Spitfire & GT6 Forum
spitfire mk3 soft top
Posted by wesleyspitfire
wesleyspitfire
Wesley Saunders
Cape Town, South Africa
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Feb 5, 2019 02:16 AM
Joined 1 year ago
13 Posts
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I need a soft top frame for a mk3 spitfire, I see plenty of mk4 frames for sale rarely mk3's, but when a mk3 frame apears its four times the price of the mk4 frame? is the mk4 frame completely incompatible with the mk3?
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Pamela
Pamela Davis
Rapid City, SD, USA
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Feb 5, 2019 08:53 AM
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walla walla, WA, USA
![]() 1969 Triumph Spitfire "Walla Walla"
1969 Triumph Spitfire "Portland" 1972 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Spokane" 1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500 "Dayton" & more |
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In reply to # 1594437 by Pamela
I saw this one on eBay: Soft Top on eBay
Usually, the square upper rear corner indicates a MkIV or later car. Mk3 was round.
I do think there are a few out there but the price difference tells the story.
da
Dan Aycock
Walla Walla, Wa.
Yellowhawk Valley Spitfires
69, 69, 72, 75, 78, 79 Spitfires
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tlcgt6
Tommy Cook
Colleyville, TX, USA
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Feb 5, 2019 12:18 PM
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are you looking for the frame or the canvas top?
the canvas top is different due to shape of the door windows.
I think the actual frame is the same.
I have a MKIII and a 1500 and both frames appear to be interchangeable.
I may be wrong since I haven't actually tried to fit the 1500 frame to the MKIII.
tommie
the canvas top is different due to shape of the door windows.
I think the actual frame is the same.
I have a MKIII and a 1500 and both frames appear to be interchangeable.
I may be wrong since I haven't actually tried to fit the 1500 frame to the MKIII.
tommie
spitfire50
Paul Mugford
Rochester, N.H., USA
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Feb 5, 2019 06:10 PM
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In reply to # 1594472 by tlcgt6
are you looking for the frame or the canvas top?
the canvas top is different due to shape of the door windows.
I think the actual frame is the same.
I have a MKIII and a 1500 and both frames appear to be interchangeable.
I may be wrong since I haven't actually tried to fit the 1500 frame to the MKIII.
tommie
the canvas top is different due to shape of the door windows.
I think the actual frame is the same.
I have a MKIII and a 1500 and both frames appear to be interchangeable.
I may be wrong since I haven't actually tried to fit the 1500 frame to the MKIII.
tommie
Tommie,
Although the frames may appear to be the same there is some difference. Triumph used different part numbers for the frame assemblies. Looking at the Rimmer Brothers parts listings I also see that there is some difference in the lever type latches. Some parts are interchangeable, but the entire latch isn't.
All the best,
Paul
wesleyspitfire
Wesley Saunders
Cape Town, South Africa
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Feb 6, 2019 12:33 AM
Joined 1 year ago
13 Posts
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Yes I need the soft top frame only, I have the canvas part. I'm aware of the different shapes of side glass, but I had a feeling that the frames might be interchangeable between a mk3 and mk4 as the roof shape is much the same, and theres no rigid folding seal on the side windows as in modern cars. So that's my question, has anyone ever used a mk4 frame on a mk3 tub? I'd like to know if the top of the windscreens are the same in terms of curvature, as well as the rear deck, and whether the canvas attachment points of a mk3 canvas hood will be compatible with a mk4 frame? Thanks for the advice so far.
Doug in Vegas
Douglas D
Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Feb 6, 2019 10:01 AM
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Herald948
Andrew Mace
East Nassau, upstate NY, USA
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Feb 6, 2019 11:44 AM
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Someday I'll try to do a side-by-side comparison. I suspect the biggest differences are:
1. Early Mk3 top frames had over-center latches to the header rail, similar to TR4A and Herald
2. Other, later Mk3 top frames had the later "bayonet" latches. There were further changes, albeit mostly quite minor, as the 1970 model gained a zip-out rear window.
3. MkIV and 1500 frames look very similar, save for larger plastic pieces clipped on.
I wonder if most of the different part numbers refer to complete assemblies, which would be explained by the above detail changes?
http://www.fairpoint.net/~herald948/database/
1. Early Mk3 top frames had over-center latches to the header rail, similar to TR4A and Herald
2. Other, later Mk3 top frames had the later "bayonet" latches. There were further changes, albeit mostly quite minor, as the 1970 model gained a zip-out rear window.
3. MkIV and 1500 frames look very similar, save for larger plastic pieces clipped on.
I wonder if most of the different part numbers refer to complete assemblies, which would be explained by the above detail changes?
http://www.fairpoint.net/~herald948/database/
spitfire50
Paul Mugford
Rochester, N.H., USA
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Feb 6, 2019 06:46 PM
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In reply to # 1594676 by Herald948
Someday I'll try to do a side-by-side comparison. I suspect the biggest differences are:
1. Early Mk3 top frames had over-center latches to the header rail, similar to TR4A and Herald
2. Other, later Mk3 top frames had the later "bayonet" latches. There were further changes, albeit mostly quite minor, as the 1970 model gained a zip-out rear window.
3. MkIV and 1500 frames look very similar, save for larger plastic pieces clipped on.
I wonder if most of the different part numbers refer to complete assemblies, which would be explained by the above detail changes?
1. Early Mk3 top frames had over-center latches to the header rail, similar to TR4A and Herald
2. Other, later Mk3 top frames had the later "bayonet" latches. There were further changes, albeit mostly quite minor, as the 1970 model gained a zip-out rear window.
3. MkIV and 1500 frames look very similar, save for larger plastic pieces clipped on.
I wonder if most of the different part numbers refer to complete assemblies, which would be explained by the above detail changes?
Andy,
The different part numbers do refer to complete assemblies, but there was some change to the lever style latches. When I looked at the separate part numbers for those they don't duplicate from Mk3 to MkIV The handle remained the same, but some other part(s) did change. Since most parts are not listed separately it is hard to find out just how extensive the differences might be.
All the best,
Paul
Born Loser
Matthew Taylor
Land O Lake, FL, USA
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Feb 6, 2019 09:59 PM
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The profile is also a bit different. The square tale has a bit of a different arch to allow the bows to clear the tall back seats. A soft tail canvis wont fit a square tail frame - making the round windows a problem. You can use an earlier Mk3 frame, and convert the latches. If you have tall back seats, you will need to lean them forward when taking the frame up and down.
Matthew
1960 Triumph TR3a
1970 Triumph Spitfire MK 3
2012 Mini Cooper SS Convertible
2018 Jaguar F-Pace
2018 jaguar XE
Matthew
1960 Triumph TR3a
1970 Triumph Spitfire MK 3
2012 Mini Cooper SS Convertible
2018 Jaguar F-Pace
2018 jaguar XE
walla walla, WA, USA
![]() 1969 Triumph Spitfire "Walla Walla"
1969 Triumph Spitfire "Portland" 1972 Triumph Spitfire MkIV "Spokane" 1975 Triumph Spitfire 1500 "Dayton" & more |
Feb 6, 2019 10:07 PM
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Quote:
If you have tall back seats, you will need to lean them forward when taking the frame up and down.
That was standard process on the late Mk3 with the high-back seats. Not sure what the other differences are with a Mk3 and 4.
da
Dan Aycock
Walla Walla, Wa.
Yellowhawk Valley Spitfires
69, 69, 72, 75, 78, 79 Spitfires
Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Feb 6, 2019 11:20 PM
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In reply to a post by Yellowhawk Valley
That was standard process on the late Mk3 with the high-back seats. Not sure what the other differences are with a Mk3 and 4.
My experience as well. I presume square-tailed cars don't need to tip the seats forward to work the softtop? Keep in mind that the high-back seats were, initially, a US regulation; not required on home market cars. With the introduction of the MkIV, everybody got the high-back seats, it was then that the soft top frame would have been redesigned to accomodate all markets.
"Given enough time, an amateur can build anything.”
- Bob Hicks (as quoted in the 1997 "Mariner’s Book Of Days"

TinDrum
Herald Ma
cologne, NRW, Germany
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Feb 7, 2019 03:06 PM
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The Mk3 frame has an additional joint in the rear bow. (the lower parts bends foreward and the upper backwards).
The mk3 also has a smaler cutout in the rear panel over the fuel tank.
The MkIV doesn't have that additional joint, and therefore needs a bigger cutout in the rear panel.
Herald
The mk3 also has a smaler cutout in the rear panel over the fuel tank.
The MkIV doesn't have that additional joint, and therefore needs a bigger cutout in the rear panel.
Herald
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