Greenie Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hi, has anyone fitted a new hood for a Spitfire mk 1 or 2? I'm just wondering if it's an easy job. I have a bare frame only, so I guess it needs some kind of bar at the front to attach to the top of the windscreen?Any help appreciated.ThanksSimon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Boy Bailey Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 My mk2 had to have a metal strip fitted in the front edge of the soft top. This then slipped under the front edge of the aluminium capping on the top of the windscreen frame. Press studs had to be fitted to the soft top to keep the edges down. It was a fiddley job and found the toneau cover and hard top more water proof. I was looking at a nicely restored TR6 and noticed the gap between the side window and the hood. It seems that old Triumphs, pre 70's just have poor fitting hoods. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drofgum Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Simon,In addition to the strip at the front there is also a thicker bar across the back that hooks on the two chrome fittings at the back of the cockpit. At each end of the windscreen capping there is a popper. Between the main door seal and the thinner window seal on the windscreen posts there is a small hook; a wire loop is riveted to the hood flap to get hooked here. On each side of the cockpit behind the doors there are three poppers to fit. Inside the hood there is a fabric tube to wrap around the front hood bow; it gets three poppers and sockets to close it there. This is not a difficult job. It is much easier than fitting the hood to any other Spitfire. Perhaps the most important thing to a good job is to be certain that the hood is centered on the car before fitting any of the poppers. A tool to fit the poppers and the sockets is a must, but some serviceable ones are inexpensive. Care taken to do a good job pays off in years of having a nicely fitted hood. Cheers, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenie Posted May 9, 2011 Author Share Posted May 9, 2011 Thanks for the replies - I'd better try to find a used hood then to get the other bits and pieces. I was hoping it would be the easiest to fit option so thats good news anyway.Many thanksSimon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fizzy Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 is it possible to retrofit the folding system used on the mk3 ? surely a more practical option, unless you're going for originality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenie Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 yamaha_fizzy wrote:is it possible to retrofit the folding system used on the mk3 ? surely a more practical option, unless you're going for originalityI'm not bothered about originality in this case really as it's not for a Spitfire, this is for my Hurricane. I have got a mk3 hood frame and was really in two minds about using it or not, but there's a roll bar fitted which the mk3 hood wouldn't pass over, and I do want to keep that in the car really for the seatbelt mountings etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenie Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 I've gone around in circles a bit with this over the past couple of years. Basically I decided to fit a mk3 hood after all, but with the seats in it was clear that the mk3 frame was going to quickly rip the sides of the seat as there's not really any clearance. Also, the windscreen surround is from a GT6 so doesn't have the keyhole shaped holes at the top for the quick release levers. So back to plan A (possibly at least!) the mk2 hood.I've got hold of a hood for the mk2 frame and have the chrome bits for the rear deck. The hood has the metal strip at the rear and what looks like a rigid plastic strip at the front, and the hooks and press studs on the outer corner for the A pillar attachment.Has anyone got any pictures of how the hood fits to the windscreen frame along the front please, and also what the brackets look like on the B pillar.705 wrote:My mk2 had to have a metal strip fitted in the front edge of the soft top. This then slipped under the front edge of the aluminium capping on the top of the windscreen frame. Press studs had to be fitted to the soft top to keep the edges down. It was a fiddley job and found the toneau cover and hard top more water proof. I was looking at a nicely restored TR6 and noticed the gap between the side window and the hood. It seems that old Triumphs, pre 70's just have poor fitting hoods. :(I'm guessing the aluminium cappings varied through the different Spifire models, anyone know if I'll I be ok to use one from a mk4/1500?ThanksSimon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drofgum Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Simon,Sorry, the windscreen frame capping for all later Marks of Spitfire won't do. The front of the Mk1&2 capping is formed to accept the front of the hood by leaving a gap between the frame and the capping. The later cappings fit tightly to the frame rather than leaving the gap. Cheers, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenie Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share Posted May 15, 2013 Thanks Paul, pity the newer type doesn't fit, I've got 3 or 4 of those! Just had a look at Rimmers, the Mk1/2 type is about 70 quid, so I better bite the bullet I guess...Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I presume the body tubs are identical between the mk's, the area where the fuel cap is, where the rear of the hood fits, (obviously the rear wings, boot, doors and bonnets are different)So would it be possible to fit a later type soft top and frame to a round tail? Just a thought as the later type look to fit better! And possably seal better! (just a complete wild thought) ;)Cheers all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 4058 wrote:I presume the body tubs are identical between the mk's, the area where the fuel cap is, where the rear of the hood fits, (obviously the rear wings, boot, doors and bonnets are different)So would it be possible to fit a later type soft top and frame to a round tail? Just a thought as the later type look to fit better! And possably seal better! (just a complete wild thought) ;)Cheers all. i think 'the thing' is about the front windscreen frame :-/The locks are also different on a MK3 - MKIV/1500.. (i've just had a look on the rimmerbros site )Don't know about the mk 1 - 2 :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drofgum Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 4058 wrote:I presume the body tubs are identical between the mk's, the area where the fuel cap is, where the rear of the hood fits, (obviously the rear wings, boot, doors and bonnets are different)So would it be possible to fit a later type soft top and frame to a round tail? Just a thought as the later type look to fit better! And possably seal better! (just a complete wild thought) ;)Cheers all. Sheepy,Though the basic body tub is the same there are detail differences. The biggest is the Mk 1 & 2 tubs don't have the captive plates to attach the hood frame to the body in the area behind the doors on each side. Removing the sockets for the original hood and properly locating those plates might be quite a job. Some people have trouble enough refitting the hood frame to the car when no changes are being made.Yes it is possible. There are reasons that it may be more difficult than finding those parts needed to make the early hood frame complete. Cheers, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Cheers Paul, and others.It was just a wild thought thrown in the mix. The later hoods look better (in my opinion) and seem to fit better.But I think all will leak a little! Oh well I still have the hard top! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenie Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Well, just restarting the project again this year, have managed to pick up a correct type windscreen frame header, and made up some brackets for the B pillar.Is there someone with a MkI or MkII who could help out with a couple of pictures please.Basically what I'm trying to work out is where a couple of the fittings locate. Firstly the hook which locates on the windscreen frame, just wonder where it's located and what it looks like.Also, the brackets on the B pillar, I think on the Spitfire they were welded in place? What angle were they at, and what height would the top of the bracket be?If anyone could oblige with a couple of pics I'd be very grateful.ThanksSimon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 SimonAndy Dann (willows40 on here) broke a Mk2 spit a few weeks ago. Not sure what is left....Well broke is a loose term for pushed a bit on one side and it collapsed..... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenie Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Thanks Colin, I think I pretty much have all the parts I need for this particular job now - it's just how to assemble them all that's the problem :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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