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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - tonneau bar

I see tonneau bars listed in catelogs. Are these necessary? Just useful or not to bother? I plan on making significant use of the tonneau once I either get mine repaired (front corner tears where the lift-the-dot fasteners are) or pony up for a new one. (Might go with tan instead of black, nice color combo with Tartan red and probably cooler.
J Van Dyke

the tonneau will sag without one, and it will give a crips edge to fold it over when you are driving alone with no passenger. The flap behind your seat then fixes to two little pegs to keep it taut.
dave c

What model of midget do you have? The later ones eliminated the tonneau bar sockets.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

'63 Midget. Top is a Robbins but not sure about the tonneau. I assumed the tonneau bar used the same sockets as the bar for the top, no?
Do these bars ever come up used or isn't it worth hunting?
J Van Dyke

The Sprite I saw this weekend just happened to have the tonneau installed and the bar and mounts are visable in the photos I took of the rear seat. Defintely a nice thing to have on an early car to keep the tonneau from drooping behind the seats.


Bill Young

I'm a great enthusiast for the tonneau cover, and usually use one all the time, usually with just the driver's side open. I didn't fit the hood at all last winter, or use my hard-top.

My car is a 1966 Sprite 3, so will be exactly the same as yours as far as this kit is concerned. I've tied to attach some photos which show the tonneau bar fitted, and with the cover stretched over it and secured down to the lift-the-dot type catches down near the floor on the heel board, but I can't get the upload to work at all. Without the bars, the cover would just sag, as the rear body of the car has been cut away further than the original design of the Mark 1 Sprite, so the bar 'replaces the cockpit edge.

For the Mark 2 AND Mark 3 Sprites, the bar is of a simple tubular form made in 2 parts that fit together which, as you say, just slots in to the same location as the hood frame. Later Marks (and the matching Midget Marks) have a different fitting. I reckon you could find a pair fairly easily, or even bend up a pair for yourself (preferably with the aid of a pattern.

G
Gus Gander

I think this is what your looking for. If you can't find any better ones you can have these. Send me an email if you want them.


Jon Saylor

Jon they are only for the 1966 onwards tonneau bars; on a 1963 the tonneau uses the same fixing as the removeable hoodframe.
David Smith

Thought I'd have another go at attaching those photos I spoke of, just for practice, really. It seems to be quite a long-winded process, and I think I've only managed to put one on, as the second try seemed to cancel the first. Oh well...


Gus Gander

AH Spares sells new ones for about $75.00. http://www.ahspares.co.uk/en/products/default.aspx
Matt Gresalfi

Ooops! I misunderstood the post .......... never mind. :)
Jon Saylor

This thread was discussed between 09/06/2008 and 13/06/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.