Hard top for Caterham's/similar cars?

[m1spw]

Sorry, this may have been asked before.

Are there any hard tops available for Caterhams or Westies or Dax's? And if not, why not? Surely it wouldn't be too hard to manufacture and fit, making it a bit more practical?

[Sam_68]

Westfield used to do a gullwing hardtop for their cars, but they are as rare as hen's teeth and I don't know if they ever manufactured them for the 'wide body' models that are current now.

Trouble is, most people run Sevens as second cars, so there would be a fairly limited market. Each 'Seven type car has slightly different dimensions, so you would need a different design for each manufacturer; you will only sell a handful of each, so it really isn't goiing to be a sensible business proposition.

Also, if you have ever been in a Seven with the hood up, you will know that it is a pretty grim experience - very claustraphobic, VERY noisy and they usually leak enough that demisting is a problem. You could, of course, fit better demisting, a heated electric rear screen, and sound deadening, but that kind of defeats the object - you might as well go out and buy an Elise!

[Fer]

I think Softbits for Sevens had a kind of cover that went between the screen and the roll bar, not a hard top, but a kind of extra cover. Never seen one, but might be worth a look.

[Fer]

SOmething like this.

[dino ferrana]

They without exception look terrible. I don't think Sevens or the copies look good with a hardtop it just doesn't fit the shape.

The Caterham black brick had a hard top but there weren't many standard bits in that set up and it wasn't what you would call a "pretty car".

[Shaun_E]

If you must, look here

The soft bits for sevens half hood is a soft top that is far less claustrophobic than the standard Caterham supplied item. I no longer use the full hood and carry the half hood with me instead - much quicker to put on and takes up less space.

>> Edited by Shaun_E on Thursday 15th December 16:58

[dern]

Shaun_E said:

If you must, look here

Eww... makes it look like somthing you'd be able to get a disability grant to buy.

Be a man, ditch the screen, get an aeroscreen (and another car )

[hugoagogo]

get a tonneau cover and a full face helmet

[Sam_68]

hugoagogo said:

get a tonneau cover and a full face helmet

[m1spw]

hugoagogo said:

get a tonneau cover and a full face helmet

Can't do it. i've been told that I can't get a 7 next year (when I get my first car around August) as "its not proactical", so I'm looking to see how I can make it more practical...then I can get one.

I love them, but I guess I havn't got much of a chance of getting one!

[Digby]

dino ferrana said:

They without exception look terrible. I don't think Sevens or the copies look good with a hardtop it just doesn't fit the shape.

Oh i dunno, i wouldn't mind hammering this around!
I know what you mean though

[m1spw]

Digby said:

Oh i dunno, i wouldn't mind hammering this around! I know what you mean though

Whats that?

[andygtt]

Thats a pretender...... ie its pretending the Radical doesn't exist so that it can re-claim the ring record

Definatelly a good looking 7 replica though.... and I like the spoilers.

[Sam_68]

andygtt said:

Thats a pretender.

...otherwise known as a Donkervoort. Its other claim to fame is that it's the most stupidly overpriced Seven type car in known existence.

[pwig]

Sam_68 said:

andygtt said: Thats a pretender. ...otherwise known as a Donkervoort. Its other claim to fame is that it's the most stupidly overpriced Seven type car in known existence.

My Dax is fine with the normal roof. Doesn't leak or anything. The only problem is when wanting to go above 50mph, you need to get the roof off for that

[ferg]

Sam_68 said:

andygtt said: Thats a pretender. ...otherwise known as a Donkervoort. Its other claim to fame is that it's the most stupidly overpriced Seven type car in known existence.

Isn't it also the Seven replica with the best score in Scrabble?