Hood

Hi I have 2004 TF135 couple of questions I have a 2 velcro strip hanging down from the the hood 1 each side as per photo any ideas what and where these fix. Second question the rear screen is pretty cloudy but the rest of the hood is in good condition so I am reluctant to replace the whole hood. So can you suggest the best restoring product to get it somewhere near clear!

Hi . I think the velcro strips will be what is referred to as Hood Anti jamming straps . They tend to loose their ability to pull the hood bars together when you pull the hood open . They are available and are worth it , unless however you have a hood that doesn't jam when you open it.
With regards the screen , I can't help as my TF is the later one with the glass screen . I'm sure the knowledgeable folks on here will be along to advise you at some point .
John

Renovo! & Renovo to you too.
Plastic window polish, it was around a tenner when I had the plastic window but if you work hard at it you can return it to near original, (I might have been lucky).
M

I have these velcro strips too and I also don'nt know what they are for, as I own my TF over ten years now. They are NOT the anti-jamming straps.

I believe those particular dangling bits were originally to attach to velcro on the hood frame to help prevent wear on the hood material. The hood frame velcro fell off 10 minutes after leaving the production line! Hence leaving two dangling bits with nowhere to go!

Newbe Is your screen the zip out type ?

When I first looked at the f, many years ago, long before I even considered owning one, it was the hood that I was taken with. We’ll made & fabric, it folded easily & neatly into the well & when told by the salesman (you could have those in those days) that it could be erected whilst sat in the drivers seat, I thought “yeh right” & you would eventually be able to buy a device that would do that on your behalf.
It could potentially twist the frame into a shape that made it difficult to close but what would you expect for a grand.
Anyway I still think it’s a great design & when you look at the tramps hat of a soft top on the S2000 & others it’s a great recommendation.
M

They are impressively well made hoods. The fabric appears to be the same tough heavy duty stuff used on late 70's Mercedes SL. Even damaged ones would be feasible to repair if there weren't good as new 2nd hand ones available.

Rover clearly learned a lesson after the cheap hood fabric they used on the Rover 200 cabriolet. That let down an otherwise good looking car which deserved to have outsold the Golf and Escort cabriolets of the time.

they are not hood jamming strips, but what are they really?
they appear to be made for the hood rails in a past life.
I have the dangly ones too !!
mike

Dangly ones are a reflection of a fine vintage coming to full maturity.

Airportable wrote:

Dangly ones are a reflection of a fine vintage coming to full maturity.

Yeah but you don’t want ‘em hanging out flapping about in the breeze!

Not only would this be somewhat uncomfortable, it would also be distressingly unsightly

Might we be a cross purposes? (most probably not). For a couple of chaps who have never clapped eyes on each other we've traveled a long way in each others company.
M