Hard Top

[Guest Troy Halliday]

I don't suppose anyones got a pic of someone getting into RH with the hood up have they.

 

Only I'm getting ready to buy a Lightweight Chasis RH and would realy like to get rid of my 16V Clio and just use the RH. I've done several designs for a hard top for the car with Gull Wing doors and spoke to a few friends on some of the more technical details, but wondered if I could get away with using the soft top until the hard top is finnished.

 

I have never actualy seen anyone get into a Lotus 7 ispired kit with the hood on.

[Guest rizla]

im 6ft 3 its fun but once you get the nak its easy,exept when i had a bad back,i got in but could not get out i had to be helped out by 2 work mates

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Well I only about 5' 5" so I've got an advantage there I suppose

 

I thought that I could use the hard top during the 'Rainy Seasons' yeah I know we live in the Uk and ALL our seasons are rainy but you know what I mean. Then use the soft top when needed.

[Guest rizla]

if you get a good quality hood its ok in the wet,i looked into doing a hard top but there were to many probs associated in doing this

[Guest Tony Tank]

Hi Troy ,

What part of the country r u in,

maybe some one would let you try one out.

If u r in the Northwest area you can try my 2B out for size.

 

Tank

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Tank, I'm from Hertfordshire mate, near Waltham Abbey Junction 26 on the M25.

 

Rizla, what problems did you run into? I may not have thought of them yet or may have already have solved or should I say theoretically solved them.

[Big Jim]

im 6ft 3 its fun but once you get the nak its easy,exept when i had a bad back,i got in but could not get out i had to be helped out by 2 work mates

if you get a good quality hood its ok in the wet

 

How would you know, your car lives at RS Jigtec, you've not drove it in the wet yet!

 

 

Troy,

 

They all leak to one degree or another, those that say they don't haven't been out in proper rain! and it's like driving a tank, you are looking through a "letterbox" closed in all around you.

[Guest rizla]

excuse me jim mate i bought the car on the road,in october(birthday prezy to me from me)so i only ever drove it in the rain till xmas then it went to bobs

 

back to the hard top,,,,the problems i encounterd were how to fix it to the car and still keep the fixings for the soft top,and above all else where to put it when not in use

 

 

ps i still love you jim

[Peter Bell]

The leaks are also in proportion to speed and lack of visibility. The only good thing about having a hood on is that the noise of the gearbox and axle help to drown out the noise of the exhaust!

Peter.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

I have a Dax Rush build assembly book so presume that the hood on a RH connects to the screen using a top screen channel and an over centred catch. My idea was to upgrade the strength of the side screen stays and use the same conection method for the hard top. The top screen channel would be intergrated into the frame for the hard top, two central bars would conect to the rear A frame. The doors would be hinged from thede bars.

 

I've done a quick pic to show what I mean.

[Guest gordon_macnab]

The front of the hood is only fixed to the screen with popstuds or turnbuckles the only frame for the hood are 2 loops to keep the roof and rear window in the right shape

 

Gordon

[Guest Roger 2B]

Getting into the car with the hood up.... can be done.

 

I'm 50, 5'10" and overweight. I finished fitting the hood last weekend. After a few practice runs, using different methods of entry and exit, I got the knack of getting in and out.

 

However, wouldn't like to think of trusting the hood to be sufficiently waterproof for everday use.

[Guest MikeD318]

I've never seen anyone getting out of a hood with the ...erm...hood up but I think it could be quite funny to see someone pull up in a really cool looking one and then shatter all illusions with legs and arms going everywhere as they try to get out.

[Guest Mr Pid]

Getting in and out of "normal" cars with bucket seat is a mission and getting in and out of the "Hood" with the hood up and bucket seat provides much amusement for passers by and my neighbours.

 

I am thinking of re-hinging my doors so they swing upwards, kind of lamborghini style as this would help alot, but having trouble finding the right hinges at the mo.

 

I have taken the seats out at the mo as i am doing alot or re-working on the dash and last weekend sat out in the pissing rain with the hood up working inside happy as a sand boy, there were no leaks (yes i know it wasnt being driven) and felt nice and cosy in my own little world.

 

Stu

[Guest timswait]

I use my 2B as my only car all year round. I too looked at making a hardtop but decided it was too much effort and the only kit cars I've seen with detachable hardtops look *bleep*e. The hood is pretty much waterproof, but it took a while to get it that way. I just kept driving it, noting where the water came in and fixing the leaks! The only leak I haven't been able to so is at the top of the windscreen where the hood poppers on. A seal like the Dax one you described would be one solution, my solution is simply to carry a roll of duck tape in the car (you all do anyway don't you?!) and stick a strip of this on the top seam when it starts raining!