Spit1500 Hardtop glass

[ShaunW]

Thinking beyond summer ....

I've got a Lenham hardtop (i think) but I don't like it much. So I'm on the lookout for an original when the right one comes along, but I'm in no hurry just yet.

I saw this OEM Steel Triumph Spitfire MK 4/1500 Hardtop NOS  on ebay and wondered how easy is it to get glass, seals, catches etc? I had a quick look and couldn't see much.

While I was on there I also saw a Spitfire Targa Top. It's not my cup of tea but I'd never seen one before.

[Clive]

Seals etc should all be off the shelf. Brackets do turn up but can be hard to find as people often only bolt it at the front and rear. The hardest part will be the glass.

But if you find a rusty hardtop that will donate much of what you need.

I have a good hardtop I restored, still hanging in the garage after several years, never been on the car since it has been on the road. Not trying to sell, but I haven't felt the need to use it. Likewise with my vitesse, I ran a hardtop one winter (everyday car) but sold it on as I was just as happy with the hood. Personal choice etc. but there are huge numbers of hard tops that never get fitted.

[yorkshire_spam]

From what I can tell (based on my own experience) the rear windows are "ok" to get hold of, but the quarter lights are a bit "rocking horse poop".

I have a spare rear window, but it might have a couple of light scratches on the glass.

 

[ShaunW]

Interesting stuff. Especially about whether I'll use it. 

Back in the early 80s when I was doing over 500 miles a week in a spit, I enjoyed the feeling of being a bit more protected from the elements in winter, especially on long hauls down the motorway. These days I think the car needs more protection from the elements than I do so it doesn't see much bad weather. 

But, if I'm going to have a hardtop stood there on standby, and there's any budget left by the time the important things are done, I'll resume the search.