Split Screen Convertible Hood Frame replacement

[C6Dave]

Driving back from a rally in the borders today the hood on my Minor let go and went back during a storm. Just knew I should have booked a room and stayed at the National for the 2nd day

At 50+ mph I didn't have a chance to catch it when it popped, so it went all the way back and the frame has some bent links as the hood acted like a sail.

I need a couple of images of the frame sides from the inside of the car when it's in locked down position please, so I can see which side the centre 'stop' is supposed to be (above or below) and how straight it should all be, so I can try to repair it if possible.

Given that it's bent through a couple of the hinge points it will be weakened so I'm crossing fingers, toes and everything else as I write this.

It did split the canvas hood but at a side seam so the hood might be repairable, hope so at £350+ for another Mohair canvas one

Any help and advice gratefully accepted guys but my gut instinct is that it's bent too far.

Frame left side:

[frame][/frame]

Frame Right side:

[frame][/frame]

EDIT: changed the thread title to reflect the ongoing position

[irmscher]

Hi Dave if you get stuck i have a spare mohair hood and frame i would sell off my project that i will never get going on .
kind regards Lee

[C6Dave]

I looked at it all again and the frame is to bent and if straightened would be weakened anyway through the hinge points so I have already ordered a new frame from ESM

Thanks for the offer though. I'll know better tomorrow when I take it off whether the hood is repairable or not..........

[IaininTenbury]

Make sure the new frame is for a Series 2. There is another cross piece on later frames (and what you get with the conversion kits) as it was altered for the later 1000s to give a more curving roofline. Series 2s have 3 cross bars whereas later cars have 4.
Just saying that in case thats what you're getting and your hood may not sit well on a later frame.

Looking at your pics, all the struts should be straight and it'd probably be easiest to buy some flat bar and make new ones than try to straighten those. Stronger too. If you do decide to go down that route I'll get some pics of my Series 2.

[C6Dave]

Thanks for the info. The frame has arrived and is the same as what was on the car with 4 'hoops' and a split screen front bar (apparently that's the only difference between the 2 types currently available)

The car is a conversion anyway, not a genuine series II

The wing retaining bolts though don't want to play ball and are tight, indeed 1 is actually bent so ordered a new pair

The old frame is off and the new one in situ now with the front wooden header rail attached, just needs the hood refitting.

However the frame action is 'tight', probably down to painting after assembly' so am soaking the joints overnight before working it to get the action right.

It's a lot more work than I originally envisaged

[IaininTenbury]

Oh that should be ok then if you're replacing like with like. As far as I know you can't get 3 hoop ones new, just the later type frame with a splitscreen front on it, which is actually better as it follows the line of the window tops closer than the early ones.

I'm doing a convertible conversion at the moment (on a 1000) and the new hood frame is very stiff in operation whereas my 1953 car is so loose that you can reach over your shoulder from the drivers seat, grab the hood and raise it without getting out of the car!But thats nearly 60 years of wear I suppose....

[C6Dave]

I'm doing a convertible conversion at the moment (on a 1000) and the new hood frame is very stiff in operation whereas my 1953 car is so loose that you can reach over your shoulder from the drivers seat, grab the hood and raise it without getting out of the car!But thats nearly 60 years of wear I suppose....

Yes the one that got bent was a bit like that, just reach back and pull.

Going to have a go at 'working' the new one this morning, though it is p*****g down again

[tysonn]

I am just ready to do the roof on my "conversion"and the new frame on that is also unbelievably difficult to fold.

[C6Dave]

I am just ready to do the roof on my "conversion"and the new frame on that is also unbelievably difficult to fold.

Give the joints a dose of 'three in one' oil and leave overnight

I had to use a cramp to get the joints closed at first but after oiling last night, then 'working' the frame this morning it's far looser now and I'm nailing the hood back on (tried to re use the old tacks but the points were bent so went and bought some new ones or it would have been finished)

The split in the hood was just a seam that had pulled for circa 6" (above where the fastner on the 'B' pillar is) so managed to sew that by hand this morning, but it's not easy sewing double layer Mohair Canvas, had to use a thimble to push the needle through................

[ASL642]

We had a similar problem. Open and shut the frame until it will open and close freely before you attempt to put the hood on finally otherwise it will be really difficult to raise/lower once the cover is on.

[C6Dave]

After fitting the wooden head rail I found that the butterfly bolts wouldn't run through cleanly so another tip before fitting the hood is to run a 5/16th BSF Tap through the holes after attaching the header rail, before fitting the hood.

There's more access that way.

[ASL642]

We had to do that as well

[C6Dave]

OK look at the first picture at the start of the thread and then look at this of the new frame in situ to see the difference. There is no way the old one was going to be repairable without a lot of time and money so just not economic to do it.

You can see that the bottom two links form a straight line when locked in position.

[frame][/frame]

The whole hood is actually a better fit now so despite the initial reaction when it 'popped', it was worthwhile doing anyway.

[tysonn]

For C6 Dave,when you said you had to use a cramp to get the hood frame to fit at first do you mean to get the header rail to fit over the studs?I'm still struggling to get the extended frame to go back far enough to drop over the studs.The fitting instructions do mention that the header rail at first may be a couple of inches too far forward and may need forcing back at first to get it lined up but even after repeatedly soaking all the hinge joints with WD40 I still havent been able to get it lined up.If tis is what you mean what type of cramp did you use and where did you use it?
Mick

[C6Dave]

I had to use a 'G' cramp on the frame itself (position shown in the image below) to close the sections and get it fully extended to the 'closed' position (at both sides and very carefully) as I physically couldn't do it by hand.

I then had to use a lever to 'open' it up to the 'folded' position.

Once it was 'worked' closed and open a few times, it loosened up

[frame][/frame]

By the sound of things you though may well have the hood to 'long'

It should maybe sit just in front of the locating pins, then it can be pulled back.

Mine is a bit 'short' and whilst I can fasten it, it wants to pop up, but I can't afford to replace it so looking at adding an addition fastener somewhere, or maybe getting the hood extended by sewing a piece on, but it means an additional seam which would not normally be there.

Having a think about it ATM

[tysonn]

Interesting.Mine is at present 2" too far forward.With a lot of effort I can just manage to get one pin located.I think the G cramp would extend it forward?which is the wrong way for mine.I think I'll have to get someone with more strength than me round ;-).

[C6Dave]

tysonn is the hinge for the hod frame in the correct position?

Mine (distance A) is 171/2 inches or 445mm from hinge centre to B pillar edge (not including the seam and door seal)

[frame][/frame]

Canvas hoods don't stretch like Vinyl do so you could add a couple of grab handles to help pull it back. I have ordered a pair of these from eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320940575629? ... 297wt_1164 to fasten to the header rail

[tysonn]

Hi Dave.Just measured and passenger side is correct.Drivers side is 171/4!!!!!!No wonde its tighter!Looks like I'm now going to have to move that hinge mount back!Is it just self tapped in?Also he hasnt made a square hole for the window frame!Its half round so the windows not tight.
Mick

[C6Dave]

Yes it just uses 3 self tappers, 2 you can see on the plate in the image and 1 going down behind the hinge pin

[tysonn]

Hoping someone thats experienced this has any thoughts.To C6 Dave I moved the mounting bracket that was out of position.I then found that the last owner hadnt cut out the body correctly where the rear part of the rear window frame bolts down to the body below the roof pivot.The frames didnt even reach the glass!Anyway thats now put right.My latest problem is the fit of the wooden header rail against the windscreen top.Obviously no hood on there yet(ordered a burgundy mohair one from Bull Motif almost a month ago).The instructions for the roof conversion kit say that at first the frame is very tight(wont argue with that)and will overlap the windscreen by about 2" and needs pulling back to fit it onto the chrome pins,fitting of the new roof will take most of that tension out later.I managed to get it bolted onto the pins but the gap is terrible.Its touching the windscreen top in the middle but by the time it gets to the edges its almost 1/2" off.No chance of bending it to fit because although the timber header is jointed in the middle and could probably be coaxed to fit the metal that its screwed to isnt going move a fraction its too thick.The only way I can see to remedy this is to remove the whole thing,take off the header rail,warm the front frame up with oxy and try and bend it to match the contour better?Hope it all makes sense.
TIA
Mick