Hardtops off yet?

[firebobby]

on mine, the initial tear has occurred where the tyre valve intersects with the wheel rim and i think the 90 degree internal radius there has exacerbated the issue. weirdly its on both driver side wheels but not passenger side and i think the temp change as the sun falls on that side had something to do with it. no biggy. theyre coming off soon anyway. car's laid up un-used atm.

David, as with all the things you do on your car, your wheels were done in the correct manor and that's why they have lasted .
Chris, if you google " men who works in the woods, making parts for chairs" or click here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging

fred fred fred, now you of all people should realise that men who work in the woods making parts for chairs, also occasionally turn their 'bodging' skills to other useful household items...such as the traditional beheading axe i've been working on.
I'd be awfully grateful if you would allow me to test out the effectiveness of my blade sharpening skills when I visit your humble abode this weekend....
ef7fe1b7f0ad3fdee0457ec50e26ae98.jpg

You make I laugh Chris

[DMC63]

on mine, the initial tear has occurred where the tyre valve intersects with the wheel rim and i think the 90 degree internal radius there has exacerbated the issue. weirdly its on both driver side wheels but not passenger side and i think the temp change as the sun falls on that side had something to do with it. no biggy. theyre coming off soon anyway. car's laid up un-used atm.

David, as with all the things you do on your car, your wheels were done in the correct manor and that's why they have lasted .
Chris, if you google " men who works in the woods, making parts for chairs" or click here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging

fred fred fred, now you of all people should realise that men who work in the woods making parts for chairs, also occasionally turn their 'bodging' skills to other useful household items...such as the traditional beheading axe i've been working on.
I'd be awfully grateful if you would allow me to test out the effectiveness of my blade sharpening skills when I visit your humble abode this weekend....
ef7fe1b7f0ad3fdee0457ec50e26ae98.jpg

Hi Chris. The valves can be a very tricky area to access when dipping. Did you take the wheels off of the car? A good wash using a 'degreaser' and a thorough rinsing sets for a good start. I've found the key to dipping is not to be too light with the coats. Here's a link for a site with how to http://matt-pack.co.uk/ good technique. Love the axe btw. Any gory stories to its history?

[firebobby]

David, as with all the things you do on your car, your wheels were done in the correct manor and that's why they have lasted .
Chris, if you google " men who works in the woods, making parts for chairs" or click here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging

fred fred fred, now you of all people should realise that men who work in the woods making parts for chairs, also occasionally turn their 'bodging' skills to other useful household items...such as the traditional beheading axe i've been working on.
I'd be awfully grateful if you would allow me to test out the effectiveness of my blade sharpening skills when I visit your humble abode this weekend....
ef7fe1b7f0ad3fdee0457ec50e26ae98.jpg

Hi Chris. The valves can be a very tricky area to access when dipping. Did you take the wheels off of the car? A good wash using a 'degreaser' and a thorough rinsing sets for a good start. I've found the key to dipping is not to be too light with the coats. Here's a link for a site with how to http://matt-pack.co.uk/ good technique. Love the axe btw. Any gory stories to its history?

Don't encourage him David, he's on about coming round my house with it

[Chris_D]

David, as with all the things you do on your car, your wheels were done in the correct manor and that's why they have lasted .
Chris, if you google " men who works in the woods, making parts for chairs" or click here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging

fred fred fred, now you of all people should realise that men who work in the woods making parts for chairs, also occasionally turn their 'bodging' skills to other useful household items...such as the traditional beheading axe i've been working on.
I'd be awfully grateful if you would allow me to test out the effectiveness of my blade sharpening skills when I visit your humble abode this weekend....
ef7fe1b7f0ad3fdee0457ec50e26ae98.jpg

Hi Chris. The valves can be a very tricky area to access when dipping. Did you take the wheels off of the car? A good wash using a 'degreaser' and a thorough rinsing sets for a good start. I've found the key to dipping is not to be too light with the coats. Here's a link for a site with how to http://matt-pack.co.uk/ good technique. Love the axe btw. Any gory stories to its history?

yep, thoroughly washed, degreased, de-tarred, dried and prepped before dipping.
i suspect the way the sun rises on the rhs of the car played a part over winter with the rapid change in temp causing the rubber to go into tension and pull away from the rims as it's only the rhs wheels which are affected.
No biggy. plenty of plastidip left over to re-do in time for next winter.
Might get them painted in any case as the 2011 rubber has seen 6 winters now. amazed at how they've lasted!
before and after pics.

image.jpeg (165.07 KiB) Viewed 720 times

image.jpeg (160.82 KiB) Viewed 720 times

[DMC63]

fred fred fred, now you of all people should realise that men who work in the woods making parts for chairs, also occasionally turn their 'bodging' skills to other useful household items...such as the traditional beheading axe i've been working on.
I'd be awfully grateful if you would allow me to test out the effectiveness of my blade sharpening skills when I visit your humble abode this weekend....
ef7fe1b7f0ad3fdee0457ec50e26ae98.jpg

Hi Chris. The valves can be a very tricky area to access when dipping. Did you take the wheels off of the car? A good wash using a 'degreaser' and a thorough rinsing sets for a good start. I've found the key to dipping is not to be too light with the coats. Here's a link for a site with how to http://matt-pack.co.uk/ good technique. Love the axe btw. Any gory stories to its history?

yep, thoroughly washed, degreased, de-tarred, dried and prepped before dipping.
i suspect the way the sun rises on the rhs of the car played a part over winter with the rapid change in temp causing the rubber to go into tension and pull away from the rims as it's only the rhs wheels which are affected.
No biggy. plenty of plastidip left over to re-do in time for next winter.
Might get them painted in any case as the 2011 rubber has seen 6 winters now. amazed at how they've lasted!
before and after pics.
image.jpeg
image.jpeg

Wow, if it's been on for 6 years then one can allow for a little lifting of the dip after that amount of time. You can also locally repair dip, a technique I've used several times to date after slight kerbing and tyre changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T0jEvxxTzE

[Chris_D]

Hi Chris. The valves can be a very tricky area to access when dipping. Did you take the wheels off of the car? A good wash using a 'degreaser' and a thorough rinsing sets for a good start. I've found the key to dipping is not to be too light with the coats. Here's a link for a site with how to http://matt-pack.co.uk/ good technique. Love the axe btw. Any gory stories to its history?

yep, thoroughly washed, degreased, de-tarred, dried and prepped before dipping.
i suspect the way the sun rises on the rhs of the car played a part over winter with the rapid change in temp causing the rubber to go into tension and pull away from the rims as it's only the rhs wheels which are affected.
No biggy. plenty of plastidip left over to re-do in time for next winter.
Might get them painted in any case as the 2011 rubber has seen 6 winters now. amazed at how they've lasted!
before and after pics.
image.jpeg
image.jpeg

Wow, if it's been on for 6 years then one can allow for a little lifting of the dip after that amount of time. You can also locally repair dip, a technique I've used several times to date after slight kerbing and tyre changes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T0jEvxxTzE

No lol, i dipped them last november. I meant it was about time to get some new winter boots on them maybe...and while there's no tyres on maybe get them painted up properly in a nice matt black...

[DMC63]

No lol, i dipped them last november. I meant it was about time to get some new winter boots on them maybe...and while there's no tyres on maybe get them painted up properly in a nice matt black...[/quote]

[Crazy Harry]

Picked up my Zed in January and spent the next few weeks looking for a hardtop. Saw a few for sale but not in Montego blue to match my car.

It dawned on me last week that I was driving more with the top down than up even as my daily drive; and a hardtop would stop me doing that without preplanning for the day - and taking it off just in case. The fact is its a roadster - the soft top is only for when you can't drive fast enough to avoid getting wet

I am now thinking about a blue soft top I have seen adverts by Monsoon Automotive - anyone used them? Has anyone got a photo of a Montego blue Zed with blue soft top?

[Chris_D]

some, like myself arent in the fortunate position to have a garage to protect the zed from the elements year round harry. as such, a hardtop not only provides the fabric roof with a modicum of protection but is also actually very cosy in severe weather, especially in snow and on long motorway jaunts.
true, the caveat is that it's a bit of a faff to remove on a sunny winters' day but i'm glad i invested

[Crazy Harry]

I'm in the same position as you Chris. Mine will have to stand out all year and that's why I started looking for a hardtop. It was only when I dropped the top in mid January on a sunny day that I realised what I'd be missing.

I do have the advantage of living in a rural area with a long drive to the house so its not like street parking in town in front or even down the road from the house. In that situation I would have bought a hardtop by now! I just try to be careful where I park when I'm out to keep it as secure as I can. I know I will have to keep on top of the drains and I was thinking of getting the hood motor moved into the boot.

Anyone got a blue soft top?

[sangbleu]

Mine will go top down very soon!

[Marlon]

Mines coming off this weekend

[Chris_D]

Quite tempted also to remove earlier than planned, lookin at the weather forecast...

image.png (87.25 KiB) Viewed 668 times

[TheRealYogiBear]

Mine is still on for a few more weeks.....once the weather gets a little more steady it can come off......but I do love the look of the hardtop

[Marlon]

Mine is still on for a few more weeks.....once the weather gets a little more steady it can come off......but I do love the look of the hardtop

i can see why