Aluminium Cockpit Rail

[Ruabon Red]

A job I’ve been meaning to get round to that the impending winter will finally allow time for...

My car (1970 roadster with fold away hood) has had the rear aluminium cockpit rail re-covered in vinyl prior to my ownership.

This is my third roadster – my previous 1969 and 1972 MGBs had a bare aluminium rail without a covering, so it was a surprise to see on this time around. The vinyl needs tidying up and re-sticking to the rail, which in itself doesn’t look like the easiest task in the world from the research I’ve done.

It also seems that every time I put the hood down, it catches the rail. The clearance, or lack of it between hood and rail is so tight that it looks as though it would dislodge the vinyl rail covering.

I note an alternative approach taken by some is to do away with the covering and polish the bare aluminium. Hence my questions:

a) Is the vinyl covering always been standard?
b) Has anyone dispensed with it as described above and cleaned up the aluminium?

[Ruabon Red]

For those trying to interpret the * rail - the forum doesn't allow the word `c o c k p i t' apparently

[Paul Scott]

Cokpit Rail on my 75 is vinyl covered and it is quite tricky to remove & reinstall.

I am guessing it was a standard fit David.

You are correct regarding some words are not allowed. Some are very offensive.

I will see what isn't permitted and I will adjust slightly.

Regards
Paul

[Ruabon Red]

Thanks Paul - do you find that the hood catches the rail if stored `correctly' - i.e. stud fixings undone and folded so that the tonneau can be fitted?

[Dave Wheatley]

Cokpit Rail on my 75 is vinyl covered and it is quite tricky to remove & reinstall.

I am guessing it was a standard fit David.

You are correct regarding some words are not allowed. Some are very offensive.

I will see what isn't permitted and I will adjust slightly.

Regards
Paul

One * that I object to is when it replaces skrew. A word that is frequently used in motoring threads.

[Paul Scott]

Screw is OK - it does not appear in the list of censored words.

The Frame does get close to the vinyl covered rail but definitely misses it. It never used to because the pivot points were worn on the frame.

Once I had replaced the pivots with some modified pins the frame was again tight without the side play. I modified some bolts to become rivets.

Regards
Paul