I've just finished making/fitting my half hood, with inspiration and information from various people on here, including Surrey Dave, GeoffT and Piddy.

It's based on a Caterham hood, as I have a Caterham screen with the poppers already on it, so it saved some effort there. The straps and buckles came from here, and speedyxjs sorted me out with some Tenax fasteners.

The hood had some damage to the side window and was £30 including the ali hood sticks - bargain!

I cut off the side windows as there was no way it would fit the ST, which is much longer in the cockpit that a Caterham. I cut off the rear "drip rail" return and refixed it in line with the original top part. When I get round to it, I will get some Lexan and make some windows for my doors and line them up with that.

As the rear window is a zip out one, I stiffened up the top and bottom of the window with some bits of fibreglass tent pole.

I had to use both hood sticks to make one decent hoop, as I needed longer down pieces. I decided to make the hoop dismantlable (?) by riveting internal sleeving in the curved bits. This means I can put the hoop parts in the boot with no problem.

The fixings for the hoop are 6mm bar tapped into the roll bar. I used two handy plastic wheel bolt thingies to hold the hoops on.

The rear and side tensioning straps are polyester webbing, fited with Tenax fasteners: 2 tapped into the upper rear rail and 2 bolted to the inside of the rear wheel arch.

The pic shows various bits, including the rear both with and without the rear window in place. I am not sure how much difference it will make... to be tried out both ways.

[Edited on 14.02.2010 by Humbug]
Rescued attachment 2010-02-14 Half hood.JPG

Nice work - I can feel my title of 'Club Wimp' being slowly wrestled from my grasp. If you start talking heaters at the next meet I'll know it's a lost cause.

At least those dark clouds won't seem quite so threatening now - have you road tested it yet?

Looks good! If you're got a half top you really need a demister.... cold screen, humid interior, reduced air flow... recipe for misting at speed (been there, got the t-shirt, replaced the underpants etc etc etc)

Geoff - not been out yet

Ben - I've got a Caterham heated screen... but it doesn't work, at least as I've wired it up! Another job to do.

btw, the sewing was done on SWMBO's granny's 1920s Singer sewing machine - really good once I got hold of a manual, and easy to control... though I did get through 4 needles

Yeah , it's good idea to use a Caterham hood , that's what I should have done, as I too have a Caterham screen, saves a lot of fiddling with the front edge.

I bought a piece of perspex to pop on to the back of the roll hoop for a back screen , never got round to it
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god effort humbug.
loks better than my hand stitched job.

looks good. that must be the reason all the tatty hoods on ebay are selling for so much.....lol

Look sreally good mate- well done!

Cheers,
James

I tend to think that the hood ruins the seven, but certainly not in your case. Good Job!!!

just finished mine this weekend (well the wife did) and fitted it. Its just a very basic top but will try and get some pics in the archive soon