Hood questions!
Discussion
So, the Half Hood is on, but I'm thinking about fitting a full hood for longer drives. First question: Is it worth it? I haven't actually tried the half hood in the rain yet, but for all its convenience I'm not convinced it'd be as watertight as the full item?
Second question: I do actually have a hood bought by the previous owner. I presume it's for an older Seven or even a different Seven-type car as it doesn't seem to fit. The (factory trackday-spec) roll bar looks like it might be too high, the hood sticks are bare metal with an old fixing (just a small diameter hole), and the poppers line up around the fuel tank and on the windscreen, but not on the side. Can anyone identify what I've got and which parts, if any, could be made to fit my S3?
As you can probably gather, the above trial was done without hoodsticks as I had no way of attaching them, but hopefully it gives enough clues to identify what I've got??
Final question: If I was to buy a new factory hood, what's involved in fitting it? Because mine was a racer it was never originally built for a hood and I don't know if the poppers on the side are spaced correctly (the sides of the hood are just draped down in the photo) IIRC they're at different positions on the two sides! Would I have to drill all the rivets out on the inner panel to fit new ones? On a similar note, does the hood come with poppers fitted, or would they need to be DIY'd too? No great objection to doing it, but I have very little time to sort something out before a planned trip with several hundred miles each way!
Second question: I do actually have a hood bought by the previous owner. I presume it's for an older Seven or even a different Seven-type car as it doesn't seem to fit. The (factory trackday-spec) roll bar looks like it might be too high, the hood sticks are bare metal with an old fixing (just a small diameter hole), and the poppers line up around the fuel tank and on the windscreen, but not on the side. Can anyone identify what I've got and which parts, if any, could be made to fit my S3?
As you can probably gather, the above trial was done without hoodsticks as I had no way of attaching them, but hopefully it gives enough clues to identify what I've got??
Final question: If I was to buy a new factory hood, what's involved in fitting it? Because mine was a racer it was never originally built for a hood and I don't know if the poppers on the side are spaced correctly (the sides of the hood are just draped down in the photo) IIRC they're at different positions on the two sides! Would I have to drill all the rivets out on the inner panel to fit new ones? On a similar note, does the hood come with poppers fitted, or would they need to be DIY'd too? No great objection to doing it, but I have very little time to sort something out before a planned trip with several hundred miles each way!
Edited by Chris71 on Wednesday 21st October 11:06
Haven't used a hood in years, but have one upstairs in the loft 
As far as I can remember, its upto you where you position the poppers on the hood and the sides, so whoever had the hood before would have put his popers where he wanted them. To be honest, if I had popers on the car already, I would move the ones on the hood to fit, therefore you don't have redundant or extra studs on the side of the car.
The hood should fit with the FIA roll bar in place. Driving with the hood up, is not a nice experience, I would rather dry with a tonnaeu and wear a good rain suit. But as I've already said, had aeros on every Caterham I've owned, so not a hood expert
As far as I can remember, its upto you where you position the poppers on the hood and the sides, so whoever had the hood before would have put his popers where he wanted them. To be honest, if I had popers on the car already, I would move the ones on the hood to fit, therefore you don't have redundant or extra studs on the side of the car.The hood should fit with the FIA roll bar in place. Driving with the hood up, is not a nice experience, I would rather dry with a tonnaeu and wear a good rain suit. But as I've already said, had aeros on every Caterham I've owned, so not a hood expert
That looks like a 'tall' FIA bar. If it is, it wont be compatible with a standard hood and sticks.
I've used a half hood in rain of biblical proportions on euro motorways at high speed and apart from the odd drop finding it's way in above the windscreen (only after an hour of heavy rain) I have had no issues. MUCH better than standard hood for driving, in fact the only time i use the 'full' hood is to park up over night!
I've used a half hood in rain of biblical proportions on euro motorways at high speed and apart from the odd drop finding it's way in above the windscreen (only after an hour of heavy rain) I have had no issues. MUCH better than standard hood for driving, in fact the only time i use the 'full' hood is to park up over night!
thequietone said:
I've used a half hood in rain of biblical proportions on euro motorways at high speed
You weren't heading back from Le Mans early on the Monday this year by any chance? 
I'm sure there are enough masochists to go round, but I was in the process of looking for a Seven back then and remember following one with a half hood in torrential rain in my nice dry Focus. Normally I'd rather be in the Caterham, but at 7am with something of a hangover I was very glad to be in my eurobox at that point!
When you say it's better than the standard hood, is that because of less condensation? Might not bother if you don't think there's much in it. I have a garage at one end of the trip coming up and a barn at the other, so overnight isn't a huge concern. Could always find a tarpaulin from somwhere anyway.
The popper arrangement is strange. I'm not 100% sure, but I think those on the side (i.e. forward of the boot cover) are a-symetrical. I assumed this was due to some kind of racing tonneau being fitted in the past. May all be a figment of my deluded imagination of course.
fergus said:
Random question, but has anyone used a half hood with an aeroscreen as an emergency roof? Does this offer *any* (or much?) protection from the rain?
The front support of the half hood is the windscreen frame. Unless I'm missing something (which as you've probably gathered, Fergus, is emminently possible!) there's no way of erecting one wihout it.Na ha, na ha "erecting"
Chris71 said:
fergus said:
Random question, but has anyone used a half hood with an aeroscreen as an emergency roof? Does this offer *any* (or much?) protection from the rain?
The front support of the half hood is the windscreen frame. Unless I'm missing something (which as you've probably gathered, Fergus, is emminently possible!) there's no way of erecting one wihout it.
Chris, as mentioned it does look like you have the "tall" FIA bar which isn't compatible with a standard hood. The hood and bars you have would appear to be Caterham items though.
To check, mount the hood sticks on the locating tabs near the base of the FIA bar main legs, and if the larger hood stick hoop will pass over the FIA bar to the front, you have a standard FIA bar, if not it is definately the tall one. If you don't have the hood stick locating tabs then a full hood is a non-starter.
Hoods are supplied with cars from new and fully fitted, so if the side poppers don't line up this hood wasn't supplied with this car. However, the screen poppers and usually the rear poppers are normally positioned the same on each car, and if you buy a hood from Caterham it will have front and rear poppers already in place, you just fit the side poppers to make it "tight".
Choices:
1. Standard FIA bar and locating tabs - fit what you have and relocate the side hood poppers;
2. Tall FIA bar (likely) and tabs - have a "special" hood and bars made (Oxted Trimmings);
3. No tabs - has to be a half hood. When ordering a half hood you need to specify exactly the roll bar you have, ie. tall if that's what it is. SB4Ss may even need some measurements from you.
In a deluge the full hood is unquestionably the best option, but for most people the half hood is a good compromise of function vs convenience. Cars with spare wheels stay drier than cars without - there's more water gets "sucked" in at the back without a spare wheel! Not a big issue though.
If you get the latest version you can have the zip-on rear section for leaving the car overnight. My personal opinion would be stick the bits you have on ebay and order a half hood & rear add-on from Softbits.
Stu.
To check, mount the hood sticks on the locating tabs near the base of the FIA bar main legs, and if the larger hood stick hoop will pass over the FIA bar to the front, you have a standard FIA bar, if not it is definately the tall one. If you don't have the hood stick locating tabs then a full hood is a non-starter.
Hoods are supplied with cars from new and fully fitted, so if the side poppers don't line up this hood wasn't supplied with this car. However, the screen poppers and usually the rear poppers are normally positioned the same on each car, and if you buy a hood from Caterham it will have front and rear poppers already in place, you just fit the side poppers to make it "tight".
Choices:
1. Standard FIA bar and locating tabs - fit what you have and relocate the side hood poppers;
2. Tall FIA bar (likely) and tabs - have a "special" hood and bars made (Oxted Trimmings);
3. No tabs - has to be a half hood. When ordering a half hood you need to specify exactly the roll bar you have, ie. tall if that's what it is. SB4Ss may even need some measurements from you.
In a deluge the full hood is unquestionably the best option, but for most people the half hood is a good compromise of function vs convenience. Cars with spare wheels stay drier than cars without - there's more water gets "sucked" in at the back without a spare wheel! Not a big issue though.
If you get the latest version you can have the zip-on rear section for leaving the car overnight. My personal opinion would be stick the bits you have on ebay and order a half hood & rear add-on from Softbits.
Stu.
fergus said:
Chris71 said:
fergus said:
Random question, but has anyone used a half hood with an aeroscreen as an emergency roof? Does this offer *any* (or much?) protection from the rain?
The front support of the half hood is the windscreen frame. Unless I'm missing something (which as you've probably gathered, Fergus, is emminently possible!) there's no way of erecting one wihout it.
The half hood is quite precisely shaped to fit the contours of the windscreen and pops onto the fittings along there, so it wouldn't be an easy bodge. You're welcome to have a play around when I bring the car over!
V7SLR said:
Loads of good stuff
Got back late last night so didn't have a chance to look, but I'll investigate. I've already got the standard Soft Bits For Sevens half hood and it fits fine, so I might look into the add on. When I spoke to the guys at Caterham Midlands they reckoned the hood wasn't a current Seven pattern. Apparently the S3 hood sticks are all painted (or coated or something, either way they're not bare metal) and the fixings are different. Mine just have a single, small diameter hole on the inside face of the tube and nothing on the outside. I know for a fact they were bought on eBay by the previous owner and never fitted.
Random question, but how easy is it to swap between full height and aeroscreens? Is it practical to drive to the track on the full screen, then swap it for aeroscreens when you get there? Just came across an old thread when I searched for info that reckoned it was worth something like 20mph in top speed! I know full enveloping bodies (like the Fisher Fury) lead to this sort of improvement, but I didn't realise aeroscreens were that dramatic.
Edited by Chris71 on Thursday 22 October 10:35
Chris71 said:
Random question, but how easy is it to swap between full height and aeroscreens? Is it practical to drive to the track on the full screen, then swap it for aeroscreens when you get there? Just came across an old thread when I searched for info that reckoned it was worth something like 20mph in top speed!
My a/screen's off my car at the moment. I'll show you how it fits tomorrow night! It's a bit fiddly getting the screen itself past the legs of the cage, but I'm going to sort that tom night anyway...Chris71 said:
Random question, but how easy is it to swap between full height and aeroscreens? Is it practical to drive to the track on the full screen, then swap it for aeroscreens when you get there?
Yes, thats what I normally do for trackday. A bit easier if you have captive nuts fitted.https://www.caterhamparts.co.uk/product_info.php?p...
I've never bothered with a full hood yet after getting a half hood & have been caught in torrential downpours, the Monday after Le Mans being one of then, though heading south to Millau.
I fit the half hood & tonneau if leaving the car overnight.
For overnight weather protection of the cockpit, have a look at the Soft bits for Sevens lightweight tonneau http://www.softbitsforsevens.co.uk/page45.html
Very compact to carry around in the car, and pulls up in the middle to stop pooling
Very compact to carry around in the car, and pulls up in the middle to stop pooling
there s definitely a different hood as I have a SV with the tall bar and they specifically ticked a box to get me a different hood when we got our car in 2002. now i don't use that hood but once in the last 3 years as we have the JJ 1/2 hood, but the tall hood has a different, double led zipper (both sides on the back window) is an easy way to tell.
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