Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Soft top shrinkage!

I washed the cloth softtop of my 4/4 this afternoon and now it wont fit back on without considerable force. So much so that the windscreen frame gets pulled back and the door rubbers interfere with the frame. I've unfastened the windscreen as I dont like the idea of that amount of force on the windscreen. Has anyone any ideas about stretching it back? I'm considering lowering the frame hinge point to relieve some of the tension but surely this cant happen every time it rains! I rarely have the softtop up but this weekend is Drive It day with a run from north Norfolk. The missus wants to be comfortable and warm so top on else she wont come. And I need a navigator!

Edit..this is a 1974 4/4 so a separate softtop which I made the mistake of washing off the car!

I'm afraid you may need to keep the soft top and buy a new car .....

I always wash mine on the car it's so much easier. They do try to shrink but leaving them to dry whilst attached and up limits this. Over a week or so of driving they seem to loosen slightly.

I guess given the situation you are now in slackening off fittings or lowering hoops may be necessary initially to get the hood erected then re-tentioning later when it's stretched a tad.

One way would be as you do with clothing that has shrunk, rewash the fabric and whilst wet stretch it to shape i.e. re-soak the hood and then fit to the car and allow to dry naturally in situ.

Thanks everyone. The hood wasn’t completely dry when I refitted it and I did rewet it when I found it wouldn’t fit. Washing with fabric conditioner is supposed to work with clothes but that seems a little extreme. I’ll maybe try steaming. If that doesn’t work I’ll remount the frame slightly lower possibly with an adapter plate to avoid making more holes in the trim.

Funny you should say that as I test drove one earlier in the week.

Hi
Have you thought about fitting a couple of hood frame swivel pivots available from John Taylor of Phoenix Design Services. I fitted these soon after getting my car to make raising and lowering the hood easier. They work very well.

http://www.morganhoods.com/index.html

Zach
1999 Morgan 4/4

The John Taylor swivel pivots are an essential bit of kit!

Thanks for reminding me of the swivel pivots. Definitely a good idea.

Im beginning to wonder whether Ive assembled the hood frame in the right order. The frame has three hoops. An inner frame a middle frame and an outer frame as seen at the pivot. My frame assembly when erected is (from front of vehicle to back) middle frame, inner frame , outer frame. Can anyone confirm this for a '74 4/4 2 seater?

Swivel pivots!
A big yes from me. My 1993 4/4 had an Everflex hood. It was a tight fit, especially in cold weather but warmth softened it and improved flexibility.and a bugger to get the end/corner lift the dots on. Swivel pivots removed this problem.
When fitted and garaged the hood was left up to keep shape etc. I continue this with the new car and mohair hood.
Some people put hot water bottles in a folded roof to help keep it warm and more supple to fit. A short time in the sun also helps.