The MGF and MG TF are open-top sports cars, and the hood, hardtop, tonneau and wiper systems that keep weather out of the cabin are among the most important components on any car that is used year-round. MGOC Spares covers the full weather equipment range: complete replacement hoods in a range of materials and colours, factory and accessory hardtops, windstops and deflectors for top-down driving comfort, tonneau covers for half-cover protection, replacement wiper components, outdoor car covers for long-term storage, dedicated hood care products for cleaning and reproofing, and a range of upgrades that bring later-specification features to earlier cars.
Hoods, Material and Colour Options
All MGF and MG TF cars left the factory with a black soft top as standard, with two special editions departing from this: the Abingdon LE introduced a tan hood, and the 75th Anniversary could be specified with a dark red hood to match its interior theme. The MG TF launch introduced green, grey and blue factory hood options, and a burgundy red was added later in TF production. Accessory hood colours from the MG Sport & Racing XPower range extended the palette further. Coloured hoods give a useful visual lift to the car but are more difficult to maintain in tip-top condition than black, as stains and weathering show more readily.
All coloured variants can be retrofitted to MGF cars without modification, the hood frame is the same, and only the material itself changes.
Rear Screens, Plastic to Glass Transition
MGF and MG TF cars up to the very late 2005 model year were fitted with clear plastic rear screens. These are prone to cloudiness and cracking with age, and damage is accelerated by folding the hood with the screen zipped up rather than unzipping it first, a common cause of premature screen failure. For the last MG TFs from VIN 5D639631, the factory introduced a glass rear window with heated rear window (HRW) function, giving markedly better rear visibility and the practical benefit of demisting in cold weather. The glass-window hood can be retrofitted to earlier cars, and the required switch (YUG102570PMP for MY2000-on MGF and MG TF) and relay (YWB000440) are available alongside.
Hardtops
The hardtop was a factory-fitted standard feature on only a small number of limited editions; on all other cars it was an extra-cost option or an accessory. Two common finishes were offered, gloss black for a contrasting look, or body colour at additional cost. Once the heated rear window switch and relay have been fitted (which many cars already have if a soft top HRW has been specified), installing the hardtop is a two-person job that takes a matter of minutes. All hardtops fit both MGF and MG TF interchangeably, so a hardtop sourced from one model can be fitted to the other without any modification, a useful piece of information for owners sourcing second-hand.
Windstops, Deflectors and Tonneau Covers
Windstops and deflectors fit behind the seats to reduce cabin buffeting when driving with the hood down, making top-down motoring far more comfortable at motorway speeds. Tonneau covers provide partial weather protection when the car is parked with the hood stowed, covering the cockpit and preventing rain, dust or debris from reaching the interior without needing to raise the hood fully. Both are covered on dedicated child pages with full fitment detail.
Wipers, Car Covers and Hood Care
Front wiper blades, wiper arms and the rear wiper assembly are catalogued under the Wipers child page, covering routine replacement through to full linkage work. Outdoor car covers for long-term storage keep weather off the body when the car is not in use. Hood care products, cleaners and reproofing treatments, extend the useful life of soft tops significantly, and a twice-yearly clean and reproof is the single most effective thing any owner can do to keep a fabric hood watertight and presentable.
Upgrades and Alternatives
The Upgrades & Alternatives child page covers the range of retrofitting options available to bring earlier cars up to later specification: the glass rear window conversion, heated rear window retrofits to non-HRW cars, and various accessory-fit enhancements from XPower and other suppliers. For owners looking to improve the weather-handling capability of an MGF or early MG TF, this is the first place to look.