[Tigers] Tiger Hardtop Restoration Project

[Ron Fraser]

Gene
	You have the 2 variants of the hardtops; early and later.  If you
have an Alpine parts list the hardtop is in Section YX and shows some of the
2 styles of weatherstrip.
	I know I had to do a lot of fussy work to make the weatherstrip and
corners all work.

One thing I remember is a number stamped into one of the metal panels.  I
never wrote it down, unfortunately, so I don't know if it was a part number
or a serial number.  Take a look to see if you have numbers stamped
somewhere on an inside metal panel and see it they are the same or
different.

Ron Fraser


-----Original Message-----
From: tigers-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:tigers-bounces at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of genepadgett at comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 1:41 PM
To: tigers at autox.team.net
Subject: [Tigers] Tiger Hardtop Restoration Project


Hi all,


First a bit of background and then the question.


I have two hard top shells I am trying to rescue by repairing the rusted-out
sections. I will be trying the electrolysis derusting method (small kiddy
wadeing pool for container) priming what is left (weld through primer and
then cutting out and having new metal welded in, and then repainting
everything. Probably treat the hollow areas with Eastwoods internal chassis
cavity rust preventive product.


I have just stumbled on a slight difference between the two tops. One has
two "L" shaped brackets along the lower area under the rear window for the
rubber straps that hold up the soft top cover flap to hook into. The other
does not. I am thinking the latter one must be for an earlier series
Tiger/Alpine that had the metal lids over this area rather than the soft
cover flap.


The outer shells on both tops are in really excellent condition, even at the
rear corners and across the back under the rear window opening. The inside
of the bottom rear sides and bottom of the corners and part of the side
window rails in that area are in need of major metal replacement.



I have just noticed the area in the rear corners where the heavy rubber pads
attach seem a little different between the two tops. Both tops have one
corner with the remains of what looks a metal plate that was used to attach
the corner pad to the top. There is enough metal left on these corners to
somewhat trial fit new pads I got from Sunbeam Specialties.


On the presumably older top, it appears the pads would fit well, with
several, if not all, of the predrilled holes in the pad lining up with the
holes in the top.


When I look at what I am calling the newer top, I see the metal plate is
much narrower and has small strip of the U channel metal running along side
of it. The plate and U channel together take up about the same space as the
larger plate on the older top. The only way I could see the rubber pad
fitting there on the newer top is if the pad was cut out so the U channel
piece would stick through. I can envision that a short piece of the sealing
gasket that runs along the sides of the top might help seal the hollow area
of the corner pad where the metal plate fits. But I am also wondering if
this is just something the previous owner was trying on his own.


The question then becomes does anyone else's hardtop have a piece of the
gasket material that goes under the side and across the back of the top also
in the cavity of the corner pads? If so, was the corner pad notched out to
allow the U channel to protrude into the corner pad cavity between the top
and the car body?


Many thanks for any help anyone can give. Any other tips or suggestions from
others that have done this sort of thing would also be gratefully received.


Gene
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