Fitting half doors

[Bing64]

Winter job - Fitting half doors.
Any advice please. Is this a relatively easy thing to do?
Thanks.

[sundance002]

Bing64 said:

Winter job - Fitting half doors.
Any advice please. Is this a relatively easy thing to do?
Thanks.

Don't they just hang on the windscreen?

[Bing64]

That is a no.

[CanAm]

sundance002 said:

Don't they just hang on the windscreen?

Normal doors do; half doors only reach up to the bottom of the screen.

[bcr5784]

Bing64 said:

Winter job - Fitting half doors.
Any advice please. Is this a relatively easy thing to do?
Thanks.

It's not hard but you do need to drill a few holes and be able to use a pop-rivet gun..

[Green George]

I fitted half doors with a friend earlier this year: https://caterhamsuperlight106.wordpress.com/2017/0...

I found the Alchester Racing half doors guide useful: http://www.alcester-racing-sevens.com/half_doors.h...

Edited by Green George on Saturday 17th March 10:39

[Spingo]

I fitted mine last year - and this guide assumes you have the press studs already fitted to the car body.

1. On the inside of your half doors, attach some 'black/silver botch tape' - the strong stuff that fixes everything - to a position roughly where the press studs will be located on the half doors
2. Offer the half door up to the car and using low adhesive tape, tack the half door into position on the car.
3. Double check the position
4. Treble check the position!
5. Only when you are 100% happy, then press the door against the stud attached to the body
6. When you remove the half door (carefully removing the tape from the body), there will be an imprint in the 'botch tape' left by the stud attached to the body - you now have an exact guide of where to drill your holes in the half doors for the other part of the press stud.
7. Now fit the press studs to the half door in the prescribed way.

I'm sure there are other/better ways, but this worked for me.

[SKC]

Hi,

I fitted mine using small slide latches. Bobbins about 10mm in diameter are fitted to the car using M5 riv nuts fitted to the cars skin. Then M5 button headed bolts used to retain the bobbins.

The slide latches are then bolted to the half doors using small M3 button heads and M3 nylocs. Means quick and easy removal of the half door to aid access for passengers or to remove and fit weather gear.

Alternatively button headed bolts could be used with washers in place of the bobbins to retain the half doors..

Regards

SKC

[nigelpugh7]

The one thing to be extra careful of when drilling the hole for the forward popper base is the exact location.

You need the windscreen to be in place to measure and mark the cast location.

The body tube is located at that point, and it’s this that is required for a good fixing.

Let me see if i can find the section in the manual that helps.

[nigelpugh7]

Here’s the section in the manual.

I hope,it helps, and remember, measure many times, then check and measure again before drilling.

[Bing64]

Thanks that is really helpful and just what I am looking for. Appreciated.

[nigelpugh7]

Bing64 said:

Thanks that is really helpful and just what I am looking for. Appreciated.

No problem. And good luck.

It Always seems a bit daunting at first, I’ve done it on 5 of my own cars , and each time you worry that you are putting them in the correct place!

[Bing64]

Update. Half doors fitted and an aeroscreen fitted. If you haven’t driven a Caterham with half doors and an aeroscreen then treat yourself.

[nigelpugh7]

Bing64 said:

Update. Half doors fitted and an aeroscreen fitted. If you haven’t driven a Caterham with half doors and an aeroscreen then treat yourself.

Glad you got them fitted over the winter period.

I need to fit the new ones I have to my 620R at some time in the near future too.

The only reason I haven’t done it sooner is that’s I have the full tonneau for my car, and tend to use that when I have the aero screen on instead of the half doors.

Having said that I now have the soft bits long shower cap as well now, so no need to worry about it being cover when parked up in possible showers,

One thing I fortgot to mention, if you want to fix the back of the half doors so that you attached the boot cover over the top, you need that special double popper that allows them both to pop together.

[85Carrera]

nigelpugh7 said:

Here’s the section in the manual.

I hope,it helps, and remember, measure many times, then check and measure again before drilling.

So, does this means that the half doors attach to the tonneau fixings?

[nigelpugh7]

85Carrera said:

So, does this means that the half doors attach to the tonneau fixings?

They can share the same popper bases of course.

It is dependent on whether or not the tonneau you have has them fitted already as that can dictate the location needed for the bases.