Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 9:36 am
RIGHT GUYS!! , I have this theory as to why our hardtops COULD HAVE popped off the windshield frames,, it could also be a bunch of crap. So here goes, novel 3, The Early Morning Thought Those Manx hardtops were originally designed to fit an earlier style windshield frame,, the front fiberglass edge was ment to go into the groove rather than over the whole front edge of the windshield. Click the link at the top of mackaymanxs post & your see what Im on about in those pics. We had some problems years ago with getting Manx hardtops to fit into the groove of Bugshieds (Dino's) windshield frames. It seemed the way forward rather than make new molds was to put the fiberglass front edge over the windshield frame rather than trying to force it into the groove. ( Thats where I feel the problem could be,,,, my theory is ) the force of the air flow hitting the windshield is driven up the glass and under the fiberglass lip, forcing the hardtop forward & away from the frame and eventually this strong air flow will get right under it. The combined flex of the windshield frame & hardtop along with the air flow power trying to part the two could be a possibility. A hardtop fitted in the way Bruce intended fiberglass edge into the groove rather than over the whole frame maybe stops this problem, as the flow of air up from the widshield would hit the alloy frame & ride over the rounded front edge of the hardtop, rather than trying to get behind it. So maybe the old spring method works fine when used on the early, much stronger Manx windshield frame with the correct groove size & shape intended for the original Manx hardtops. After all, Bruce is a cleaver guy & Im sure that problem would have been delt with years ago had it have happened back then. ps, Dave, have you got any snap shots of Rob Wrens alloy front hardtop supports on his orange Manx?,, he also lost his first hardtop, but not any more since fitting those locking devices. Maybe Allan has pics to post up, they are real neat fittings.