MGTF hard top

Hi Everyone, a couple of questions please. I've got a new hood with glass rear window, does the hard top actually fit over this as the hood doesn't seem to sit as low as the normal plastic screened hood.
Secondly, I'm looking for a good black hard top, the catch is that it will need packing up in a begged/borrowed/bought big box for transport here to the Czech Republic. I've checked and TNT will carry a parcel this size - I'm guessing 200cm x 150cm x 50cm. Rimmer has one but the price is very high.
Thanks for any answers

Keith

The hard top will fit fine when the soft top is lowered back, the glass rear window will not present any issues. Make sure you have the two small hook brackets fitted behind the soft top hinge to clip the rear of the hard top down with.
You can usually find a good second hand hard top on e-bay for £100-400, just finding a seller who will post it abroad.

MGFnTFbitz in Glossop, Derbyshire do have a good range in at a fair price, and they do post world wide.

Sundance

Thanks Sundance, at least I know it will fit if and when I can find a seller willing to post it to me. I've offered extra cash incentives to sellers to take the trouble to pack it (like an extra 100 quid), but it all seems too much for them. Of course I've tried MGFnTF, (I'm sending them my second soft top next week for renewal), I've bought a fair bit from them but it's too much trouble for them to pack it as well.
I just think that over 1800 quid (including postage) is just a bridge too far from Rimmer, but I might have to bite the bullet.
Yes, I have actually thought of flying to the UK and buying a car with a hard top and driving it back here - think of all the spares I'd have!
The joys of owning a lovely MG in foreign parts!

Regards

Keith

I have a pearl black hard top hanging on my garage wall (in a proper protective bag), ....and I rarely use it. But I can't begin to think how you could adequately package it up for shipping. I think the end result once wrapped and properly padded to protect it would be quite a bit bigger than the size you quoted.

Antony

I actually sold my hard top after using it for just one winter. My car is left on the driveway all the time and for the trouble in storing the hard top when not in use, decided that it was not worth keeping.
My soft top actually lets less water in than the hard top did!
I just decided that the hard top was not a necessary accessory....I just treat my soft top every year with Renovo to keep it tip top.

Sundance

Hi Guys,

AntonyM, PBT coloured roof would be perfect because that's the colour of my car. But from what you all say, maybe I don't NEED a hardtop, but just WANT one.My car is garaged all year round and I don't have problems with minus 15 with the soft top. Really, it's more for security if I go somewhere "strange" and maybe it's a bit quieter. I must admit that I've never had a hard top for any of my sports cars starting with the AH sprite in 1970.
So, time to think about this again.

AntonyM if you ever decide to sell the hard top, maybe I can find a way of bringing it here - I used to work for an import-export company and we bought loads of trucks from the UK here.

Food for thought

Keith

Keith - save your money, same people will use the hard top but I suspect you are a "wipers off, roof off" driver.

Or drive over to the UK and buy one.

James

James you are just about right there, and a trip to the UK would be nice, but the drive back, if I bought a car with a hard top, not so. The small garage I bought the latest TF from last year in Berlin is looking for me so something may come up. That journey wouild be more manageable as well.
We'll see, it's not such a big issue for me, and there is always the new one from Rimmer, if I go mad.

Keith

I just went on (ebay berlin)....not a lot going on there for the mgtf apart from some roll hoops....ok if your after vw spares that's a different kettle of fish.:nonod:

kpainter65 wrote: James you are just about right there, and a trip to the UK would be nice, but the drive back, if I bought a car with a hard top, not so.....

Does that not tell you that you don't really want a hardtop?

Berlin was a long shot anyway, but I'll wait and see. Lets say as I wrote before, I WANT a hardtop, but do I NEED a hardtop, you guys are convincing me I probably don't. If I can find one relatively easily then I'll buy it, but I'm old and lazy these days, and again, as I wrote before, I've never had a hard top with any of my sports cars so why start now?

I drive about 1500 km a year, mostly when it's not raining or snowing, so why bother huh?

I think I'll "passively" look for one.

Thanks for all of your input.

Keith

If you have a garage to store the hardtop when not in use then there is no problem owning one....I use my hardtop when the weather does that 40 days and 40 nights of raining thing..snug and sound inside.....and when I put mine in hybernation the top and cover go on it....not a problem.I can remove and fit without any help and like it.