Peter Mears Posted December 19, 2001 Share Posted December 19, 2001 I am in the process of having a new tonneau cover made. Apart from driving with the passenger side on only is there any disadvantages of having this as a single piece. I believe it would be more watertight without the zip, but will this make it hard to get on and off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted December 19, 2001 Share Posted December 19, 2001 Well, I only ever put mine on and take it off as a single piece, so I can't see any disadvantage. It will certainly help keep the water out, I've had my car flooded more than once when left out in a downpour with just the tonneau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 19, 2001 Share Posted December 19, 2001 I would think it'd have the opposite effect and make it easier to fit. Reason? The material will stretch over the whole area, rather than having a solid zip in place along the centre line preventing this stretch. I have to say though that if the 'genuine' Caterham issue one is fitted with the triangular zip cover correctly positioned it shouldn't leak; mine doesn't and it's seen some heavy downpours this year! What you may find is that you have to fit the new cover really tight as the zip may (may not of course!) have the effect of stiffening up the centre spine a bit and preventing 'ponding'.I can imagine a state where the ponding gets so bad that the water either a) leaks through the material or, b)Gets so full & heavy that it 'pops' the press studs off and dumps the whole load in your car! Still think it sounds a good idea if you only want it as a pure rain cover thoughthumbsup.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catse7en Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 My Tonneau is the standard Caterham zipped version, sometimes I put just the px side on when driving solo. In this configuration with normal screen and sidexcreens I have noticed that the tonneau will come free from the front central poppers at around 90 - I spent a large part of a journey in the rain on Euro 2001 driving between Besancon and Reims on a wonderful d road one handed - steady 85 - 90 for the best part of 1 1/2 hours interspersed with stops for crossroads, and occassional slowing down for agricultural traffic. My left hand was holding ht rh front corner of the tonneau ! When fitting the tonneau if it has become cold and damp, it tends to become stiff and perhaps shrink slightly. Fitting thr front central poppers with the zip closed is sometimes difficult, particularly with cold hands. However having the zip half undone, and fitting then doing up the zip tends to overcome this problem. John gathard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony isherwood Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 It might be worth considering putting some old type turn buckle fixings instead of the button studs at stratigic locations, so that lift off at high speeds does not occur. (No 32 on my list of improvements over the winter) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 The aforementioned "ponding" effect does indeed happen with my cover. When the pond level gets to the zip, the overflow goes through the zip and into the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 cool.gif TOP TIP cool.gif I suffered a very wet car once. I now put a small "prop" between the propshaft tunnel and the tonneau cover. Now the water just runs off smile.gif Steve www.Se7en-Up.co.uk id=limegreen> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 I'll second Steve's top tip and confirm it certainly works. For those with removable headrests, they're just the right height to make the prop that Steve has mentioned above. Chris Alston Se7ening - it's all miles and smile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gif 1800 Supersprint - Loud and Proud teeth.gif ...well it only sounds fast officer blush.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 Besançon? Fabulous! that's where I spend Xmas and incidently where I was borne. I tried to order from Caterham some special poppers that do not pop out at speed, but they very consistently sent me the standard ones... Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catse7en Posted December 20, 2001 Share Posted December 20, 2001 Hi Pierre On Euro 2002 this summer we had a wonderful time in France and Switzerland. We visited Besancon twice. Look at the link http://www.barriskell.com/se7enstour/euro2001.htm There are several options from there including a detail of the routes we followed, photos and lots more. Worth a look. John Gathard C7KJG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arnold Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 One advantage of omitting a zip is its one less thing to break. My zip keeps on comming undone from the wrong end (I am talking about my tonneau here.) And water leaks through my zip even when I do position the little flap thing carefully (still on the subject of tonneaus). J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 Thanks John, really impressive.Will spend more time in the following days to dig into the site. Do you have a similar event every year? cheers, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 22, 2001 Share Posted December 22, 2001 James A. I'm glad you said tonneaus 'cos I was beginning to wonder. I thought the next section would deal with incontinence (no, it happened right here in THIS country !!!!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Steve Posted January 5, 2002 Share Posted January 5, 2002 Is the driver's side tonneau cover supposed to be impossible to fit over the steering wheel, or have I a) got a cover that is not the real thing or b) does it require a removable wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Steve Posted January 5, 2002 Share Posted January 5, 2002 Is the driver's side tonneau cover supposed to be impossible to fit over the steering wheel, or have I a) got a cover that is not the real thing or b) does it require a removable wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted January 5, 2002 Share Posted January 5, 2002 Steve. I think a removable steering wheel must help. Saying that, mine is not! It does need to be pulled a bit, but is no more difficult to fit than the left side. I have seen t/covers that have a sewn-in steering wheel section but they always seem too big. It makes it all look a bit limp (ooh err). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted January 5, 2002 Share Posted January 5, 2002 the only damage to our beloved 7 so far whilst parked outside in the street in london was when some little bu**er sat on the tonneau, and consequently tore some poppers out of the vinyl and one out from the aluminium. It was the fist time I had left the car parked with the doors off as well - doors on and they would not of sat on it! I suspect every tonneau fits slightly differently due to the 'hand built' nature of the car. Ours is not bad, but if you park on the street so that the zip cover flap is facing'down-hill' to the camber of the road, then it prevents water running under this flap and leaking through the zip. we always leave the car outside with the tonneau on as opposed to the hood, as I think it is less likely to get damaged by passing attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masha Posted January 7, 2002 Share Posted January 7, 2002 I'm looking for somewhere that makes a custom tonneau in the original fabric a) without a zip, b) with custom 'pockets' in it to accommodate S-type seats headrests (or Blackbird/R500 seats if I change to those). ANY SUGGESTIONS/CONTACTS I've also seen a lovely old S2 7 that seemed to have the boot cover and the cockpit tonneau as one piece! and a clever idea of rolling up the cockpit bit when not in use - this the oldest solution must be the most water-tight yet. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Mears Posted January 7, 2002 Author Share Posted January 7, 2002 As the first post suggests I am in the process of having a single cover made with all the pockets etc. I do not know how this is going to work out yet or indeed the costs but can post something in a few days time if the chap comes up with the goods. They recently reupholstered my seats and the new tunnel cover is to be fitted this week. They have done excellent work so far and they did not think the tonneau would be a problem. The company is based in Wandsworth London. Maybe I will start a new trend of the single piece tonneau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted January 7, 2002 Share Posted January 7, 2002 Hate to say this, but my Westie, now sold, had a single piece tonneau / boot cover - a zip down the cockpit to allow driver only in and cover passenger seat. Simply unpop, roll up, tuck under front of boot and get in. Stayed on all time, watertight evern under snow, and for a 3month continous stay when I was in the states. Which is why i was so disappointed with Xat offering - awkward to use and doesn't like staying on. Might get used to it, or might get new one piece made! Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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