Caterham hardtop?

[ryan4888]

Hello!

 

I am curious if any of you know of a place to purchase any sort of hardtop for Caterham's/7's. Would it be difficult to have someone make me one? I would probably want it to be made of carbon fiber.

 

Linked are some examples i found from a google search.

 

 

http://thegaragista.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/jld12wm-243.jpg

 

http://thegaragista.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/jld12wm-242.jpg

[TurboWood]

It looks like those pictures are from Japan. From what I understand they are popular over there. That's probably your best bet, but I can't offer a specific source.

 

Daniel

[TheDingo8MyBaby]

They are made by ART international in Japan

 

Here's the website. I poked around a bit, but couldn't find anything there.

 

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtranslate:%2Bhttp://www.artweb.gr.jp/%26espv%3D210%26es_sm%3D93&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&u=http://www.artweb.gr.jp/index.html&usg=ALkJrhjHr4lrUW8irz81w24V_Khwn_8c_w

[Sean]

. This guy's car appears to have a lot of the stuff that ART makes or sells, like the Dymag wheels, their cf bonnet, and their catalytic converter-in-the-can silencer/exhaust system.

[scannon]

I'd like to have seen him getting into and out of the Caterham with the hardtop and the side intrusion bars.

[Jackal]

I have often thought about a hardtop for the Birkin. I'm not sure it's right for me, but then again, I'm not on the road yet.

 

I have thought about how to do it though. I was thinking about using resin on a soft top. It would have to be mohair, and able to let the resin set in though. I figured if you have a top you like the shape of and resin it, you can get the hardtop you want. This is the same technique used in building speaker boxes for custom cars. Build a frame, drape the cloth material and resin it. All that's left is to sand an paint.

[s2k7]

....ok, it's fugly

[rx7locost]

Ugly or not, I built my own hardtop. Why not? I built the car. It works great and suits me. The top flips up to enter and exit and is weight balanced with a pneumatic cylinder. Video of the top in operation can be seen on youtube.

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[Jackal]

....ok, it's fugly

 

I'd say quirky. That's the thing about these cars though isn't it? They aren't pretty cars to begin with, they certainly aren't an Alfa or an Aston.

 

They have quirky good looks to us. I like the hard tops pictured and can't help but think that there are aerodynamic advantages to the top as well.

 

 

Ugly or not, I built my own hardtop. Why not? I built the car. It works great and suits me. The top flips up to enter and exit and is weight balanced with a pneumatic cylinder. Video of the top in operation can be seen on youtube.

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Good looking top, and it seems to be super easy to use. Great work!

Edited March 21, 2014 by Jackal

[slngsht]

I'm with Skip. need to see someone get in and out. Years ago there was a drawing of a Rotus with a hard top with gull wing style doors. I don't think it was ever built. But that makes a lot of sense for a hard top 7

[slngsht]

found the image:

http://www.usa7s.com/forum/uploads/slngsht/2005-11-09_143147_wa7004e.jpg

[Kitcat]

One of the Lowcost builds a while back had a hardtop that was on tracks, so it wld glide back out of the way for egress. Pix are on this Forum somewhere.

[slngsht]

It was Paul's yellow R1 Locost I believe

[Kitcat]

I think it was Paul's dad's Lowcost (they each had one).

[slngsht]

I think it was Paul's dad's Lowcost (they each had one).

ah, yes, you're probably right.

[Jackal]

ah, yes, you're probably right.

 

 

Being unfamiliar with the members mentioned or the cars, I'd love for someone to dig up the shots for me. It sounds interesting.

 

Quick search again, did drum up this link:

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=27810&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=2013-5-31

Edited March 21, 2014 by Jackal

[slngsht]

Being unfamiliar with the members mentioned or the cars, I'd love for someone to dig up the shots for me. It sounds interesting.

 

Quick search again, did drum up this link:

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=27810&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=2013-5-31

nice, personally I think if you MUST have a hard top, gullwing style is the way to go. At least for inflexible people like me. I can't imagine anything on top of the seat when I have to get in

[snookwheel]

here's a link to one I use, no side windows, just relief from the sun. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=14472

[timax]

From a safety point of view ........how do you get out of a gullwing style hardtop in a roll over?

[subtlez28]

From a safety point of view ........how do you get out of a gullwing style hardtop in a roll over?

 

You kick out the doors or windshield action movie style!