Windstop, MG RV8, V8 Register, MG Car Club

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Folding windstop for an RV8
John Bolt (Nightfire Red 1228) from Buckinghamshire arrived at the V8 Gathering at Hazeley Heath with his new wind stop which is a particularly neat installation. It even folds down and allows the tonneau to cover the cockpit without the need to remove the wind stop first. This note is illustrated by John's sketches. (May 04)

Shortly after John Bolt arrived with the hood down at a recent V8 Gathering at the Shoulder of Mutton on Hazeley Heath, several fellow RV8 members spotted his new windstop was a very neat installation. It uses the standard RV8 tonneau rail to which are welded some special brackets which support the windstop.

Windstop installation on the RV8 is particularly neat. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)

The special windstop support brackets were made by a local firm near Aylesbury and welded to the tonneau rail - the following sketches prepared by John provide the key information.

Standard windstop screen supplied by spares suppliers is 9992mm wide with threaded fixing lugs either side. It is finished in matt black with a fine mesh within the tubular rail surround. The width extends to a point in line with the outer edge of the leather seats in the RV8 so gives good protection from back drafts with the hood down on the RV8.

Special wind stop mounting brackets are welded to a standard MG RV8 tonneau support rail to suit the width of the windstop. The size and shape of the brackets is shown below.

Special windstop mounting brackets need to be made up using the design above. The hole for the threaded lugs is 9mm diameter. When welding the brackets to the tonneau support rail it is important t note the 35 degree angle - the sketch below shows this clearly.

John Bolt (Nightfire Red 1228) has come up with a very simple folding windstop on his RV8. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)

The windstop folds down without fuss - simply fold the seats forward, swing the windstop down, return the seats to their position and then the full tonneau can be set over the cockpit and secured.

Windstop folded down leaves room for the full and half tonneaux to be fitted in the usual way. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)

How do we rate this installation?
There are several windstops or deflectors available for the RV8, but the installation described here is certainly one of the neatest seen so far. One of the alternative windstops has a pair of cranked metal supports which fit down the recesses in the leather seat back for the chromed seat belt guide which not only looks a little makeshift but also risks wearing the leather around that opening. In addition a system fitted to the seat backs will of course require both driver and passenger to have their seats reclined at the same angle - if not, the windstop will be set at a strange angle! The neat windstop installation described by John Bolt certainly looks a purpose made installation and suffers none of the differential seat recline nonsense.