Re: Stag 2 part soft top

[PGAHOWELLS@domain.elided]

Hi all    (In the following Hood equals softtop)
I used to have a Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible. Lovely hood. Power. Glass
window. Wonderful stuff.
Best thing was you could have a "De Ville" position. (Nothing to do with
Karma Sutra).
That is the front part of hood was pushed back to top of B posts, leaving
open air over driver and two passengers, (in those days the front bench seat
and no belts meant three, two of one sort and one of the other, or three of
the same if you like that sort of thing!)
The design is very simple.
There is a front rail, two side rails with vertical hinges/pins to both front
and B post rail. These side rails collapse inwards having vertical hinges
halfway along their length. When shut the rails have a small hand wheel screw
through the overlap of the side rails.
 
                 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         Header / Front Rail
                 x         Plan view                       x
                 x             Hood shut                  x   Side Rail
                 x                                              x
                 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         Centre Rail


                 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx        Header / Front Rail
                   x         Plan view                 x   
                      x       Half open              x
                   x                                         x 
                 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  

                 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
                 xxxxxxxx                       xxxxxxx          De Ville
position
                 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some straps go around the rolled hood material to keep in all together.
When complete hood lowering takes place, the whole lot goes back with the
back part of the frame into the stowing well.
The parts are made of cast aluminium, better than that crude Stag header
rail, that I think looks is like something recently excavated from a Roman
site, (well mine does anyway!).
        
Well it might have helped. It was quite fun doing the drawing.
By the way, I loved that Zephyr. That was it, before the Stag came along and
saved us all from a fate worse than watching old leady collect cobwebs in a
museum. I have to admit a sneaking liking of the new Sebring though. No RHD's
   Grrrrrrrrhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter