Top Bows - Proper Collapsing

[Rob & Tammy Greaves]

Just finishing off my rebuild... I set my collapsed top bows, minus canvas, into the rebuilt tub and have it now sitting on the inside wheel arches and side screen compartment. I note though that the top bows, even collapsed as much as I can get it to, is still 4 1/2" higher than the rear of the tub. I am wondering if I do not have the metal "sticks" collapsing properly on top of each other. I had looked at another local TC top bows, also not yet in a car. I had noted that the upper most section of the top bows, the part that is bent forward towards the windscreen, sat directly on top (straddling) the lower section of the top bows. That is what mine is doing now. I am now wondering if that is wrong. If I was to bend the ends of the top section into the middle slightly this top section of the top bows would sit lower into the bottom section and thus not extent so high above the end of the tub. Can anyone advise me whether this "top" section "straddles" the bottom section or is it supposed to lay inside the bottom section? How much higher does the average top bows sit above the rear/sides of the tub? Thanks for any advice, Rob Greaves [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[i.thomson@talk21.com]

I too have often wondered about this. My hood never seems to go low enough when folded, though it is OK when erected. The folding part of the frame also has to be individually positioned behind the ends of the seat back - though I do have the seat fully back (and wish I could get it further back). I made a fundamental mistake when fitting the tonneau (and thus positioned the fasteners) before fitting the hood itself. I seem to remember that Don (the suppliiers) made me wait for the hood proper and I was keen to get on with the job. It is now a heave and grunt job to fit the tonneau over the hood. The original manual shows the fabric removed from between the bows for stowing but to my mind this is an untidy way to do it even if it does go a tad lower. Also I would now use single instead of double duck as it is more flexible and takes up less space. For the amount I use the hood double duck is an unnecessary difficulty. The trouble with doing these jobs is that you are always doing it for the first time. Experience only kicks in on the second go.

>I am wondering if I do not have the metal "sticks" collapsing properly on top of each other. > >Can anyone advise me whether this "top" section "straddles" the bottom section or is it supposed to lay inside the bottom section? How much higher does the average top bows sit above the rear/sides of the tub? > >Thanks for any advice, > >Rob Greaves >

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[Dean Jensen]

Rob Checked mine out, the bows on my TC stick up about two inches. The first bow (center) goes down so it is almost on top of the side curtain compartment. You must pull the canvas top out, look and see how it was suggested to do in the TD and probably TF driver's booklet, then the front bow will go down, most of the way. The only thing holding mine up at this point is the bind on the hinge part of the bow. I do not think your problem is in the bend of the bow Cheers Dean -----Original Message----- From: Rob & Tammy Greaves [mailto:t.greaves@hyperlinx.net] Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2002 7:05 PM To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Subject: [mg-tabc] Top Bows - Proper Collapsing Just finishing off my rebuild... I set my collapsed top bows, minus canvas, into the rebuilt tub and have it now sitting on the inside wheel arches and side screen compartment. I note though that the top bows, even collapsed as much as I can get it to, is still 4 1/2" higher than the rear of the tub. I am wondering if I do not have the metal "sticks" collapsing properly on top of each other. I had looked at another local TC top bows, also not yet in a car. I had noted that the upper most section of the top bows, the part that is bent forward towards the windscreen, sat directly on top (straddling) the lower section of the top bows. That is what mine is doing now. I am now wondering if that is wrong. If I was to bend the ends of the top section into the middle slightly this top section of the top bows would sit lower into the bottom section and thus not extent so high above the end of the tub. Can anyone advise me whether this "top" section "straddles" the bottom section or is it supposed to lay inside the bottom section? How much higher does the average top bows sit above the rear/sides of the tub? Thanks for any advice, Rob Greaves [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/