Nearly 50yrs has flown bye since I owned my beautiful TR6.Lovely,lovely car,and despite all the negative publicity I never had any problem with the Lucas injection ststem.Happy days.
Informative video. The only thing I do differently is to unzip my rear "glass" and allow it to hang down flat before folding the top. After years of opening and stowing, the rear window is still as flat as a piece of plexiglass.
HI Don, I agree that the final out come should be to protect the plexiglass. We see a ton of cars that the tops are in bad shape. One main reason is they never get put up. I tell people you should store the top up when not in use. Thanks for taking a look.
Wow... I had no idea there were that many steps. My "car boss" just scored a '74 and the first thing I did was unsnap and fold. I'm going there this afternoon to put it down the RIGHT way now!!
Great video and very thoroughly presented. I had a '69 TR6 back in the early 70's and had forgotten how involved putting the top down and up was. Folding canvas tops have come a very long way in the last 50 years. MyGawd indeed so... I just bought a 2020 Mazda Miata with a soft top. Putting it up and down takes maybe 10 seconds. You unlatch one latch in the front, fold it back and lock it in place... wam, bam... done. It's amazing! I loved my TR6 in the day but I'll take the reliability and clever engineering in today's cars like the Miata. 😉
Wow! I had a TR-6 for a few years in the 70's in New York City, and knew nothing of such things. I'd put the top up and down with one hand while in motion. It was so smooth that I got TR-6 top frame to put on a '27 Model T (Speedway Motors kit) hot rod I'm building. The top down will fit the T body perfectly, unlike the tops designed for it, nestling down inside the body instead of lying on top of it. All it needs is the custom front top piece to meet and clamp to the top of the T's flat windshield. I'll make it out of steel bits and join it like the triumph to an aluminum top frame on the windshield. The T has doors, but I doubt I'll want windows, since I'm in Florida.
I noticed that neither of the rear side snaps (the third one back from the glass window) were snapped when this top was up. The snaps were not properly installed, which is very common. The design flaw with the TR6 top is that the rear hold down plate (which holds the rear of the top to the car) extends beyond the place where the top sides should be folded over. That is why so many people fold the top in the clear wind portion. I have "unglued" mine back two inches on either side to facilitate folding on the fabric, not the side window. That makes these rear side snaps even more important when the top is raised. As others have said, the rear window should be unzipped and dropped inside the care before the top is folded. After discussing the negatives of folding the clear vinyl, Matt goes on to squeeze the clear vinyl rear window around the folded frame! This will ruin the rear window. If you drop it first, it stays flat and protected under the frame.
Hi Clive, I can't tell you how many cars we see come in with some crazy folded tops or tops that have not been but up for years. Always a good idea if you are not using the car leave the top up. The top will last a lot longer.
So nice to see you showing this...how many times have you seen a used TR6 with a small rip in the "shoulder" of the top (above what looks like a "b" pillar, the vertical leg of the reflective strip). You get that rip by putting the top down without unsnapping and pulling it out first. I was looking at very nice TR6 online today, at a "reputable" dealer...yup, had the little tear.
Even as careful as you were, it looked to me as if the bottom corner of the triangle shaped side windows were folded, which eventually becomes a tear. With a standard instillation, there's no way to avoid this due to the location of the snaps closest to the gas cap. Here's a trick I tried when I noticed that a TR6 has 3 snaps on each side, but a Spitfire has 4 snaps. We put 4 snaps on each side of the TR6 top. Now the side windows can fold in on the fabric, and not crease the bottom corner of the windows. Also, I ALWAYS unzip and lower the rear window before lowing the top.
I was shouting NO at the first thing you did!you really shouldn't just pull the snaps on the outside of the hood the way you did , grabbing the material and yanking it away from the car body I mean,because after time you will leave behind the female part of the snap rivet in the body studs, ie braking the snap. best to put your thumb on top of the snap and using two hands put some gentle pressure either side of the snap and gently prise them open using equal pressure on each side of the canvas.
This way leaves a lumpy looking top cover as evidenced at 5:26, I do it the same way up until 3:00 , at that point I fold the 1/4 windows up over the fabric so that they are tucked and hidden when the big window folds forward and behind the seat. This way gives a much smoother look to the top cover whilst top is stowed.
...I just tried that, but then the 1/4 windows are directly resting and compressed on the upside-down protruding metal front pins. Ouch! How do you avoid that? Doing it the way Matt did it, with some pulls to adjust folds, the cover is then pretty flat, although my material seems thicker and more robustly flat than his to start with.
Vinyl tops look a bit cheap and tacky on the 6. I got a nice black mohair hood for mine and it gives the car a real upmarket look. Mine has a row of internal snaps on the front bar as well. I put some soft cloths between the plastic windows to prevent scuffing. Identical to my fold routine though and I had to work it all out myself.
Hi Stephen, A lot of times I will install the snaps on the front bow as well. And there is a lot of tops sold for the 6 but quality is all over the board. Protecting the windows is a must. Thanks for the reply.
Hi Scott, We installed the top a while ago, I can't remember off the top of my head where we got it, but it would have come from either Moss or the roadster factory. Matt
I found you while looking for advice on putting down a TR7 soft top. Do you think it's the same, or is there a major difference. Or can you take down a TY7 for us please ?
barnaba pinco I have a jenuine 1970 red patina.triumph Spitfire hard top .inner lining wats attention or replacing.if your a real fan.any one know it’s worth ,I “ think “ it’s a mark 3.i DO know it’s the curved one ! For sale if interested Bud
This explains the problem I have with the tr I just got. There are creases in the fabric, yes fabric not vinyl, the snaps on the inside are broken off and the snaps on the outside have pulled through the fabric. Plus the top just doesn’t fit. There are 1 inch gaps at tops of windows and the Velcro does match up. The previous owner told me he never put the top up “cause why would you” he said. Well now I know when it did go down he crunched all the fabric in the frame. I’ve been told that because he left it down it probably shrunk and that why it doesn’t fit. I can’t find anyone local who’s anymore skilled then myself to replace it. How hard is it to replace? Please take in to account I’ve never done it or seen it done.
Sorry to send 2 replies, I understand a lot of people leave there tops down and that is the worst way to store them. Tops do shrink over time and in my opinion the best way to store them is up and attached the way they should be. If you get to the point where you can't find someone to help install the top send me an email @ rustytr4@aol.com and I can give you some tips to make it easier to install.Matt
Hi Phil, I think the big thing to me is making sure the plastic is folded as best you can. Especially if the top is older. I think if people would just take a few extra seconds things would work better and last longer. Stay safe and healthy.
Hi Richard, we don't normally zip the rear window open before folding the top. I usually tell customers to keep an old towel handy to cover the window while it's folded. That seems to work out well. I also tell them to try and leave the top up while the car is not in use, that way it stay kind of stretched so to say. Thanks for having a look at the video
mmmm, not the sharpest tool in the box . Pulls on the snaps , gonna break them . Then drags the snaps across the body as he folds - scratches . Tonneau dragged over the paint , more snap scratches . Lazy way to fold a hood.
Thanks for this great video. I watch it at least once a year to make sure I’m folding it right!
Nearly 50yrs has flown bye since I owned my beautiful TR6.Lovely,lovely car,and despite all the negative publicity I never had any problem with the Lucas injection ststem.Happy days.
Just did it for the first time on my 73 I just bought. Thanks for the great video!
Informative video. The only thing I do differently is to unzip my rear "glass" and allow it to hang down flat before folding the top. After years of opening and stowing, the rear window is still as flat as a piece of plexiglass.
HI Don, I agree that the final out come should be to protect the plexiglass. We see a ton of cars that the tops are in bad shape. One main reason is they never get put up. I tell people you should store the top up when not in use. Thanks for taking a look.
Wow... I had no idea there were that many steps. My "car boss" just scored a '74 and the first thing I did was unsnap and fold. I'm going there this afternoon to put it down the RIGHT way now!!
Thank's for that, il have a TR4A with the same hood and i had a big problem for open that hood, now i have understood!! 👌👌👌👌Thank's from France.
Great video and very thoroughly presented. I had a '69 TR6 back in the early 70's and had forgotten how involved putting the top down and up was. Folding canvas tops have come a very long way in the last 50 years. MyGawd indeed so... I just bought a 2020 Mazda Miata with a soft top. Putting it up and down takes maybe 10 seconds. You unlatch one latch in the front, fold it back and lock it in place... wam, bam... done. It's amazing! I loved my TR6 in the day but I'll take the reliability and clever engineering in today's cars like the Miata. 😉
Wow! I had a TR-6 for a few years in the 70's in New York City, and knew nothing of such things. I'd put the top up and down with one hand while in motion. It was so smooth that I got TR-6 top frame to put on a '27 Model T (Speedway Motors kit) hot rod I'm building. The top down will fit the T body perfectly, unlike the tops designed for it, nestling down inside the body instead of lying on top of it. All it needs is the custom front top piece to meet and clamp to the top of the T's flat windshield. I'll make it out of steel bits and join it like the triumph to an aluminum top frame on the windshield. The T has doors, but I doubt I'll want windows, since I'm in Florida.
Thank you very much,much appreciated.
Great video for a refresh on it
And that’s why I do not have vinyl tops- mohair is more expensive but looks better and wears better. 😎 ps you guys do great work!
They are nice tops and actually fit a little better then the stock top, thanks for looking at the post
Perfect video , thank you for helping 👌🏻
I noticed that neither of the rear side snaps (the third one back from the glass window) were snapped when this top was up. The snaps were not properly installed, which is very common. The design flaw with the TR6 top is that the rear hold down plate (which holds the rear of the top to the car) extends beyond the place where the top sides should be folded over. That is why so many people fold the top in the clear wind portion. I have "unglued" mine back two inches on either side to facilitate folding on the fabric, not the side window. That makes these rear side snaps even more important when the top is raised. As others have said, the rear window should be unzipped and dropped inside the care before the top is folded. After discussing the negatives of folding the clear vinyl, Matt goes on to squeeze the clear vinyl rear window around the folded frame! This will ruin the rear window. If you drop it first, it stays flat and protected under the frame.
Thanks for the education. Helpful!
That's great but my top is nothing like it. Also, I'm DROOLING over that Aston Martin convertible behind it. Mon dieu!
That was very helpful indeed, thank you very much !
Best regards from sunny San Jose, Costa Rica.
Pura vida y MAS mejor en un Triumph tr6 con la tica...
Thanks for the video, very helpful for my Spitfire.
Really helpful. Thanks!
I needed this video SO bad! Thanks!
Hi Clive, I can't tell you how many cars we see come in with some crazy folded tops or tops that have not been but up for years. Always a good idea if you are not using the car leave the top up. The top will last a lot longer.
So nice to see you showing this...how many times have you seen a used TR6 with a small rip in the "shoulder" of the top (above what looks like a "b" pillar, the vertical leg of the reflective strip). You get that rip by putting the top down without unsnapping and pulling it out first. I was looking at very nice TR6 online today, at a "reputable" dealer...yup, had the little tear.
My window unzipped and always put it under before that process. It was a Robbinns top.
Even as careful as you were, it looked to me as if the bottom corner of the triangle shaped side windows were folded, which eventually becomes a tear. With a standard instillation, there's no way to avoid this due to the location of the snaps closest to the gas cap. Here's a trick I tried when I noticed that a TR6 has 3 snaps on each side, but a Spitfire has 4 snaps. We put 4 snaps on each side of the TR6 top. Now the side windows can fold in on the fabric, and not crease the bottom corner of the windows. Also, I ALWAYS unzip and lower the rear window before lowing the top.
Interesting and thanks for letting us know, it would make sense and I never noticed the extra snap.
Completely agree - the rear window MUST be unzipped and lowered before pulling the top back.
A real mans car!
Remove the hood and its frame, job done.
If you don't like getting soaked; either drive faster or park under a tree.
Just beware of lightning.
All the vinyl and metal snaps dragging over the paint drives me crazy.
I was shouting NO at the first thing you did!you really shouldn't just pull the snaps on the outside of the hood the way you did , grabbing the material and yanking it away from the car body I mean,because after time you will leave behind the female part of the snap rivet in the body studs, ie braking the snap. best to put your thumb on top of the snap and using two hands put some gentle pressure either side of the snap and gently prise them open using equal pressure on each side of the canvas.
This way leaves a lumpy looking top cover as evidenced at 5:26, I do it the same way up until 3:00 , at that point I fold the 1/4 windows up over the fabric so that they are tucked and hidden when the big window folds forward and behind the seat. This way gives a much smoother look to the top cover whilst top is stowed.
...I just tried that, but then the 1/4 windows are directly resting and compressed on the upside-down protruding metal front pins. Ouch! How do you avoid that?
Doing it the way Matt did it, with some pulls to adjust folds, the cover is then pretty flat, although my material seems thicker and more robustly flat than his to start with.
@@juliansimmons7700 piece of thin foam/cloth does the trick.
Thanks
Vinyl tops look a bit cheap and tacky on the 6. I got a nice black mohair hood for mine and it gives the car a real upmarket look. Mine has a row of internal snaps on the front bar as well. I put some soft cloths between the plastic windows to prevent scuffing. Identical to my fold routine though and I had to work it all out myself.
Hi Stephen, A lot of times I will install the snaps on the front bow as well. And there is a lot of tops sold for the 6 but quality is all over the board. Protecting the windows is a must. Thanks for the reply.
Stephen Flaherty thanks for mentioning. I did not know this existed. I am going to get one for mine. Cheers
Hi Scott, We installed the top a while ago, I can't remember off the top of my head where we got it, but it would have come from either Moss or the roadster factory.
Matt
Where did you get that tan top?
I found you while looking for advice on putting down a TR7 soft top. Do you think it's the same, or is there a major difference. Or can you take down a TY7 for us please ?
Basically you must to call an engineer ... much better the top of the italian roadsters!
barnaba pinco I have a jenuine 1970 red patina.triumph Spitfire hard top .inner lining wats attention or replacing.if your a real fan.any one know it’s worth ,I “ think “ it’s a mark 3.i DO know it’s the curved one ! For sale if interested Bud
But there are no Italian roadsters. The Italians built spiders
This explains the problem I have with the tr I just got. There are creases in the fabric, yes fabric not vinyl, the snaps on the inside are broken off and the snaps on the outside have pulled through the fabric. Plus the top just doesn’t fit. There are 1 inch gaps at tops of windows and the Velcro does match up. The previous owner told me he never put the top up “cause why would you” he said. Well now I know when it did go down he crunched all the fabric in the frame. I’ve been told that because he left it down it probably shrunk and that why it doesn’t fit. I can’t find anyone local who’s anymore skilled then myself to replace it. How hard is it to replace? Please take in to account I’ve never done it or seen it done.
Sorry to send 2 replies, I understand a lot of people leave there tops down and that is the worst way to store them. Tops do shrink over time and in my opinion the best way to store them is up and attached the way they should be. If you get to the point where you can't find someone to help install the top send me an email @ rustytr4@aol.com and I can give you some tips to make it easier to install.Matt
Matt Bakes thanks. I’m still hunting for someone.
You forgot to unzip the rear window and lay it down and out of the way before stowing the top
that the same for a tr7?
Hi Phil, I think the big thing to me is making sure the plastic is folded as best you can. Especially if the top is older. I think if people would just take a few extra seconds things would work better and last longer. Stay safe and healthy.
YOU MUST ZIP OUT THE REAR WINDOW 1st....
Hi Richard, we don't normally zip the rear window open before folding the top. I usually tell customers to keep an old towel handy to cover the window while it's folded. That seems to work out well. I also tell them to try and leave the top up while the car is not in use, that way it stay kind of stretched so to say. Thanks for having a look at the video
Bollocks. My soft top is the same one as was fitted 26 years ago and I NEVER zip the rear window out when lowering.
Vi
Just copy a Miata top
mmmm, not the sharpest tool in the box . Pulls on the snaps , gonna break them . Then drags the snaps across the body as he folds - scratches . Tonneau dragged over the paint , more snap scratches . Lazy way to fold a hood.