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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - New hood help.

Hi all. This is my first post on here and am looking for some help and recomendations from anyone with experience renewing their hood, escecially with regard to material choices, supplier and the option of a zipped rear window.
Material wise I'm thinking about fabric, suppliers found so far are Don Trimmers and Prestiege Autotrim, and the option of a zip out window is appealing.
I look forward to any further thoughts and suggestions. Many thanks.
R Farrar

I got mine from Don. I was pleased with it though I have also seen criticisims. I've had 2 from them and both were good. (different cars)
For one, I chose with a zip. I use it as something of an everyday work car and being able to zip the hood down, at least a bit even in the rain, it allows me to carry longer items like 3 metre lengths of copper pipe. The other doesn't have a zip window, and I have missed it!

There is lots of advice available on fitting, which in terms of looks is at least as important as the supplier!
GuyW

Another vote for zip out rear windows. As well as Guy's long load carrying, it makes folding the hood easier and extra ventilation if you don't want to fully remove the hood.
Mine's double duck from MGOC about 15 years old, has needed recolouring a couple of times and has shrunk (probably from lack of use) and so requires refitting on the header rail. I wouldn't have another and would more than likely go for a decent quality vinyl.
Welcome to the forum.
Jeremy MkIII

What you go for depends on whether you intend to use it much. Personally I would go for the cheapest option but that is only because I hardly ever use mine. I've had this car 14 years and you can count the number of times it's been up on your fingers so less than once a year so I just put up with the tatty original as it's not worth buying a new one for the use it gets and it's not just out in fair weather. A decent tonneau is a much better buy in my opinion.

Trev
T Mason

In addition to the material of the hood itself it's worth paying attention to the material of the rear window.
Cheaper hoods often use cheap window material (polypropylene I suspect) which is degraded by UV light and quickly goes brittle and foggy.
Good quality clear vinyl is worth the extra expense I think.
Also "zip out" doesn't mean completely removable - the window is stitched on one of the four sides. I only mention this because I was surprised by it.
(TBH I didn't even know mine was a zip out until I went and looked when this topic came up on the forum some years ago).

Welcome to Planet Spridget!
Greybeard

Another vote for Don hoods here. I fitted a Superior quality (one up from the basic heavy duty) to my mk1 Frogeye but, like Trev, I don't use the hood that much as it's not an "everyday" car (although I took it out yesterday in the sun with hood up). But I want it to last hence choice of material.

It's all about useage. If it's to keep the rain out now and then and you're on a budget, then anything that fits will do but if you want it to look good then maybe higher quality material is needed. I wondered long and hard about a zip out window but decided against it - I haven't yet wished I had one. It's something else to go wrong, I suppose I tend to keep things simple, but everyone's different (says the man who fitted relays...).

(I don't have a hard top and don't want one btw).
Bill Bretherton

Reason for a Zip out (down) window!


GuyW

Looking right smart Guy. New paint?
anamnesis

I fit a dons hood and i am pleased with it also i wrote this a few years back it may be helpful if you doing it yourself

https://www.flickr.com/photos/markythesparky/albums/72157633862111410/with/8915226227/?fbclid=IwAR2zvcPt4l1FMVEIBoJnuwcL039qAMcA2hHMWyAS5_FvNV5gsdWK9Izpel8
mark heyworth

Thats a massive spoiler Guy!
Did it help on motorway speed or fuelconsumption? LOL!!!
A de Best

Thought you would like that Arie!

Sadly, Anam, that was a few years ago and car looks rather shabbier now. Waiting for the on-your-drive spraying season atm.😂
GuyW

I once drove over the old Forth Road bridge, passing under several rows of CCTV cameras, with a 4ft tall copper hot water cylinder sitting in the front seat next to me. It was wearing a lap&diagonalseat belt and I drew a face on it so I don't think anyone noticed!
GuyW

Thanks for all your replies. I'm sold on the zip out window now, but still have to decide on either premium quality vinvl or mohair. I'm not too bothered about cost and would rather pay extra for a product that will last longer. Anyone know about colour fastness? I see Jeremy Mk111 has had to re colour.
The car is for weekend use, and currently has a hard top on. Any more suggestions welcomed. Thanks.
R Farrar

If you want a non-fade option, I'd suggest going for O/E quality vinyl. Don't know about mohair but the double duck does fade. And the cleaning process means it needs reproofing after recolouring, something not needed with vinyl.
Jeremy MkIII

I got my current hood from Don Trimmings and it is not a very good fit. The sleeve for the rear stiffener (Mk3 Sprite) is too wide, allowing the stiffener to move when the hood is stowed, consequently I have to reposition it every time I erect the hood. It’s also not very well finished, the “gutter” is not finished off with a capping piece so looks a bit scruffy. It’s not a very good fit at the front either. There was a delay in supply, explained by “We don’t often get asked for a zip out window on Mk3 Sprites” which makes me think that maybe they imported it from another manufacturer
I did specify the better quality vinyl, but I don’t know if I actually got it. The zip out window however is a real boon. I can put a large soft bag behind the seats when touring.
Oh yes. It has a slight leak along the rear top bow seam.

Bernie.
b higginson

Bernie,
sounds like you got one of their better finished hoods. Having been to Erdington I'd say they stitch up the hoods (might be wrong) with material from a far off land.

If the leak is at the seam Stormsure's Stormseal Seam Sealer will stop it, guess how I know, but it will need reapplying when the thread disappears from the seam leaving just the little holes. guess how I know.

Stormsure's Stormseal Seam Sealer - https://www.stormsure.com/stormseal-seam-sealant-100ml-bottle-with-foam-pad.html

If things get worse they do repair kits. - https://www.stormsure.com/lookbook/motoring-repairs.html
Nigel Atkins

Nigel. Where ya bin? We missed ya. 🙂
anamnesis

anam, I look in now and again but my limited knowledge and very wide views are already over repeated on the BBS.
Nigel Atkins

On topic. Don Trimmings hood.

The chap that bought my midget by sheer coincidence emailed me yesterday and the car is back together and been on a 20-mile test (I asked if he didn't trust his own work by only going on such a short journey).

Anyway he did comment on the Don Trimmings hood being a "nightmare to erect" - but he also bought the (vinyl) Prestiege Autotrim off me that I was about to have fitted before I sold the car.

The Don Trimming hood was supplied and fitted by them at their factory in November 2015, the hood wasn't good and the fitting wasn't good.

Which was such a shame as as a previous hood and fitting at the factory (when the father was in charge) on my previous fitting had a good hood and very good fitting, show condition.

Within 2 or three years (2017, 2018) the hood was leaking on the seams at the corners of the hood frame, Don Trimming response was they used Stormsure's Stormseal Seam Sealer and I should buy some and use that.

Within about 5 years (around 2020) the hood was becoming difficult to put up when not warm despite the hood always being up when the car wasn't used as the car isn't garaged so outside 365/6 days a year.

Within about 6 years (about 2021, 2022) the hood was difficult to put up even in summer when out of the sun.
Nigel Atkins

Thanks for all your replies, I have chosed an O/E quality vinyl with zip window from Prestige. One more question though, reading their instructions it says use contact adhesive to glue the front of the hood to header rail, but instructions from MGOC "dispels the myth it is needed to do so". An thoughts on this? What did you do when you did yours Mark as it looks a very neat job, well done.
R Farrar

i glued mine on, i did mine a slight bit tighter than i should have but after a couple of years it is just right now with no sagging.
mark heyworth

Do the mgoc instructions, use that phrase? "Dispels the myth --" ?

I disagree. If you rely soley on the screw or rivets to secure the roof material to the header rail, eventually, the material is strained at, and may well tear at those fixing points, if the roof 'shrinks', and becomes a stretch fit.

How I do it.
Initially, only use a couple/three of screws to pinch the roof material between the retainer and header rail. Then when sure of position, use contact glue in addition to securing the roof to the header with screws. It takes a lot/all of the strain off the material, where it is pinched and screwed under the retainer.



anamnesis

Agreed, I wouldn't want to rely on just the rivets to secure it.
Dave O'Neill 2

Yep, glue to the header rail. Get it taught, but don't overdo the stretching on a vinyl hood. If you do, in cold weather it has a tendency to shrink across its width, pulling up at either side of the header rail and also where it goes down to the B post behind the side windows.
GuyW

Thanks again for your input.
I thought that the glue would be required but the following is from an article in ‘Enjoying MG’, July 1995 issue and got me wondering.
Come the time, I'll stick to the advice given by Prestige and all here.

DIY MIDGET/SPRITE 1275 & 1500 HOOD FITTING
Before You Start
A Midget/Sprite hood takes around two to two and a half hours to fit and requires no
special tools to achieve a first class finish. To dispel a popular myth straight away, there
is no need to use glue in fixing the hood to the header rail, so by following these
instructions if you wish to adjust the fit of the hood to the header rail, you can......

.....Header Rail Fitment
Open the hood frame approximately 18 inches from the windscreen. Either side of the
front of the new hood you will find a strip of fabric measuring approx. 4” by 1”. Position
one side along the underside of the header rail where the rivet holes are. Now fold the
edge of the hood over the header rail. View the side gutter and adjust the position of the
hood so that the stitched seam of the lower binding aligns with the lower edge of the
header rail. The foremost position of the gutter, i.e. its point, should now be located
where the bottom edge of the header rail meets the seal retaining channel.
Now position the aluminium seal retaining channel and fix using a screw in the first two
holes of each side only. Repeat this process on the other side. The hood should now be
neatly fitted in these two most important areas.
The frame may now be carefully closed. Pull the surplus hooding material at the centre
of the windscreen downwards until the tension at the centre is equal to that at the sides.
View the fitment of the gutters around the side windows and clearance around the door
openings and make sure they are correct.
Mark the bottom of the header rail line with chalk onto the hood fabric with a series of
dots or short lines. Release the header rail clamps and pull the hood between the
aluminium seal retaining strip and the header rail up to the point where the chalk mark is
aligned as before.
Secure the remainder of the seal retaining strip with screws or rivets. Use a spike to find
the rivet location holes in the header rail. The pop rivet gun is ideal for this job,
providing quick fastening and firm location.
Trim off any excess material with a craft knife. Refit the rubber seal, easing it into place
with a wide blade screwdriver. Secure the corner flap to the underside at each end of the
header rail with one screw. This weatherseals the valance


R Farrar

This thread was discussed between 19/02/2023 and 04/03/2023

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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