Section : Hoods and Hardtops

is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

Posted By : Paul Pratt, 06-Jul-2007, 10:10am

I'm concerned that the hood doesnt fit over the windows, surely they can't have designed the hood to be like this? if i leave it parked outside and it rains the water will drip in rather than run down the outside of the window...

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• is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

  Posted By : Charles Bushell, 06-Jul-2007, 11:39am

  Your hood appears to have shrunk, it shouldn't look quite like that! It should be parallel to the top of the windows.
  
  Having said that my hood which fits very well (though I say so myself!) also leaks over the top of the side windows in heavy rain. It's one of the joys of owning a Spitfire!

  • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

    Posted By : Paul Pratt, 06-Jul-2007, 12:21pm

    Thanks Charles, i was thinking that it was maybe fitted incorrectly... if its shrunk then thats much easier to deal with cause i guess i can just buy a new hood...
    
    Alternativley has anybody ever custom made some flappy type things, attached to the hood to block off the holes?
    
    Thanks
    Paul

    • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

      Posted By : Steve Abbott, 06-Jul-2007, 12:45pm

      I use a plastic tarpaulin that covers just the roof area when the Spit is sitting outside. Keeps the rain from dripping down inside the windows. Cost was about &163;12 from a local tool stockist, that included bungee straps, although I had to do some modifications to make it fit snug.
      Originally I had a convertible car cover from a motor factor, this covered the same area but was not waterproof, just water resistant!
      I decided to change to the tarpaulin when I realsied that the cover didn't resist the footwells filling up with water, mobile foot spa was not my idea of fun.
      
      Steve.

      • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

        Posted By : Paul Pratt, 06-Jul-2007, 03:22pm

        Hi Steve,
        
        sounds like a good idea to me! does the tarpaulin come down to the base of the windows or the top edge?
        
        any idea of the size of tarpaulin i need?
        
        where do you attach the bungee straps right around the car or just from one sil over the roof to the other sil, or a completley different way?
        
        I'm in need of a soulution fairly quickly because because of the wet weather and the car port has been taken down for access to the back of the house
        
        Thanks
        Paul

        • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

          Posted By : Steve Abbott, 06-Jul-2007, 10:57pm

          Paul,
          the one I bought covers from the middle of the bonnet to the middle of the boot and goes half way down the doors at the sides. I fitted a short bungee to each corner and these hook around the bumpers.
          I think the size was 2.5 metres X 2.5 metres, thrown the packet away now.
          This certainly keeps the rain out.
          I have been wondering about the "breathable" type covers and why that seems to be essential? My cover comes off quite often as the car is used most days, I have now started to fold the cover up and put it in the boot. This way I can cover the car in the car park at work. I had to do this as it is raining nearly every day lately. So far it hasn't been nicked but I am wondering if it is only a matter of time!
          
          Steve.

• is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

  Posted By : Paul Carter, 06-Jul-2007, 10:47pm

  my hood used to do that too.it may be that the hood frame requires some adjustment as what happens is the rail of the frame which runs along the top of the side window is not level,i ended up welding on some very small tabs of steel plate under one of them on each side as 'lockouts' to prevent the rail lifting in this fashion when the hood is raised, my hood now faithfully follows the window top and hardly leaks now(not that i drive it in the rain very often though).

  • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

    Posted By : Charles Smith, 25-Jul-2007, 02:30pm

    Hi.
    Looks just like mine,however mine fairly new suppled and fitted by Don Hoods,was thinking about an outer flap to go over windows,anyone tried this?
    Charles.

    • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

      Posted By : Lindsay Dearing, 25-Jul-2007, 05:55pm

      I had my new mohair hood from Don and I asked for wider sections at the inner top and sides with a sprung reinforcement in the rear vertical section to achieve a better fit to the window. The results are as shown. The window glass also need to be adjusted correctly to minimise any gap at the top when closed.

       

      
      
      is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly?

       

      • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

        Posted By : Jason Davies, 25-Jul-2007, 05:59pm

        Wow, thats outstanding, where did you get your dials from Lindsay?
        
        Jason

        • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

          Posted By : Lindsay Dearing, 25-Jul-2007, 06:50pm

          Jason, at the risk of going off topic, I remade the dash and had it veneered to my requirements by Chapman & Cliff. I moved the switches down to a sub-panel where the radio goes and added a TR6 oil gauge with vertical needle. I am repeating the same layout in my GT6 restoration but with 'decending' gauges as per the original.

           

          
          
          is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly?

           

          • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

            Posted By : Brendan Delaney, 25-Jul-2007, 07:00pm

            Looks very clean and nice, but I prefer the more muted tones of the original

          • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

            Posted By : Jason Davies, 31-Jul-2007, 08:56pm

            Thanks Lindsay, apologies for going off topic, I'm very impressed, I'm knee deep in my restoration at the moment (2nd time) and I have been toying with a similar layout.
            Good luck with the GT6, I sold my 72 car about three years ago.
            
            Regards
            Jason

    • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

      Posted By : Chris Taylor, 25-Jul-2007, 06:15pm

      Should work, but only any benefit if you manually pull the flap over the window after closing the door, or close the door with the window slightly lowered.

      • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

        Posted By : Brendan Delaney, 25-Jul-2007, 06:29pm

        My old spit was missing the plastic covers to the hood side rails and the hood used to flick out like this when driven at speed. Not my current car which has the original hood and the plastic bits. Fits snug as a bug......

        • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

          Posted By : Paul Pratt, 31-Jul-2007, 00:32am

          Looks like its a pretty common problem unless the spitfire is a bit of a minter so i decided to invest in another garage and a fastback hardtop for the 1500.
          
          I haven't seen many of these does anybody have one for there 1500 fitted, im clueless as to how it will be fitted so any advice would be much appreciated...
          
          Regards
          Paul

           

          
          
          is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly?

           

          • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

            Posted By : Chris Taylor, 31-Jul-2007, 08:09am

            First of all you need to be sure the hardtop is for a Mk4 or 1500. Not only is the shape of the door windows different from Mk1-3, but the shape of the rear wings and the height of the windscreen frame also changed between Mk3 and Mk4.
            Sorry that is not answering your question, but it might save some time trying to fit something that was never designed to fit!!

            • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

              Posted By : Paul Pratt, 31-Jul-2007, 09:55am

              they guy who i have bought it from described is as follows:
              
              'This item is a fastback style hardtop for a triumph Spitfire MKIV or 1500. A good item which dramatically alters the appearance of a spitfrie This was taken off a donor car and I have since used it on my spitfire.'
              
              fingers crossed it will fit, if not then i will have to just sell it to somebody with the car it is meant to go on. One saving grace is that the car in the background of the photo looks to be a mkIV or 1500 but saying that he could have put any car in the background and sold the hardtop for that car
              
              i haven't paid for it yet, im going to ask for photos of it on his car
              
              Regards
              Paul

              • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

                Posted By : Ian Mulford, 31-Jul-2007, 09:57am

                I know someone who used to have a spit with one fitted, I'll see if I can contact him and see how he did it. I do have photos on my PC at home I think.

                • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

                  Posted By : Paul Pratt, 31-Jul-2007, 12:21pm

                  hi ian was this a mkiv or 1500 though? i guess the photos will tell if you can find them...
                  
                  Thanks Paul

                  • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

                    Posted By : Ian Mulford, 31-Jul-2007, 02:15pm

                    Definately a MkIV.

                    • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

                      Posted By : Paul Pratt, 31-Jul-2007, 02:49pm

                      excellent, i look forward to seeing the photos if you can find them
                      
                      Thanks
                      Paul

                      • is the hood on my spitfire misaligned around windows? if so how do I get it to fit correctly? 

                        Posted By : Ian Mulford, 02-Aug-2007, 09:47pm

                        As promised: