stretched or loosened over time. If anything, it m=
ay have
> shrunk because it seems as hard or harder than ever to put on.
>
> I would suggest having the top (tonneau or convertible) made by your
> installer so that you get a good fit. That would have been cheaper for me
> than buying the Robbins tonneau and having to pay for two installations.
>
> As always, particularly since you=E2=80=99re dealing with a TR6 not a TR3=
A, YMMV
>
> Good luck,
>
>
> ** triumphs@autox.team.net **
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs
> http://www.team.net/archive
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/forzion7@gmail.com
>
--000000000000f1d48e05b79d5821
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sa=
ns ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#000099">At least the vinyl top has =
a plasticizer in it. Sunfast tops are NOT going to stretch no matter what o=
r when. When they're tight, they're tight. Not sure I understand wh=
y the various manufacturers don't try out their patterns on actual vehi=
cles and adjust them, especially for when they use fabrics that don't s=
tretch. I have a hoodstick cover from Prestige in the UK and have had a rea=
l challenge to get it to stretch to fit the lift-the-dot fasteners properly=
. The manufacturer has never actually fitted one to a real TR3 so I don'=
;t know how they derive their patterns....</div><div class=3D"gmail_default=
" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#0000=
99"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans =
ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#000099">Dave Friedlander</div><div cla=
ss=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-siz=
e:large;color:#000099"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font=
-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:large;color:#000099">Dave</div><=
/div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">O=
n Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 11:51 AM DAVID MASSEY <<a href=3D"mailto:dave1mas=
sey@cs.com">dave1massey@cs.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D=
"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(2=
04,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div style=3D"color:black;font:12pt Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">
<div style=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">
<div id=3D"gmail-m_-4886593744213825898yiv8638386929">
<div>
<div style=3D"color:black;font:12pt Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">
<div> <font size=3D"3">The vinyl material used in tops is produced with a p=
lasticizer which is an additive that makes the vinyl soft, pliable and stre=
tchable.=C2=A0 The problem is this product is volatile and will dissipate o=
ver time making the top less and less stretchable.=C2=A0 If the top </font>=
<font size=3D"3"><font size=3D"3">stretched when</font>s installed (and ins=
tallers don't like wrinkles and the easiest way to remove wrinkles is t=
he stretch the top to remove them) it will become more difficult to erect, =
especially when cold.=C2=A0 When I rebuilt my TR6 in 1996 a friend gave me =
a top that was sitting in his basement for 20-odd years (he bought it but h=
is car was totaled before he could get it installed).=C2=A0 I had that top =
installed and it was a dream to erect and fold the whole time I had it.=C2=
=A0 I attribute that to the fact that it wasn't stretchable when instal=
led.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"3"><br clear=3D"none">
</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"3">My advice is to get your top installed when the weath=
er is cold and the material is more resistant to stretching.=C2=A0 The inst=
aller will pre-stretch the top less and it will work better in the long run=
.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"3"><br clear=3D"none">
</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"3">Here's another anecdote: I bought a tonneau for t=
he TR3 which was, in my opinion, cut about 1 inch too short.=C2=A0 I instal=
led the Lift-A-Dot snaps as close to the edges as I could but still could o=
nly install it on a hot day in the sun.=C2=A0 Since this car lives mostly i=
n the garage the tonneau is virtually permanently installed and over the ye=
ars as the cover gets less stretchy it has become easier to install.=C2=A0 =
I think the plasticizer has dissipated and the top took a set in the stretc=
hed position.=C2=A0 So, this raises a question: What would happen if one sl=
it some garden hose and placed it over the bows and left the top up with a =
little extra stretch.=C2=A0 After a while the top will take a set with extr=
a slack, perhaps making it easier to put up.</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"3"><br clear=3D"none">
</font></div>
<div><font size=3D"3">Or buy your top years before you install it.</font><b=
r clear=3D"none">
</div>
<div> <br clear=3D"none">
</div>
<div style=3D"clear:both"><font size=3D"4">Dave </font><br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
</div>
<div> <br clear=3D"none">
</div>
<div> <br clear=3D"none">
</div>
<div id=3D"gmail-m_-4886593744213825898yiv8638386929yqtfd03937">
<div style=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----=
Original Message-----<br clear=3D"none">
From: Dave MacKay <<a href=3D"mailto:dave@mdmackay.ca"; target=3D"_blank"=
>dave@mdmackay.ca</a>><br clear=3D"none">
To: <a href=3D"mailto:triumphs@autox.team.net"; target=3D"_blank">triumphs@a=
utox.team.net</a><br clear=3D"none">
Sent: Mon, Dec 28, 2020 4:41 pm<br clear=3D"none">
Subject: Re: [TR] New TR6 top<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
<div id=3D"gmail-m_-4886593744213825898yiv8638386929">
<div>
<div>
<div>I, too, have had problems with the Robbins tops although my car is a T=
R3A, not a TR6.</div>
<div>=C2=A0</div>
<div>Like Bob with his TR6, my tonneau (and also a convertible top) is so t=
ight that I can only fit it with great effort even in warm sunny weather. T=
he tonneau was installed by professional installers who complained about th=
e fit. Robbins was responsive when I complained. I even sent my previous to=
nneau to them so they could see what fit, but the replacement they sent me =
after that was no better.</div>
<div>=C2=A0</div>
<div>The top hasn=E2=80=99t stretched or loosened over time. If anything, i=
t may have shrunk because it seems as hard or harder than ever to put on.</=
div>
<div>=C2=A0</div>
<div>I would suggest having the top (tonneau or convertible) made by your i=
nstaller so that you get a good fit. That would have been cheaper for me th=
an buying the Robbins tonneau and having to pay for two installations.</div=
>
<div>=C2=A0</div>
<div>As always, particularly since you=E2=80=99re dealing with a TR6 not a =
TR3A, YMMV</div>
<div>=C2=A0</div>
<div>Good luck,</div>
<div>=C2=A0</div>
<br clear=3D"none">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
** <a href=3D"mailto:triumphs@autox.team.net"; target=3D"_blank">triumphs@au=
tox.team.net</a> **<br>
<br>
et=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a><br>
Archive: <a href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs"; rel=3D"noreferr=
er" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs</a>=C2=A0 <a h=
ref=3D"http://www.team.net/archive"; rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">ht=
tp://www.team.net/archive</a><br>
<br>
hs/forzion7@gmail.com" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">http://autox.te=
am.net/mailman/options/triumphs/forzion7@gmail.com</a><br>
</blockquote></div>
--000000000000f1d48e05b79d5821--
--===============3948352579705736796==
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
** triumphs@autox.team.net **
Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs http://www.team.net/archive
--===============3948352579705736796==--
|