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Spitfire Mk2 Hood Frame Brackets


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Hi guys

 

Just relised (DDuuuHHH) after buying hood and frame for my mk2 spitty

 

i aint got any brackets on posts to slot the frame into.

 

the brackets to bolt my hardtop down are there but thats it.

 

below the bolt brackets for the hardtop theres holes in the post which i assume are for the frame brackets.

 

Question is what am i looking for. they where not there when i started on it lol.

 

all the books ive got on mk2 spitfires dont show the brackets.

 

any help on this matter would be appreciated.

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The new tub for my mk3 spitfire is a mk2 shell so I'll have a look whether i can take the brackets off in one piece if you want? They've got to come off anyway as I've got a mk3 hood frame which i'm planning to fit - this may take me a few weeks to get round to doing though

 

Oli

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  • 8 years later...

Folks, resurrecting this thread as I am in a similar position in that the mounting brackets for my car were removed as part of the original race car preparation as the car was run with a super lightweight glassfibre hard top.

With the car going back on the road I'm putting the soft top back on but the brackets are now long lost and it's not clear exactly where they went on the B posts.

I've got a bit of tube that's a good fit for the frame but can anyone provide photos and dimensions of the brackets and exactly where they fit so I can fabricate something.

Thanks in advance

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Hi Nick

The Mk1 and Mk2 frames are the same, it's the Mk3 that has two different versions. The early ones have over centre catches to attach to the windscreen header like the Vitesse. Late ones have the levers like the Mk4/1500.

I had a hunt and you are right there was a more recent thread about Mk1/2 frames but it was asking if there were differences between the two models unfortunately.

Also found some chat on the US forums but again nothing on the actual bracket detail.

I did find someone listing a pair of the proper Mk1/2 brackets for the hardtop. Buy it now for £275 (plus postage of course) so I'll not be bothering with those.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-Mk1-2-Hardtop-Brackets/114167839535?hash=item1a94eefb2f:g:v48AAOSwk~pehicT

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So after looking at Triumphlux's photo and various other pictures on the net it clear that the mountings are not really tubes as such but two sheet metal pressings, one inside the other forming the mounting. Difficult to describe really.

But probably not quite as difficult as making them in the garage with very basic metal working tools. Made from 20g (1mm) steel strip. The outer bit was not too bad, the inner bit was a right 'mare. Attempt number three on the bench there. One down, one to go. I'll spot weld the two pieces together and weld in a washer to form the bottom before trimming the flanges and MIG welding into the car and painting everything.

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Inner bit does look tricky. Certainly getting it to finish with the right relative dimensions is a challenge.
 

Would it be easier to make the inner bit first and then make the outer to match it?

Seems to have come out nicely in the end. Now to make another.....

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Hi Nick. I did start off that way but then realised that the key dimension is the hood frame itself which is 5/8" (16mm) and it's easier to make the outer to fit the frame then try and make the inner to fit the outer.

Trick I found was to make the inner as a plain 'top hat' section slightly wider the inside of the outer section. Then clamp it down on a bit of steel plate and support the sides with some channel. With everything held down a few solid thumps with a blunt bolster chisel forms the groove. Bit of a faff getting it in and out of the clamps to check the fit but it worked OK in the end.

Now as you say. Lets make another...

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