Section : Hoods and Hardtops

"Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

Posted By : Roger Golland, 10-Feb-2004, 09:16pm

• "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

  Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 11-Feb-2004, 10:14am

  Canley Classic have had on of these stuffed on top of one of their 'resto' projects for some while. Like many of the 'extras' we can get, I expect it looks very nice if done properly.
  
  Of course a conversion wouldn't be difficult to make up if you really really wanted one.

  • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

    Posted By : Richard Keeves, 07-Feb-2006, 10:05pm

    I had one of these on my first Spitfire Mk 1V back in 1978-1982.
    The Colour of the car itself was Magenta and the (white - ugh) softop leaked badly, i rarely used that but had the roof down most of the time in summer. On a student grant at the time I made do with the softop but opted to buy a black fibreglass hardtop. (The 1500 was still in production and cheap steel hardtops seemed hard to come by in those pre e-bay days).
    I had the hardtop made for me by a firm in Worchester and had it made with the Bermuda style sunroofs (fixed), these were tinted blue and I like to think it suited the car.
    I sold the Spitfire to someone in Chester and bought a fixed head TR7. That like every car I've had since has had a sunroof which of course was inspired by that Bermuda hardtop.
    
    After 23 years I've bought another Spitfire, this time a 1976 1500 in BRG, this one has a steel hardtop but if I ever see a black Bermuda hardtop for sale I might be tempted!

    • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

      Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 08-Feb-2006, 07:47am

      it's not on ebay anymore, what might have happened?
      
      j

      • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

        Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 08-Feb-2006, 07:57am

        The original post was made two years ago!!!
        ... may have something to do with it

        • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

          Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 08-Feb-2006, 08:05am

          ...really...?
          
          everything is so,,,,, transient these days
          
          must fly!

          • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

            Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 08-Feb-2006, 12:03pm

            Ooo... I did chuckle!

            • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

              Posted By : Richard Keeves, 08-Feb-2006, 08:08pm

              The timing of my reply almost exactly 2 years latter helped a bit! Sorry if that got a bit of confusion going. I'd been looking on the internet for Bermuda hardtops and so I thought I would join in my first Messageboard posting.
              It wasn't clear from the original posting if the one illustated was fibreglass or steel.
              
              I keep thinking I must have some photos somewhere of my hardtop but that means a venture into a crowded attic, when i find them I'll post them on the messageboard.
              
              Rick
              

  • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

    Posted By : Martin Frosh, 15-Sep-2006, 11:18pm

    Yes - can confirm that the Bermuda hard top was made or marketed by John Sprinzel; First came the version for MGB,
    To try to overcome my disappointment at the crappy hood arrangement - the version where the rudimentary hood frame could be entirely removed, dismantled and stored in the boot - I thought I might as well have a hard top.
    The B - o/d and w/w - had cost 855 pounds brand new, so I thought long and hard before investing another 80 -
    This must have been early '60s ?
    The shape suited the MGB much better that the Spitfire version - as has been described it flowed down little along the line of the boot lid, resulting in a wide convex rear screen; the shape of the roof lights was quite different .
    I recall collecting at a workshop on Finchley Road, perhaps 3 miles south of Golders Green; adjoining was what I took to be Sprinzel's race workshop...........
    
    Trivia - I think Sprinzel was at that time married to the daughter of Joe Loss - important to know.
    

• "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

  Posted By : Nigel Williams, 16-Mar-2006, 04:00pm

  If I recall correctly, these tops were v.popular in the late 60s/early 70s, and "Bermuda" was the model name; they were glassfibre, body-coloured (to order) and "lined" with spray flock. You tended to see them mainly on MGBs (sorry), ocasionally Spridgets (oops)and, more rarely, Spits.
  
  The one in the e:bay pik looks like a standard Spit 1500 steel job with 2 glass panels let in. The old Bermuda was a bit more bulbous and did not have the giveaway longitudinal channel; the roof panels were irregularly shaped (or contoured) and the rear quarters extended along the first few inches of the bootlid. Haven't seen a real one for ages.
  
  NigelW

  • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

    Posted By : Dorian Redmayne, 16-Mar-2006, 08:35pm

    Have you seen the alternative fibreglass hardtop and bootlid advertised on Ebay at the minute?
    
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd...
    
    That really would change the attitude of an early shape Spitfire. The Kamm
    tail on the bootlid looks great.
    
    Dorian

    • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

      Posted By : Colin Lindsay, 17-Mar-2006, 01:41pm

      Has this one been relisted? I saw it, or a perfect match, on eBay some months ago. I almost bought a Mk2 Spitfire with one of these fitted, from GB Sports Cars back in about 1993, couldn't get it home in the boot of my car... I think it's what gave me a notion of a GT6..!
      Colin

      • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

        Posted By : Dorian Redmayne, 19-Mar-2006, 04:14pm

        I think that the one currently for sale is the same as the "John Sprinzel"
        top that is shown on the www.amicale.com/spitfire site.In fact, looking at the
        badge and off centre paint stripe around the filler cap, I'd say this is the
        same lid. I suppose that means that LCE 639G's owner has got sick of the
        smell of petrol and fibreglass!

        • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

          Posted By : Richard Keeves, 25-Mar-2006, 04:38pm

          http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1967-ASHLEY-HARDTOP-TRIUMPH-...
          
          http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1967-TRIUMPH-SPITFIRE-BERMUD...
          
          These are currently available on e-bay
          One is an advert for the original Ashley style (fastback) hardtop, whilst the other is for the Bermuda top. Both designed for the Spitfire

          • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

            Posted By : Vin Poonwassie, 14-Sep-2006, 11:41pm

            Can you believe that this was first posted on the 10th of Feb 2004?.......

            • "Bahh!" style hardtop on Ebay 

              Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 15-Sep-2006, 07:58am

              really vinny, have you nothing better to do than ressurect ancient threads late at night in the quest to provoke meaningless responses from mindless listers
              
              bit like this from me...

              • "Bahh!" style hardtop on Ebay 

                Posted By : Kevin Rochfort, 15-Sep-2006, 08:35am

                At least he didn't post a link to the one he currently has for sale on Ebay

                • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

                  Posted By : Vin Poonwassie, 15-Sep-2006, 12:20pm

                  Binman.......
                  
                  Kevin, how very perceptive of you drawing such an abstract parallel, spooky.......

                  • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

                    Posted By : Kevin Rochfort, 15-Sep-2006, 12:33pm

                    As spooky as this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Spitfire-Bermuda-Hard-Top-Ha...

                    • "Bermuda" style hardtop on Ebay 

                      Posted By : Vin Poonwassie, 15-Sep-2006, 02:53pm

                      my oh my, there does seem to be some percieved inherent correlation?