Dave Evans Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hi Just thought I'd pitch in. Had my westy 12 months it came with hood and side srceens (unused) and still are. However it also came with a toneau cover, which I find a great piece of kit. When on my own I keep the one side fastened and when parked I just zip it all up. On wet days it,s only me that gets a little damp, glad I kept my motorcycle wet gear. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meakin Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Can I ask how you see your instruments dave with half a torneau as I think it would cover my oil prsssure and water temp guage. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User0083 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 I'm with Smokey! I drove Birmingham-Plymouth every weekend... And back for 16 months. Plus driving all over the place between the 220 mile each way. I had a thread on here explaining my neodymium magnets on hood to seal the gap between doors and a popper in centre of plastic screen strip to stop hood lifting in high winds and high speeds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User0083 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Oh, I use tonneau too. Modified mine to fit while doors on/hood up. Gives extra storage space too! Plus using as a daily drive, it gave a "out of sight, out of mind" safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 The hood/heater combo have allowed me to squeeze nearly a thousand miles extra out of mine this last year. Actually had to up the milage allowance! Hood wise, I've used Stephen's excellent Neo' magnet idea, I've also had new flaps made that are a little wider, helping cover the doors that bit better* I also had extra pieces put in at the front corners to help seal that gap between the end of the hood and the cast screen upright. *not completely happy with the door seal strips yet! the modification works but needs a few tweaks. I may try out a couple more ideas, including a half hood style securing strap at the front where the hood clips to the screen frame. The heater mods have been a little more extensive, but hugely effective. I've removed the radial type fan from the heater, and removed the front brackets. It now fits flush on the inside of the scuttle. While I've got a much more powerful radial (squirrel cage) blower on the engine bay side of the scuttle, forcing air through a cutout and into the heater. I'm currently working on an Airbox to enclose the blower and seal to the underside of the bonnet, which already has the last of the three moulded "vents" removed and replaced with mesh. The new blower is three speed job, on top speed it can shift a decent amount of air through the heater system. The heater matrix itself is plumbed into the engines cooling system via a cable operated recirculating valve. So I can adjust how much hot water gets fed in from the cockpit. This has the advantage of being able to completely turn off the hot water feed when using the roof in summer rain, yet still have good, cool airflow demisting the screen, and keeping my temp down. Because it's fresh air, rather than recirculated cabin air, it doesn't steam up the same either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Evans Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Paul Oil guage is in direct line of sight through steering wheel, Water temp gauge first left of rev counter. No issues. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meakin Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Ah I see I would have to redo my dashboard then. May look at swapping gauges around Thanks for getting back Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meakin Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Ah I see I would have to redo my dashboard then. May look at swapping gauges around Thanks for getting back Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickmaster Andy Lowe Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I bought mine with a hood and after the engine swap it allowed me to do descent mileage road tests in tarential Welsh rain in Febuary But not been used since and now won't fit with RAC bar Welcome aboard it's all down to when and what you use the car for, I might adjust mine for this winter just in case I feel the need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I'm going for a playskool rollbar anyone had a roof on one of those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welly Jen Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Ah I see I would have to redo my dashboard then. May look at swapping gauges around Thanks for getting back Paul I can see all my instruments with the passenger side of the tonnau in place. The instruments are a more standard Westfield layout. Place a straight edge across the centre of your cars cockpit and check your eye line to the left hand instruments. If you can see them under the straight edge then your OK and no dash changes would be needed. Below is a drivers eye view from my car. No tonnau cover in this, but you can see how the instruments are arranged. Just the water temperature gauge is to the left of the centre line. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 The heater matrix itself is plumbed into the engines cooling system via a cable operated recirculating valve. So I can adjust how much hot water gets fed in from the cockpit. Dave any chance of explaining exactly how you did this please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 OK, it's pretty simple really! First you need a valve, this one is very popular, (used by Caterham and a number of other kit makers). Essentially, ly, two oft he legs (the shorter ones), connect to the heater inlet and outlet pipes. The other side then connects to the engine. From memory, the curved pipe connects to the hot water outlet from the back of the head (Vauxhall XE), the other shorter pipe then connects to the inlet, down near the water pump. You can see the short peg the Belden control cable connect to on the calve part in the photo, when open, the valve directs water through into the heater pipes, when fully shut, it simply diverts it down into the T shaped pipe, where it flows back into the engine. I've used a rotary k n o b at the dashboard end of the Belden cable, but you could just use a push/pull choke style k n o b instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Thanks Dave. Just found that very valve on ebay for £42 (from Dax) - does that sound about right? Winter tinkering job methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I paid under thirty, but yes, I re member Dax being listed as one if the companies using it. Try searching for Taxi heater control valve to get the best deals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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