The MGA hood, frame and fixings together form the soft top assembly that protects the open roadster from the weather. The hood itself is the most replaced single item in the weather equipment range, original hoods rarely survive the decades of use, weather and folding cycles intact. This page covers complete reproduction hoods in a range of materials and colours, the wooden frame components that support them, and the full set of fixings used to attach the hood to the bodyshell.
Hood Materials and Construction
Reproduction hoods are produced in three principal material grades.
Superior Vinyl
is a hard-wearing weather-resistant vinyl in colours including red, tan, navy and black, a practical choice for cars used regularly in damp UK conditions.
Mohair
is a higher-grade fabric finish closer to the look of a period luxury soft top, available in grey, red, black, beige and black with red piping.
Double Duck
is a heavy double-textured cotton/synthetic fabric in black and black with red piping, the most premium finish, with the closest match to a period high-quality canvas. A
Heavy Duty Vinyl
option is also offered in black for owners wanting maximum durability.
With or Without Quarter Light Windows
Hood quarterlights, the small clear panels at each side of the rear hood that allow rearward visibility, were introduced in September 1956, after the first 10,000 MGA cars had been built. Earlier hoods had no quarterlights at all and are now extremely rare. Reproduction hoods are offered both with quarterlights (the standard pattern from late 1956 onwards) and without quarterlights (for very early 1500 cars or for owners wanting the period-correct early look). Specifying which pattern is required at order is essential.
Original Hood Specification by Variant
The 1500 and early Twin Cam hoods were made in Vynide leathercloth in black or ice blue, with all three transverse hood bows covered in fabric. From the start of 1600 production at chassis 68851, the material changed to Wardle's Everflex in grey, blue or beige (always with tan backing), and the hood frame layout was revised, the bows were left bare aluminium except for the front bow, which now ran in a channel sewn into the hood cover. The Twin Cam followed the 1500 pattern up to chassis 2192, then changed to the 1600 specification from 2193. Reproduction modern materials approximate but do not exactly replicate the original Vynide or Everflex specifications, for concours-correct work, sourcing original-spec material may be required.
Hood Frame Components
The hood frame is a three-bow assembly with a wooden front hoodstick that locates against the windscreen frame. Reproduction wooden frame components include the wooden front frame, the header rail that locates against the windscreen frame, and the wooden back bar at the rear of the assembly. The centre catch assembly was added at the start of 1600 production and on Twin Cam chassis 2193 onwards, an over-centre catch fitted to the centre of the front hoodstick and windscreen frame, in addition to the original two wing bolts on either side.
Earlier cars do not have this catch.
Hood Attachment Fixings
The hood is held to the bodyshell by a defined set of fixings: two pegs on the windscreen frame engaging sockets in the front hoodstick, held by two wing bolts; the additional over-centre catch (1600 onwards); a metal attachment strip sliding into a channel on the rear edge of the hood canopy and anchoring to two chrome-plated retaining plates on the tonneau panel; three lift-the-dot fasteners on each side of the tonneau panel; and a turn-button fastener on each rear quarter portion of the cockpit trim roll. Reproduction lift-the-dot posts, nuts and eyelets are stocked individually and as sets, allowing complete renewal of the attachment hardware.
Other Small Fittings
Additional fixings include the chrome teardrop retainers and cup washers that secure the hood rear bar to the body, the wood-screw-thread lift-the-dot pegs that fit the wooden frame, turn buckles and turn buckle eyelets for tonneau cover anchorage, and the recessed pan-head, recessed countersunk and self-tapping screws used to secure the frame and fixings throughout.
Ordering Considerations
Three points should be confirmed before ordering a complete hood. First, the variant, 1500/early Twin Cam (original Vynide spec) or 1600 onwards (Everflex spec), since the bow arrangement and front-bow channel differ. Second, with or without quarterlights, chassis range determines correctness. Third, material grade and colour.
For frame and fixing renewal, the variant determines whether the over-centre catch is required (1600 onwards).