Start with the top frame painted and installed with the front wood header rail in place with the thumb screws and center latch. Tap the brass bushings into place and flare the top corners a bit to secure them. Place fabric wrap around front bow with the rain tab hanging in front of the windscreen frame.

Wrap the cover fabric around the front bow and staple it in place with the rain flap covering the top frame of the windscreen. Insert steel retainer bar in rear of rag top and engage it onto the tonneau hooks. Pull top fabric over frame and stretch forward, measuring from both sides to middle to center the fabric on the front bow.

Working from center out, pull fabric taught and staple to front of wood bow. Drill and install screws to rear metal bow at pont of thickest fabric lap on seams. Pull sides down to locate fastener post on body. Punch hole in fabric to clear post. Position Lift-The-Dot fastener over hole with the dot down, then cut small slots for four legs of LTD fastener.

Push legs of LTD fastener through fabric. Place metal plate on back and bend over the four legs to secure LTD fastener assembly. See pictures of both sides of installed Lift-The-Dot fastener.

Optional snap can be installed at bottom corner of window frame fabric flap. Punch hole through fabric, insert snap head from front of fabric, assemble snap shell to back of fabric, and set in place with special punch. See installed snap and mating snap base on metal frame.

The turnbutton eyelet is installed similat to LTD fasteners. You may punch the slot in the fabric before installing the eyelet, or you can trim the fabric out from the inside of the eyelet after it is installed. Finishing touches up front require trimming, wrapping and stapling the fabric to lay smooth around the ends of the front bow. Then trim excess fabric from front just below the staple line. Finish by stapling up the "hide-em" strip to cover the staples, and fold the bead down over these last staples to "hide-em". Last item is to install the bright metal finisher over the ends of the hide-em strip.

For a more complete picture tour of the MGA top installation, along with more detailed description of the process, and information on top folding and stowage, and a tour of the tonneau cover installation, and the installation of the side curtain stowage bag, click here.