New soft top

[aggie]

Hello all, just bought a new hood for my Mk 1 Spitfire from Don Hoods.  Unfortunately the poppers have not been fitted.  Apparently this is standard practice ? Also the gap between the header rail and top of windscreen surround is not wide enough to accept the hood.  So, anyone got any tips for fitting please?

Ta.

[NonMember]

Poppers are not fitted because the position of the corresponding studs on the bodywork isn't entirely guaranteed. You need to position the poppers with the hood on the car to get them right.

It's a long time since my brother had a Mk2 but I recall the front edge of the hood needs to be quite a tight fit under the header rail. How much too fat is your new hood's reinforced lip bit?

[aggie]

Thanks for that, unfortunately the gap is so tight that the hood only goes about halfway.  I'm just wondering if there is some way to maybe prise it open a little.  The thought of taking off the header and replacing it doesn't really appeal to me.

[DanMi]

I would speak to Don Hoods as they have fitted loads. There is no reason why you couldn't gently pry the lip up with a flat blade but it really shouldn't be necessary

[Peter Truman]

I had trouble with the daughters Mk2 header rail lip when we replaced the windscreen rubber the new rubber protruded out more, so I had to remove the header rail and pack it up a little, easily done only pop rivets from memory, initially used washers first to get the reqd packing then put in a layer of Denso tape, but beware it's a messy material but stops any water egress. 

[aggie]

• Thanks both, think I'll try to open up the gap first before removing the rail although that would, probably, be a better solution.  I know it's only pop rivets but I recall that it took me a long time to pluck up the courage to put it back on in the first place!  Wish me luck.

[Badwolf]

As regards the poppers, I made the mistake of fitting poppers on one side of my hood and transferring the measurements symmetrically to the other side. Wrong!! The receivers were fitted on the body at different distances. If I ever get the paint job done I will correct the distances..been like that for 25 years though.