Re: Soft-top frame restoration - what do I keep ?

["Ross Watson" <Ross.Watson@domain.elided>]

Well... I've started on my softtop frame. It was in worse condition than I
thought and will probably need to be cleaned up (blasted) and powder coated
(or somesuch).
Anyway... I've just stopped because I suspect I have hit a major problem. At
some point in the years since it was taken off the car, the front rail
became bent back about 45 degrees. I gently had a go at staightening it and
then drilled out the rivets that hold the front rubber seal (713627). Once
removed, I pulled the hood material back, and the front rail came with it !

One end is now totally detached, and the other end is loose and looks
similarly bent. It also looks like the fixings at the corners are cast, so I
can see why they didn't like being bent. I've had a look at perhaps removing
the big pins at the corners, but they seem riveted over.

So... something in the back of my mind says that this is terminal. What's
the collective view ? I could file off those big pins that connected the
front rail to the side (713638 & 713637), and then see if I can get some new
brackets made, but I can't see how they're held at the front (to 813768).
Are they part of the front rail, or can they be detached ?

Thanks for any advice.

Ross