Pop top & catch mod F45 on Holdsworth

[itchyfeet]

No going back now

marked the roof

added a bit each side and marked a line where I could cut with a dremel



6mm holes to give a radius to stop cracking (pilot drill first)


cut the horizontal


then with a junior hacksaw blade with the pin cut off I cut the verticals and cleaned up the edges with needle files


no easy way to get sikoflex out, got to resign yourself to damaging the paint and repainting, there is a bit of rust too as you would expect.
used a scalpel and a screwdriver then cleaned up with wet and dry


perfect water trap,, I think I need to drill a drain hole


bracket fits as intended

[Cobra88]

looks like the only solution well executed

[itchyfeet]

looks like the only solution well executed

Thanks

I opened up the cutout to give me a bit more room to seal the edges with sikoflex, drilled a couple of drain holes and then realised they will pour water out by my door

I could fill them up again but I'm not sure there is any other solution I can't have a pool of water sitting there all winter.

Thinking of having a bung that I can fit when needed.

I suppose I could fit the brackets and squirt some removable sealant all around, like magic gel.

[itchyfeet]

some tape on brackets to protect paint


second bracket roof cut done, no drain holes because at the back there is no sikaflex and clearance for the roof to drain and I think they won't be needed.



test fit

[300CE]

Nice work Paul - now all you need is some sun and you’re away

[itchyfeet]

Nice work Paul - now all you need is some sun and you’re away

This is really for France in summer where it can get painfully hot when parked with no shade.

awning right out to drill the new bracket positions


this is whats good about the F45, you can put it partially out which is good if it's raining and windy, or if your pitch is not big enough and you can do it single handed in seconds

It's so quick we pack it away every night so that we don't have to worry about the wind breaking it.

disadvantage is that it's heavy so you need decent brackets.

[itchyfeet]

rivets drilled off and the rust has been pressed into gel coat, 1200 grit wet got most of it off but it will never be perfect.

[Cobra88]

I wonder why they didn't use stainless catches & screws ????

looks great fitted

Rick

[itchyfeet]

I wonder why they didn't use stainless catches & screws ????

looks great fitted

Rick

I guess they were quality plated and deemed good enough, they are 30 years old and still serviceable
when you could use things like cadnium to plate steel they lasted well
stainless was probably not such an obvious choice in 1989.

[itchyfeet]

I finally got around to ordering catches, I decided the ones on the yellow van were too industrial and went for the light catches in stainless, ordering from Protex could not be easier.

https://www.protex.com/27-1620-SCSS-spr ... el-natural" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.protex.com/02-633SS-catch-p ... el-natural" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Trifold rivets in 4mmx20mm arrived also today.

old holes will need filling, probably use sikaflex, although I'm thinking of making plates to use the same holes

[itchyfeet]

Can't decide so I thought I'd ask the audience?
Screws would be pop rivets

A Extra plate
B Rivets filling old holes
C Fill old holes with sikaflex.

[ash1293]

Extra plate gets my vote, looks more finished.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[300CE]

+1 for A Paul

[Cobra88]

A Paul

Regards
Rick

[diabolov]

Another one for A

M