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MG MGB Technical - Fold down top to a removeable

Has anyone had any experience with converting a fold back top to a completely removeable top. I would like to try to convert my '78 B. My othe B's were earlier models, and I rather just take the whole works off and stow it away. The car is garaged when not being driven and thanks to the 65 degree days in November I am cruising topless. ( the car is topless, not me ). I removed the top frame to install a new interior and just hate the thought of having to bolt that jungle jim top frame back to the rear panels. ( besides, the 4 of the 6 weld nut broke loose) Any ideas ???
Doug Martin

Doug:

I converted my '69 roadster to a removable top easily.

The fold-down top came from a '77 I had laying around. Step 1. Remove the frame from the car by way of unscrewing the six rather rusted and stripped screws. Reinstall the six srews and the chrome slots for the tonneu rail.
Step2. Cut off the six screw extensions flush with the hinges on the frame.
Step 3. Find a pair of tabs (like from the tonneu rails). I got mine from an extra set I had laying around.
Step 4. Cut the tabs off the rail at 90 degrees and close to the base of the tubes.
Step 5. Prepare to weld the tabs onto the fold-down frame's hinges. Clean all metal of paint.
Step 6. Have another person help you hold the top frame in the position it should sit on the car and mark where the tabs should sit in referance to the chrome slots.
Step 7. Weld tabs onto the frame hinges at correct angle (see step 6). Make a couple of temporary wels first then check to see if the frame fits in the slots.
Step 8. Finish the welding all around and primer & paint.

My top actually fits in the trunk along with the spare and some tools. Just fit the top in one end at a time.

Luis
Luis Azan

...or, you could just buy a set of packaway frames, take your header rail off your folding frames & use it with the packaway frames.....I have several sets of them
Tony Barnhill

Luis's method makes for a pretty clean solution. When I did mine I didn't have the tonneau rail so I used some steel strap. I heated and bent it in a very tight "U" shape and welded it to the back side of the bracket for the top, trimmed off any unnecessary metal, and drilled and tapped it for a bolt through the chrome bracket. Lining it up for welding can be done off the car. Makes changing to the hard top a breeze, as I just remove two button head bolts and lift it out. The bolts probably aren't needed but they seemed like a good idea.
Jim Blackwood

I agree with Tony. Bought a stow a way frame used from salvage yard in Texas and a new top and gasket.
Did the change my self was easy. Kept all old parts and is reversable
Jack

On my 1970 mgb roadster, the previous owner just simply cut the rivets where the main posts were attached. then he put in small bolts with wing nuts. It was easy to just unscrew the wing nuts and lift the entire top off the car without making any changes to the brackets.
Ken thompson

Like Tony said, just get an old style removable top with ALL the bracketry and remove your current hood frame and replace it with the older style setup... It is a bolt in setup, no holes changed so why not... We have done a couple of these, including the 1978 MG B listed on my website.

Besides, you can take the hood and loose the top end weight WHEN you autocross. <there is no if here!:-)>

Your hood (top) fabric itself will not fit perfectly on that style of frame and you may want to change it at that time to the correct style as the frame. I also HIGHLY recommend purchasing one with a zip out rear window. i believe that the zip out window style for the early frame can be purchased through the MG owners club in England. You will find days that you are plaaning to use the car but not take the top down that it can actually feel cooler when the top is up and all three windows are down.
Brian

This thread was discussed between 02/12/2001 and 03/12/2001

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