Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[mid]

Hi All,

i picked up a hardtop at the weekend after speculative ebay bid came good... its a bit different to the normal works style or snugtop etc and i can only find one reference to it on the internet and that is a website about hardtops and even they are asking for info on it... http://www.mgnuts.com/hardtops/midget/

anyway i quite like the shape and think it suits the RWA very well. it fits the car well and in my opinion is nicer than the works style. it needs a bit of work to tidy it up but i was expecting that anyway. i'm not too keen on the rear clamps either as they do not use the hardtop brackets on the hood frame but just use a J hook under the rear panel - it wont take too much to make up some brackets to use the proper mountings.

anyway here's some pics - does anyone know anything about it?

next question is do i leave it black..gloss or satin? or do i go white? or even match the teal blue??

[mid]

well, the wife was out tonight so had a bit of a play on photoshop...

gloss black...



gloss white...



or teal blue...

[pigtin]

That is a very nice hardtop, better than my works one. I'm thinking of spraying mine the colour of the car BRG. But then I've been thinking that for the last 3 years and haven't got round to it yet.
_________________
Due to the onset of my mid eighties I'm no longer sprightly and rarely seen in my Austin special. I have written a book though. https://amzn.eu/d/7rwRRqL

[Roger-hatchy]

Could it be Almac?

[Roger-hatchy]

Another name Ashley, there is one like yours on ebay listed as an Ashley

[mid]

pretty sure its not Ashley - there is quite a lot of info available for the Ashley tops and i cant find any reference to my one. they tend to be the fast back style that also replaces the boot lid.



almac's a new one on me, never heard of that - the little info i can find on that doesn't look the same.



the closest i've found is a warwick as it has a very similar rear window shape, but i can only find reference to an earlier sprite model and that has very different side windows



the search continues....

[Rick]

Lenham perhaps?

R
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[mid]

thanks for all the suggestions-keep them coming...

lenham generally were complete car conversions... front and rear ends complete, although they did do a simple hardtop but it was very similar to the works style... details here:

http://www.lenhamspridgetregister.com/LSR%20Home%20Page.html

[mid]

just a bit of an update... ashley have confirmed its definitely not one of theirs, so have lenham, and so have honeybourne mouldings - hasnt really helped me but i guess its narrowing down the search a bit.

i have however found reference to another which is the same as mine but with a full clear panel in the roof



and i've also found one for an MGB.. this is not the same but has incredibly similar window shapes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamliptrot/2439896208/

both of these are listed as 'Bermuda' hard tops. these were made by 'Classic Motor Craft Ltd' of London, but i'm not sure whether these are actually from them or are thought to be as the bermuda's always had glass panels in the roof - the MGB one shows some resemblance to the shape but the midget bermuda ones are totally different.

MGB Bermuda advert:



Midget Bermuda:



does anyone know any info on Classic Motor Craft ltd... i'm wondering if mine is an alternitive the offered to the bermuda?

[mid]

i've also found this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/austin7nut/5313056262/in/photostream/ that i'm sure is the same base moulding but with different rear windows and no quarterlights....

[DSBonar@aol.com]

I have a Verified Bermuda top (Classic Motor Crafts Ltd, London) for my 71 MG-B. It looks very similar to the green one of the earlier posts... but not at all like the other, also identified as a Bermuda. I don't know if they made multiple models but they did manufacture tops for Spitfires, MG-B & Midgets.

I've only seen one other, which was identical to mine. A couple in Oregon told me they bought theirs new... down the street from University Motors where the bought their B, while living in London.

Don Bonar
Prairie Village, Kansas
USA

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