Does Std Hood fit over FIA Roll Bar?

[virden]

As it says, after may years of storage under the bed, I decided to fit my Caterham supplied full hood in advance of today's weather. Even with much stretching I could not get it to fit fully in the front /rear plane. Is my Arch supplied FIA bar too tall, or has some sort of shrinkage occurred? Car: 1996 S3

[Jonathan Kay]

Mine does, and others agree. But it's very tight. Did you try warmth and soft music to make it supple and relaxed?

 

Jonathan

[Paul Deslandes]

To soften it up, put the hood in the airing cupboard overnight, if you have one. Unzip the rear window and fit the rear poppers first, then do the screen, starting in the middle. It'll still be tough to do but I don't think the plastic will have shrunk. Mine fits ok if I do the above process.

[Nigel Riches]

My 1982 car has a hood, but that is very un-cooperative when being fitted to the car it was supplied with, so to try and get a standard hood over an FIA bar will be a struggle, and the fasteners may not last long.

Nigel.

[Nick Bassett]

 

Mine does fit a standard height FIA roll bar (it is fairly snug), but I guess it depends on if you have a standard or tall FIA bar.

If you have a conservatory, perhaps lay your hood out in there as that should help warm it up making it easier to fit...

 

 

[Bob L]

Mine has always been very tight. If I’m caught out in a shower, its not worth the bother as the cold rain makes it tighter still. I now have a half hood which can be deployed in seconds. In fact in takes me longer to get out of the car than it does to deploy the HH.

 

However, for those longer journeys where it is necessary to use the full hood. I use a swear box (you’ll make a fortune) and wait for it…….rubber gloves. The washing up kind will work but you’ll lose all street cred I use the disposable type recommended by hairy arsed mechanics (that prefer to keep their nails clean) and surgeons. The extra grip these afford take much of the effort required out of the process if you can complete the task in the warmth and privacy of your garage.

 

[Nick Chan]

Unlike Paul, I always recommend fitting the windscreen poppers first and middle of the boot working to sides of the car. I have seen a few cars with cracked windscreens when pushing on the corner and trying to fasten the last one or two poppers.

 

Put the hood over a warm bonnet to make it more flexible, slide the hood stick restraining straps sideways so sticks split wider apart and drop down. Fit hood and then slide the straps and they will tension the sticks/hood again with no additional adjustment needed

 

Hth

 

Nick

[Paul Deslandes]

I certainly agree that this is a worry and have always been very careful in that regard. I just find it easier to grip the hood at the front easier than the rear!

[virden]

Thanks all, the thing seemed so tight I was worried about cracking the screen. In the end I used my half hood and it kept me dry in some ghastly weather with very strong winds. *thumbup* The only time it could not cope was when I had to park up, then water got in from the back, but it performed so well I think I will put the full hood back under the bed>

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Best place for it