Raising the roof,,,, how ?

toneinblack · Postby **toneinblack** » 30 Jul 2014 19:52

Long story short, tomorrow I have to use my convertible tr7 for work as the galaxy is in for repair , So took the tr for a drive and parked on my front drive instead of putting it in the garage and then I tried to shut the roof ( haven't closed it since I bought it 2 months ago ) so I unpopped the poppers and pulled the roof shut only to get stuck with the 2 handles about the windscreen, and I couldn't get the 2 lugs into the holes.
What position should the handles be in so that I can get the lugs in ?
And then the next question is ,what's the best way to fold it open when I finish work again ?
Thanks all

DNK · Postby **DNK** » 30 Jul 2014 20:20

????

Don
Stick a Wedge In It
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

busheytrader · Postby **busheytrader** » 30 Jul 2014 21:17

Oops

After a hot day with the hood down, don't leave it until the cool of the evening to try to raise it. I've been there many times regretting the PVC hood and it's shrinkage.

Doors open, hood handles pointing out towards the sides (have a look at them and the holes in the windscreen rail and it's fairly obvious). Raise the hood and get the leading edge as close as you can to the windscreen rail. Stand on the doorstep (doors open remember) and wrestle the leading edge first one side and then the other until it eventually drops in one hole, partly close one hood handle then the other until you can fully tighten them.

Good luck.

Adam

TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, S/S Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes all round, Anti- Dive, Strut-Top Roller Bearings, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 14" 5 Spokes or Maestro Turbo 15" Alloys, Cruise Lights, S/S Heater Pipes, Replacement Fuel Tank. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991 courtesy of S&S V8 conversion and big brake kits.

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 31 Jul 2014 00:04

Poppers unpopped.

Have the rear window unzipped (you're only have to stretch the side portion).

Make sure the top rails are not covered.

Pull forward on the rail above the rear window (makes sure top is as far forward as possible).

If latches still don't make it to their holes a hair dryer to warm the vinyl will finish the job.

It also helps reattach the poppers on the corner.

If you top is shrunk (like mine, it's original) some forward thinking is needed. If the forecast is not promising put the top up when it's warm the previous afternoon. Either that or carry a long extension cord for the hair dryer.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

toneinblack · Postby **toneinblack** » 31 Jul 2014 03:21

Thanks gents , looks like I'm in for some fun times with it [:)]

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 31 Jul 2014 06:28

I once left home early morning, hood down, for a 1200 kilometer trip.

I ran into fog so heavy it was condensing on the inside of my windscreen, as well as the outside.

I had to wait until the sun was well up, & then get 2 passers by to help stretch the thing to get the pins in.

Find a good garage, heat it & the car, then use a hair drier, or heat gun, on the thing for a month or so if it has been down that long. Seriously, plenty of heat is your best hope.

Hasbeen

Sautie · Postby **Sautie** » 31 Jul 2014 09:01

I am considering buying a new hood for my 8 & it will not be vinyl.
Even in our warm climate to put the hood up I must leave it semi up (Pegs Not in rail Holes) for a couple of hours so that the vinyl can stretch.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by toneinblack

Long story short, tomorrow I have to use my convertible tr7 for work as the galaxy is in for repair , So took the tr for a drive and parked on my front drive instead of putting it in the garage and then I tried to shut the roof ( haven't closed it since I bought it 2 months ago ) so I unpopped the poppers and pulled the roof shut only to get stuck with the 2 handles about the windscreen, and I couldn't get the 2 lugs into the holes.
What position should the handles be in so that I can get the lugs in ?
And then the next question is ,what's the best way to fold it open when I finish work again ?
Thanks all
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hasbeen · Postby **Hasbeen** » 31 Jul 2014 09:19

Sautie, the one I had my trouble with was a mohair, not vinyl, so it is probably a matter of fitting them on a cold winters day, to have any chance of putting them up on one.

Hassbeen

toneinblack · Postby **toneinblack** » 31 Jul 2014 18:20

Got the hood up after a struggle but I had to put the levers facing the back of the car and then push them to the door ( passenger door on passenger side and drivers door on drivers side)to lock the roof down at the front.

saabfast · Postby **saabfast** » 31 Jul 2014 20:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by toneinblack

Got the hood up after a struggle but I had to put the levers facing the back of the car and then push them to the door ( passenger door on passenger side and drivers door on drivers side)to lock the roof down at the front.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Odd, I could have sworn that the levers on mine went the other way, towards the centre of the car to lock. Don't have the car here atm so it may be my aged memory.

For opening/folding there is a procedure here:
http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/art ... ldroof.asp

Basically, release the levers, release the centre bar Velcro, undo the poppers to the sides, pull the front rail back while lifting the back at the top of the window and pull over the boot lid. Flatten it neatly, fold in the corners (trying not to fold the quarter windows but never works on mine), and then fold the whole lot forward. Hood bag can then be pulled over and secured with poppers.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1 (now passed to son for his family car)
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto (now gone that others might live)
Saab 9000 2.3 LPT Auto (sold on, wish I had it back)
Saab 9-5 2.3 Vector Auto Estate
'81 TR7 DHC

Spectatohead · Postby **Spectatohead** » 01 Aug 2014 00:12

Alan, like you I don't have the car here to verify it but as I recall the levers swing toward the doors to latch. I also seem to recall that my TR6s pushed toward the middle to latch. Again, aged memory may be playing tricks on me too. Heading home in the morning but it's been so long since I actually had the top up I may have the same problem raising it.

Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

toneinblack · Postby **toneinblack** » 01 Aug 2014 13:48

Ive took the hood back down as the sun is out by doing it this way,

http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/art ... ldroof.asp

not sure if its the proper way and I still get lumps under the cover , so I must have done something not quite right, and ill keep trying, Also spotted a few more things that need sorting and will post begging and pleading for help in the tr7 forum

just reread saabfasts post above and notice he posted the same link - thank you

busheytrader · Postby **busheytrader** » 01 Aug 2014 19:48

35years after my wedge left the factory, I'm in a MX5 in which I can put the hood up in 5 seconds without leaving the driver's seat. No electric mechanism to go wrong either.

Just reach back, lift up the hood with one hand and it locks into place with no struggling. Simples.

Beware the dark side.......

Adam

TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, S/S Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes all round, Anti- Dive, Strut-Top Roller Bearings, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 14" 5 Spokes or Maestro Turbo 15" Alloys, Cruise Lights, S/S Heater Pipes, Replacement Fuel Tank. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991 courtesy of S&S V8 conversion and big brake kits.

Rubberbiscuit-1 · Postby **Rubberbiscuit-1** » 05 Aug 2014 11:59

A little grease, petroleum jelly, or dielectric grease on the lever pins and on the ramps of the holes in header rail helps a bit too.

kstrutt1 · Postby **kstrutt1** » 06 Aug 2014 07:28

We have 3 generations,
my elan which is a seperate hood and a series of sticks takes about 5 minutes to put up,

The TR which is a massive improvement and only takes 30 seconds or so to errect (I tend to lean on the roof from the outside while swinging the levers accross)

A Mx5 even quicker to get up but the windscreen catches can be a bit fiddly and the sunvisors get in the way.

Years ago I did have a modern company car with an electric hood,
very easy but it was fairly slow.

Kevin

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by busheytrader

35years after my wedge left the factory, I'm in a MX5 in which I can put the hood up in 5 seconds without leaving the driver's seat. No electric mechanism to go wrong either.

Just reach back, lift up the hood with one hand and it locks into place with no struggling. Simples.

Beware the dark side.......

Adam

Anonymous

Raising the roof,,,, how ?

Raising the roof,,,, how ?

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