Half Hood Vs Full Hood

[Vogalogue]

Morning all!

I tried searching but couldn't find a  similar thread....

I have a "Full hood" on my westie, it seems to do the job in keeping most of the wet out, but is a pain to put on, makes me melt if it is on and I'm inside, and causes the non heated screen to steam up hugely.

I've acquired and RAC roll bar, and this makes hood fitting a pain on my ;'95 SEiW. I don't really want to just delete the middle bar, so need to look into engineering another solution. Yesterday I noticed that the front plastic channel that clips on the top of the windscreen is also broken, not an uncommon issues form what I heard, but its going to cost something like £70, and refitting it (looks bonded?)

A half hood would mean I could ditch the frame, and have a nice compact lightweight solution.

I was interested in the experienced of anyone who has changed form a Westfield "Full" hood to the Soft bits half hood?

Does it work well when moving and parked?
How much water comes in the back? My Westfield is a  "comfy one" with carpets, it would be better if they didn't get drenched regularly, that said I try not to be out in the rain, but might get caught, or have it parked with the hood up/on.

Any other observations from migrating between the two?

Any other considerations I should take, as mine is a "kit style" body, not ZK

Thanks!

[Alan France]

Good question. I have an FW just through IVA and I’m also trying to decide between half and full hood. I also have the RAC bar. Also trying to decide if I need side screens or wind deflectors and half door. I’d like to keep at least some of water off the carpets.

[BugMan]

Soft Bits for Sevens is the place to go

https://www.softbitsshop.co.uk/westfield-50-c.asp

 

[Alan France]

16 minutes ago, BugMan said:

Soft Bits for Sevens is the place to go

https://www.softbitsshop.co.uk/westfield-50-c.asp

 

So with nothing at present what should I choose?

 Half hood with half doors and wind deflectors?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Half Hoods are very good, if getting in is tricky with a full hood, SBfS offer the Easy In option, of a zip up opening in the hood, so you can climb in and out, much more like normal.

With side screens on, and a way of attaching the hood to at least the top rear corner of the sidescreens, you stay remarkably dry and toasty inside, even in heavy rain in the depths of winter!

Mind you, if the wind catches you right when you're moving slow, you can get a small amount of spray blown in over your shoulders, or from behind, but this is unusual. The boot box does need a lid or tonneau cover though, or you'll quickly acquire a portable aquarium whilst stopped at traffic lights etc.

One point though, and I'm not sure how it affects the Easy In's, is that most find they need to make a pair of roof supports - typically just a pair of rails that sit on the top of the windscreen at the front, and the RAC roll bar at the back. Without these, half hoods can have a tendency to flap at speed and hit your head. Amusing at first, but on a long run, gets quite uncomfortable, fast.

As for when parked up. You really need a shower cap type product of some sort, the half hood on it's own is not sufficient to keep rain out from all directions.

[Alan France]

So side screens, rather than half doors?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

2 minutes ago, Alan France, Route66 - Shows & Events Coordinator said:

So with nothing at present what should I choose?

 Half hood with half doors and wind deflectors?

Some like it. some prefer full side screens. It's very much a personal taste thing.

[Alan France]

I guess what concerns me is the number of cars in Westfield World with side screens versus not so many with half doors.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Just now, Alan France, Route66 - Shows & Events Coordinator said:

So side screens, rather than half doors?

Can't answer that one for you I'm afraid, as in the previous answer, there's no right or wrong way of doing it. Some like either solution, others just don't get on with one, but are fine with the other, if you see what I mean.

Do bear in mind though, that wind deflectors and half doors will do a really great job of keeping the bad drafts away from you at speed, even deflecting a lot of rain or spray, at speed.

But they offer zero protection from the sides when you slow down enough and for anything much bigger than heavy rain.

But the deflectors do offer a fantastic "open/exposed" driving experience without all the buffeting at speed.

[Rhett Turner - Black Country AO]

I can't fully comment on the direct difference between half and full hood but can comment on the half hood, as it's all I've got and I've no intention of getting a full hood.

I've used the half hood in a variety of weather conditions and it's been excellent. I've used it with both wind deflectors and doors, while it offers good protection with wind deflectors it won't keep you fully dry with my right side slowly getting damp. Generally when I've used it like this it been as an emergency so to a degree I've been a little damp to start as I've had to put it up in the rain but at least it's very quick to put on and in general it's always with me. When used with doors it does a good job of keeping the rain out in the very wettest of conditions you can feel some dampness around the neck area but nothing to bad and having the back open does keep air flowing through the cabin.

I used it last while traveling 60 miles or so on a very wet Sunday to travel up to Outlon Park for the gold cup with no problems at all both my passenger and I were fine and arrived dry and warm (with the half hood and doors on the heater is far more effective in keeping the cabin hot) what I realize now is that the open rear may not be an issue when moving but it can be when stationary, depending on the wind direction. so I now need to get a shower cap.

The half hood and quite often doors are also very useful when travelling long distances at high speed on motorways or dual carriageways,  as they stop the buffeting, turning what can be quite a trying journey in to one that's no bother at all.    

[Alan Cutler (Adge) - Dorset AO]

I went for sidescreens and SBFS half hood, complete with easy in (grandad ) zips, complete with a its own bag. Very pleased, quick to put on, effective in heavy rain, with advantage that if rain stops you can just unzip, end drive on with a targa top!

Does draw a bit of moisture in from the rear, on the move, but not uncomfortable. I've got full carpets, and on a recent 3 day outing in heavy rain and occasional drizzle, we stayed dry, and carpets survived well. Just a bit damp behind seats in each rear corner. Soon dried home in the garage.

I use a Walker St Claire cockpit cover whenever I park up, particularly effective over the half hood.

Havent had any problem with the hood flapping onto my head, mind you my 250 has a taller windscreen.

You can see the grandad zips here:-

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Half Hoods are fantastic for touring, it's true. I often take both types of hood with me! But the half hood works well with luggage strapped on the back of the car where a (standard) full hood doesn't. In addition, if you are fully loaded and just need to clock the miles up on the motorway, dual carriageway etc, then the Half Hoods are brilliant - even in the dry, (they were actually developed originally for hot weather/hot country touring, to keep intense sun off you while driving with no cover/shade! 

But as Rhett said, with a fully loaded car on the motorway, they keep all the turbulence out and stop all your kit blowing around and flapping like crazy. 

[Rory's Dad]

+1 for SB47s half hood. They need a measurement between the top of the. windscreen and the bar so it fits good and tight. The quadrant zip is the killer app - I could not possibly get in under a hood but getting in and out vertically is perfect. 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

1 minute ago, AdgeC said:

Havent had any problem with the hood flapping onto my head, mind you my 250 has a taller windscreen.

As long as you can get reasonable tension on the hood, (nothing excessive, just reasonable), I doubt with the much taller MSA roll bar and the higher windscreen and sidescreens, that roof bars would actually be needed, for all but the most bizarely tall

 

[Homer]

I’ve just been through the same thought process and went for SBFS half hood with full doors.  Not tried it out in the wet yet but looks good. I went for the easy access option too as the idea of climbing in with the roof in place wasn’t appealing. I also got a SBFS shower cap for the car at the same time which fits easily into the boot.  All seems very well made.