In article <005201c1dc1d$56898560$e94386d9@g6a2g8>, James Carruthers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes >I can't remember who it was who said that they'd restored their hardtop - but >they said that they should have just tried to find a secondhand one because it >was so expensive for all the seals. Mike possibly?
James, Yes, it was me. > >Which bits were so expensive? I can't find ones that are much more than about >10 quid each. Here's what I ordered from Rimmers (taken from my "Spitfire Diary" webpage): HARD-TOP RESTORATION 726544PW White Headlining = #57.85 630961 Front Main Seal = #12.87 (Finally delivered 24th May, 2001 - long after the sun had come out, and thoughts of hard-tops had been banished to a future October.) 716184 Door Glass Seal x 2 @ #9.40 = #18.80 (Not a moulded seal, but a length of straight seal that had to be cut to fit.) 629584 Front Seal = #8.81 624831 Rear Main Seal = #20.56 818498 Rear Moulding BACK ORDER (Eventually found a second-hand one at Six Spares - price #25.00) 624746 Seal Pads Rear Slotted x 2 @ #1.76 = #3.52 (Still on back-order eight weeks later. After much cajoling, finally got Rimmers to admit that these are identical to the Seal Pads Rear Inner - which they do have in stock - only with slots cut in them. These were posted to me on 24th May.) 624876 Seal Pads Rear Inner x 2 @ #0.71 = #1.42 622888 Front Fixing Bolt x 2 @ #1.34 = #2.68 GHF332 Spring Washer (Alternative) x 2 @ #0.09 = #0.18 GHF301 Plain Washer (Alternative) x 2 @ #0.08 = #0.16 624825 Spacer x 2 @ #4.11 = #8.22 WP125 Washer x 2 @ #0.16 = #0.32 624818 Rear Fixing Bolt x 2 @ #2.34 = #4.68 GHF333 Spring Washer x 4 @ #0.13 = #0.52 (Incorrect part number specified in Rimmer catalogue. Replacements supplied on request.) GHF302 Plain Washer x 4 @ #0.16 = #0.64 (Incorrect part number specified in Rimmer catalogue. Replacements supplied on request.) 624817 Tie Bar Mounting Setscrew x 2 @ #1.47 = #2.94 (Missing from shipment.) 624720 Tie Bar (Short) x 2 @ #11.69 = #23.38 (Finally delivered 24th May.) GHF101 Tie Bar Mounting Setscrew x 2 @ #0.18 = #0.36 (Description wrong on Advice Note, but correct part supplied anyway!) WL106001 Spring Washer x 2 @ #0.41 = #0.82 WA106042 Chrome Washer x 2 @ #0.38 = #0.76 RX1353A Trim Adhesive Spray = #8.81 Total Cost: GBP203.30 Yes, really. Over two hundred quid for parts alone!! And there are no seals for the quarterlights in there - I didn't have any quarterlights, so I had some non-opening windows made from Perspex (GBP25.00 the pair), cut some seals from a sheet of rubber, and just filled the holes with them. The struts that go across the top, and hold the headlining away from the roof, were also missing, and it took me over six months to find some replacements (in a skip at TRGB - price: nothing). I didn't touch the rear windscreen either, as the seal was fine. Later I discovered that there should be a chrome finisher in the seal, so I had to replace that as well. (No, I didn't go for the original metal finisher; I went with the chrome-effect plastic. Do you think I'm made of money?! <g>). So, if you want to replace all the replaceable parts, allow GBP350+. I also got a few quotes for re-spraying (in the region of three hundred quid), so in the end, I simply got some black Carriage Paint from Halfords, and slapped it on with a brush (price GBP15-ish). If you want to have the job done properly, you will probably have to allow at least GBP200. What will you spend on a complete refurbishment of a hard-top? GBP550.00 minimum, plus hours of frustrating labour trying to get the *&^%&*( seals on. How much is a brand-new Lenham hardtop from Rimmers? GBP293.75, including VAT. Now tell me you still want to refurbish your old hard-top... ATB -- Mike Michael Hargreave Mawson, author of "Eyewitness in the Crimea" http://www.greenhillbooks.com/booksheets/eyewitness_in_the_crimea.html /// [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list /// Send admin requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool /// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive /// Send list postings to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// Edit your replies! If they include this trailer, they will NOT be sent.
