i while ago i made a thread about hard tops: http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=153871

i then realised you would be missing the point of a locost when you eventually get awesome weather and imagine it will be a pain to take the roof off every journey and will end up just leaving it on.

alternative? a softop, but not just a bit of fabric to keep you slightly dry, i mean a proper one, like the mx5 and other soft top convertibles.

but that solves 1 problem and creates another, how do you get in the car if the roof is up? doors of course, but if you can put the roof down you cant have gull wing doors as it will use the roof, which of course you want to fold down....

so just have normal doors, not gull wing? but you will not be able to get into the car with the roof up, thats why the lotus 7 s4 GT used gull wing doors.

anyone got a solution? my initial thought was to use a zip, sprung metal and a piece of fabric as the door. idea is similar to a tent, so the door is a gull wing shape but does not open in hinges but instead unzips, this will also act like you are opening the window. the sprung metal part of it will roll it up into a sausage shape when you unzip it so you dont have a flailing piece of fabric loose as you drive.

so, anyone else think i have far to much time now school has ended?

you could get a hard top for a dutton in the 70s and doors
http://www.duttonownersclub.co.uk/Gallery%20pictures/Early%20cars/VJB%20107S%20hard%20top.jpg

Have a look at any 7 such as Westfield, Caterham and Robin Hood. The side windows are detachable and with a bit of effort it's possible to squeeze into the car with the hood up then put the windows on when your in.

You have already seen my hard top, but when that isn't fitted this is always in the boot. Just uses the standard type, (hinged on the screen), Locost doors. It's by no means dificult to get into with the hood up. HTH Ray

[img]
Hood 1 [/img]

Burton has a nice softop for their 2cv based kit car.

Soft bits for sevens do bespoke hoods with a zipped panel in the roof you can undo and fold back from the outside then zip back together once inside.
I like Ray can get into the 7 with the roof on by opening the door, one leg in, bend double, flop into the cabin in a crumpled heap then try and pull the leg that is outside in.