british-cars
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: tonneau bars (?) and conv. tops

To: tooze@vinny.cecer.army.mil (Marcus Tooze)
Subject: Re: tonneau bars (?) and conv. tops
From: phile@stpaul.gov (Philip J Ethier)
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 1994 10:01:18 -0500 (CDT)
Marcus writes \

\My Midget had all the original tools and bits and pieces in the trunk.
\It had what I've found out to be 'tonneau cover bars'....or
\so it says in the catologues. What are they for?? How do they work??

As I recall, your Midget is one of the later ones, a convertible.  The
tonneau cover is designed to cover the entire cockpit from the base of the
windshield (windscreen, for OFATP) all the way back to the rear edge of
the cockpit aft of the folded top (hood, for OFATP).

The tonneau cover bar allows a second mode of use for the tonneau cover. 
The bar is installed behind the seats at tonneau cover height. The tonneau
cover can be used normally to cover the cockpit when the car is parked. 
When you go to drive the car, unsnap the tonneau cover from the windshield
back to the tonneau cover bar.  Flip the seats forward.  Let the front of
the tonneau cover fall straight down from the bar and affix it to the
front of the rear shelf with the snaps provided.  Flip the seats back and
proceed motoring.  This setup gives you some more space out of the wind,
and makes a nice cover for the folded top at the same time.

I sold the tonneau cover bar from my '66 Midget early on, as my tonneau
cover was a mess and I installed a roll bar right away.

\A few months ago, I found a place in the UK which sold cheap tonneaus/tops
\etc etc....I lost the name and number however! Phil Ethier, can you
\remember the name and number? You sent me a mail with name and number
\as it appears in the supplier list. It was a 1800 number, but
\it put you thru to the UK at no charge.

What, you don't have a copy of the Monster List online?  For shame,
especially since you are quoted in it!  :-)

------------------------------------
Prestige Auto Trim, 
3 Prenton Way, Nth Cheshire Trd Est,
Birkenhead, Merseyside,L43 3DU
1-800-659-2649 (toll-free from USA)

Tops (hoods) of all fabrics. -unknown
Offer a top boot at $75 and carpet at $100 (its the top boot which sounds
like a bargain). The address is British, but they give a toll free 1-800 #
(i.e. U.S.) at Eastern times.  It takes you straight through to the UK for
free. I talked to a woman who confirmed the prices. The stuff is shipped
via UPS (air) for $20 for one item, and apprx. $10 per extra item after
that. - Marcus Tooze
I bought a top for my MGB from these people about a year ago.  As far as
tops are concerned, they have two grades.  The advertised prices are for
the thinner material.  I opted for the lower grade and, so far, have had
no problems with it.  The vinyl is significantly thinner than the Robbins
top which Victoria British sells, but it fits better. All of the "lift the
dot" snaps on the back lined up perfectly.  - Peter Schauss pschauss@aol.com
STAY FAR AWAY FROM THEM.  About 1991 I saw an advert for "full carpets
sets for Reliant Scimitar.  I ordered a set from Prestige, which duly
arrived (after calling them twice to find out what the delay was). The
quality of the new carpets was atrocious (even though I bought their
"executive-luxury pile"). Most of the carpets pieces were badly cut, ie
they did not match the old carpets, and on top of that there were 5 pieces
of carpet missing (including the piece in the rear hatch - which is the
biggest).  I eventually bought 7 yards of very high quality carpet, cut
out patterns, using the old pieces as templates and did the job myself.
BTW buying the carpet and cutting it myself turned out to a lot cheaper
than ordering the carpets. - gerry@hostel.lincroftnj.NCR.COM
------------------------------------

Phil Ethier, THE RIGHT LINE, 672 Orleans St, Saint Paul, MN  55107-2676  USA
h (612) 224-3105  w (612) 266-6244    phile@stpaul.gov
"Been there, done that, got the T-shirt" - Elizabeth Ethier


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>