Hardtops

 BMC offered a hardtop for the MGB roadster almost from the start of production but very few of these came to Australia and as such local manufacturers were quick to jump on the idea of an aftermarket version. The most common Australian MGB hardtops were made by J&S who made different types including a full fastback top where you removed your boot lid. The other main manufacturer here was Manton who was a British Leyland dealer who also made a fastback version. Both of these companies made some good-looking hardtops which I personally think are better looking than the factory top which I never through was particularly beautiful. My favourite hardtop was always the Snug Top brand made in Long Beach, California but again, we never got many of these here. I like the flat low roofline and the angle of the back window. I think they suit the MGB shape much better than the factory top. Then one fell into my lap at a very reasonable price which made me immensely happy.

So, when I bought my MGB I was keen to get a hardtop because as I've said, it's my daily driver and sometimes it's just nice to have some decent protection when the weather isn't being nice. There's always a lot of talk about how you should never buy a hardtop as it will just take up room in the garage and you'll never use it. I have found this to be not the case and indeed, I would say that my hardtop was one of the best investments I have made for the car. It makes the car a true all year-round driver and adds just that little bit of comfort when you want it. I always put the hardtop on when my wife and I go away in it for long weekends and it usually stays on when there's long patches of rain or particularly cold weather, both of which happen in small patches here in Brisbane.

I fitted 2 heavy T brackets (actually brackets from an old bed with pieces of pool noodles covering them to protect the hardtop) to the workshop wall at chest height that the hardtop sits on vertically. I then have a thin ratchet strap around it to hold it against the wall. When I want to use it, I just put a couple of towels on the boot and rear deck panel and hold the hardtop while I release the strap. I then grab the hardtop with both arms against my chest and walk it over to the car and place it on the boot lid. Then carefully lower it down onto the windscreen frame and line up the latches. I modified my rear latches to be heavy duty rubber straps that I can stretch and clip onto the seat belt restraints on the rear wheel arches. This whole process is quicker than erecting my fold down soft-top. Removal is a very easy reversal of this. 

I highly recommend getting a hardtop if you're going to use your MGB as a regular car as it's still very fun to drive but makes it just a little more civilized. They turn up cheap all the time as people sell their MGBs and the new owner doesn't want the hardtop, which is how I got mine. The guy was practically giving it away to clear it out of his garage.