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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Healey side screens

Anybody got a photo of the tall healey frogeye sidescreen frames . When i was at Beauliau autojumble a stand had a pair of Frogeye sidescreens , thought they looked a bit strange and thought the owner was confused as to what vehicle they where from. But now i am thinking they were the tall healey style , how rare are they and how much do they differ .
Roy
R Mcknight

Roy.

As far as I know, they are not easy to find. I believe Pete Farmer has made a batch but they are costly (he assures me they sell...) at £400+ per pair.

This is his website, but there is no mention of them on there...

http://www.petefarmer.com/hardtops.htm

I have a Hardtop for a Frogeye that is the rare tall side screen version, it IS available to buy if anyone is interested.

The advantage with these tops as opposed to the identical looking one for std side screens is that getting in and out of the car is a LOT easier...!

Mark.

M T Boldry

I "might" have those taller ones. The ones I do have for my '63 midget are taller than normal I concluded, they barely will tuck into the flaps of the softop. Someone told me they were intended for use with a certain hardtop? No idea, but before I hack them up to fit better, I'm willing to investigate and would gladly trade for the correct ones for my car.
J Van Dyke

pics

I remember something about 11" tall.


J Van Dyke

and another, I can work them into barely usable fit but it's a huge pain, was planning on cutting the rubber way back but, like I said, if someone else can use 'em then I'll gladly turn them over something that fits better for me.


J Van Dyke

J Van Dyke.

I have LOTS of std side screens and would be very happy to 'trade' you a pair plus a little balance for your taller versions.....

Mark.
M T Boldry

Well maybe ive answered my own question , is this what the tall sidescreens should look like . Note the rounded front corner instead of the usual angular style . Is this a healey top?.


R Mcknight

You have to love the old car ads, in which the driver is almost always holding a pipe(!)

A
Anthony Cutler

Roy -

There were two types of sidescreen fitted to the high-sidescreen hardtop in period. The earlier type is an alloy Weathershields style (pic below). I believe these date from when the top was the prototype of the BMC production frogeye hardtop.

When the Healeys started selling the high-sidescreen hardtop in 59/60, they fitted PVC fabric-covered steel sidescreens, like Maxie has (who's that the other side of DMH, Max's 'minder'?). I can try to take some pics of the pair I have and post them if you would like.

Jeff -

Those really don't look like Sprite sidescreens, since the angle to the windscreen is wrong. There were a number of US firms offering better quality (American-made) sidescreens for British sports cars.

Tom


Tom Coulthard

Tom, the angle looks wrong because they won't lay flat against the top, because they are too tall. The angle matches fine when I "force" them against the rubber.
J Van Dyke

I take it (by the period ad) that the rubber is on the hardtop instead of the side screens? sorry, I'm pretty hardtop ignorant, I'd like one though!
J Van Dyke

The Healey sidescreens close against a conventional furflex-type seal: they don't seal particularly well, but there's no great expanse of rubber as on your screens.

The high-sidescreen hardtop and both styles of sidescreen have a curved edge at the front of the side window (pic: 'More Healeys' p.125), so I'm afraid I don't think your sidescreens would fit.

Tom
Tom Coulthard

Roy,
I have a pair of side screen wich looks like yours, but the front top angle is rounded on mine.
But they have the same type of rubber all around.
They were with the midget MKI when coming from USA.
It is certainly, as Tom says, american made side screen.

the difference with the original sidescreens, is the aloy frame closes just before the lip of the screen pilar. So only the rubber is against the lip of the screen pilar.
I have to make some photos to show what I mean.

The fact is those side screens fit very well the Ashley Hardtop after cutting a little the fiberglass lip all around the side screen. But this is another story...

laurent
ld derancourt

Yes, the pictures shown are the Tall sidescreen top and as Tom has reminded me, they DO have a rounded front edge unlike the std screens that have an angled front edge.

Note the driver smoking the pipe is non other than Max Bygraves....! I wonder if that Sprite still exists I guess the number (if original) will be on something else by now....

Mark.
M T Boldry

This thread was discussed between 29/09/2009 and 02/10/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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