S4 soft top installation - help

[Certified Lotus]

I'm near completion of my S4 rebuild and finally dug out the soft top that came with the car. I hadn't even looked at it until now. It was very dirty and took a couple of hours to clean it up, only to find that I could not figure out why there were so many snaps along the front of it and how the heck do you attach this to the windscreen?

I'm completely stumped. Can someone show me a photo of what the front of the soft top install looks like at the top of the windscreen. What I have makes no sense to me at all.

[elanfan1]

I believe the fixing at the top of the screen is similar through the models. I think you have a non standard 'hood' arrangement there. That aluminium strip fixed to the top of the screen frame should take a flat metal insert sewn into the leading edge of the hood itself, that then friction fits under the aluminium (yours looks too tight). Stupid stoopid question but you don't have a tonneau there rather than a hood do you?.?

[gjz30075]

Exactly. The metal strip on the car should sit proud, by may 3/16" or so, so the leading edge of the hood/top
fits in the gap. No snaps are needed. Time for a new top, Glen.

[Certified Lotus]

I thought something was very wrong. Just don't understand as the top fits perfectly everywhere except at the top of the windscreen. No, it's not a tonneau cover. Very strange.

[richardcox_lotus]

It also looks like the ''gap' on the windscreen trim has been closed up - looks like more than the normal number of rivets.

So maybe the PO changed things. If you get a standard new hood you may need to recheck the strip otherwise the new one cannot be attached

Regards
Richard

[Certified Lotus]

Can someone show me some detailed photos?

[jimj]

Like this.
Jim

[Certified Lotus]

Thanks Jim. That is very helpful.

[c.garde]

Gentlemen,

As can be seen on the 2 pics this hood suffers from the same problem as my recently installed hood, bought from a very well reputed supplier.
The reinforced lip is simply too short to fill the channel. On my hood this leaves a gap of 20mm +,- in each side.
I think every body will be able to imagine the noise coming from these gaps.
This winter ( well it has already started ) I will have to rectify this but it should not be necessary in the first place .
Also the padding in the " ears " is omitted these days , also contributing to the anwanted flute concert.
As Mozart put it : Only one thing is worse than a flute, that is TWO flutes.
I had to buy a replacement because my original hood had shrunk 2 " in lenght.
Apart from this it was still in excellent condition after 40 years, and of far superior quality.
I am considering a rebuild of this and sell the new one.
Best regards Claus Garde




new o

[William2]

I have recently purchased an Everflex hood from Sue Miller. Well made and instead of the original design of a metal strip for the front windscreen fitting they now use a nylon/plastic strip, which seems a good idea.