NEW HOOD for S4

[mcclelland]

Hi all,
my poor old hood has seen better days and really needed to be replaced a couple of years ago, but I've hung on until its all but fallen to bits.... so its time to look for a replacement.

I am aware of all the usual suspects with regard to the purchase, but what I would like from anyone who has recently purchased is a recommendation. I see some advertise one hood in a standard fabric, but others have them in a good, better, best option. Also some have stitched in windows and some are heat sealed?

Looking for something in good quality with a good fit and would value any comments, suppliers, recommendations etc.

Many thanks in advance, regards George...

[nebogipfel]

George,

I can only answer from my own experience. I have a Susan Miller hood on my car and am very pleased with it.

Clearly final fit is down to the person who installs it, but my hood fits well, looks well made, is very neat when erected and most importantly the front lip which engages with the top of the screen frame is a very good design and will never pull out at any speed.

FWIW I would recommend the hood without hesitation.

[ericbushby]

We have just fitted a Susan Miller hood to our S3 and are pleased with it. I took Susan`s advice and used the Everflex material which has welded windows. You need a 3mm punch to make the preliminary holes, and a 9mm punch for the final location (after fine adjustment) of the Tenax fittings. We found it difficult to stretch the fabric to fit, but after putting the heat on in the garage and with a hairdrier running inside the car it started to become easier. We then left the hood up for three weeks and it seems to have relaxed into a good fit.
It needs two people to fit it.
Best of luck
Eric in Burnley

S3 SE Type 45 Not running yet, Next week !!!!!

[Elanintheforest]

Eric / John
Is Everflex the original material....looks like the old leathercloth, made from plastic with a white cloth backing? If so I will order one up from Susan. I really don't like the 'cloth' hoods on Elans!

George, are you sure you're not exagerating your need for a hood? Here's mine, after the car has been off the road for 27 years, and the mice found a nice place to live in the folded hood....for several generations!

Otherwise a lovely original car, as the next photo shows....apart from the knackered chassis, poor brakes and engine that hasn't run for over a quarter of a century!

Mark

[nebogipfel]

Mark, It's a long while ago since I saw a "factory" hood on an Elan but I would say the hood is original in appearance.

Knowing Susan (who does like things to be right) I think you would be happy with one of her hoods.

I think the front screen frame attachment is slightly different but much better and more robust as I mentioned previously. When my hood is up and the front attached to the screen frame nothing less than a thermonuclear explosion will detach it I have had previous Elan tops with a tendency to lift out at speed.

I agree that the canvas/double duck style hoods look wrong on an Elan.

As an aside, I have made my hood fully detachable with lift the dot fasteners all around the rear edge. The upside is the hood can be folded better to avoid unsightly marks and damage from the hood frame when stowed. The frame and cover are virtually flat and very neat when down.

The downside is that the hood has to be stowed in the boot.

Not sure how often this mod' is done but I prefer it having struggled to stow hood and frame under the cover on previous Elans and taking the poor crumpled thing out when I needed to use it. I'm pretty sure Mick Miller advocated a fully removable hood.

[mcclelland]

Hi all,
thanks for the replies so far, it looks as though its going to be Sue Millers for the hood.

Mark: after seeing your hood I might be exaggerating and on second thoughts may get another few years out of mine !!!

John: my hood has always been as your is, totally detachable and lies flat in the boot when going out on so-so days and left at home when I think its going to be dry all day, which it is more often than not here in France.

Regards George...

[gjz30075]

Does Sue Miller's hoods backlites' lower seam follow the curvature of the body (like oem)?

Greg Z

[nebogipfel]

Does Sue Miller's hoods backlites' lower seam follow the curvature of the body (like oem)?

Greg Z

If you are asking what I think you are asking, the answer is yes

It would look a bit odd if it didn't.

[Elanintheforest]

John, I'm pretty sure that it is the original hood. The last owner had the car for 30 years and always used the tonneau instead, and that looks just about as worn as the hood without the assistance from the mouse community.

I do like the idea of making the hood fully detachable, and I believe that the new Everflex material is very slightly thicker than the original, which may just make it very difficult to fold under the hood bag. I guess it's less secure as someone could nick the hood, but then I'm not likely to leave the car where that would be a problem.

I'll get Sue to bring a new hood to Donnington, assuming she's going this year. Ta much for the information.

Mark

[nebogipfel]

Mark, You are very welcome.

It was actually Susan who recommended I make the hood detachable and I'm glad I did. On my previous Elans it was a real struggle to get hood and frame under the cover and the frame sharp bits were always trying to poke holes in something. I used to put rags around said sharp bits but it was always a pain.

Susan will always help when she can.

I might actually get to Donington this year as it's being held at a sensible Lotus time of year

[ericbushby]

Mark,
Susan says Everflex is the correct original material and it does have a pale grey lining.

Greg,
The rear window bottom follows the body shape accurately.

Eric in Burnley
1967 S3 SE Not running yet but closer. Next week!!!!!

[gjz30075]

Good to know. Thanks John and Eric. My current hood's backlites do NOT follow the curvature and yes, it looks odd. John, is the front lip that engages the top of the windscreen design an improvement over oem? Or simply oem, which is a good design in itself.

Greg Z

[Tonyw]

Hi all,

I am wondering if I am missing something in this thread..I thought that the hood would be fully detachable anyway as it is only held on with Tenax fasteners !!! and a couple of pop off thingy's I do like the idea of removing it when not in use especially when I use my hard top over winter.

Tonyw

[Elanintheforest]

Tony, the original setup is to have 5 tenax fastner 'females' on the hood at each side, allowing the sides of the hood to be taken off the body and folded in. Then there are 7 'male' tenax which fix the hood to the rear panel, and allow the hood bag or tonneau to clip on.

The picture says it all!

Mark

[Mazzini]

Some Elans had a sticker in the hood tray (bit of a hint in the name) with hood folding instructions. I think PMS or one of the other dealers had replica stickers for sale a few years ago.

Nice yellow S4 Mark, looks strangely familiar...