Hood fitting.

[davidj]

I am coming to the end of my S3 DHC restoration. It is not a chopped hardtop. I bought the car in boxes which included a dusty hood which I guess is 30 + years old. However, it was in good condition with no damage or fixings so I assume it was new and never fitted. Door gaps without the hood fitted are quite good and the j strengthening bars are fitted on the windscreen frame.

I fitted the hood and the fit is perfect around the windscreen, rear bulkhead, and driver's door. However, it is about 25mm short on the fastener on passenger door shut. Worse, the hood is pulling the windscreen frame back and the top edge of the passenger door glass frame catches. This is without the ally rain channel fitted.

Has anyone had this problem, and if so, how did you resolve it? Will a new hood make any difference as it will still have to be under tension and will pull the screen frame?

As always, thanks for any suggestions.

David

[elanfan1]

Have you tried installing as best you can and then putting a heater in the car, get it hot and it ought to stretch

[richardcox_lotus]

If it’s been in a folded state for 30 years then I agree it needs to be helped with being installed in a warm environment.

[ericbushby]

Hi david
I expect your hood is a black `Everflex` one like mine. It appears to shrink when not fitted yet fits very well when in use regularly.
I rarely fit my hood.
I drive the car all year round, but it never goes out in the rain. I don`t mind low temperatures and quite enjoy the experience.
The trouble comes if I caught out in the rain. The hood is very difficult to impossible to fit when cold. I can usually get some of the studs engaged but never all of them. A day or so later one at a time the others will fit nicely.
As Steve suggested, try a fan heater in the car and take it slowly although I suspect that 30 year old Everflex will never recover it`s shape.
Good luck and tell us how you get on.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[Verve]

Don`t forget the "overlock" position at the bottom of the hood frame , which helps stop the hood pulling the windscreen back .

Paul .