PizzaOvenKing Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Hi, I know this has been talked to death... and to be honest I won't be making my decision until I see some in the flesh, but, half hoods. I have heard of SBFS and even noticed they give a discount for club members, where are they based? If you wanted to take your car to them they say they will help fit hoods, I could also look at luggage and other things (shower caps). There is another company that keeps being mentioned Oxted or something like that? Where are they based? I think I would like a mohair half hood. How do I know if I have a Series 5, SV or series 3 or something else? I think SV means wider chassis in which case it isn't that. Also what are hood sticks? Thanks all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyCoulson Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Here is the SBFS website The series 5 is the SV. I've got a lot of their products and found them to excellent and very helpful. I've taken my car there and they have measured up and fitted when available. Oxted also have a good reputation but I've never used them and are based in Oxted. You have a series 3 going by your picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ads7 Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 You have an s3 chassis. Hood sticks are sticks that fold out from the boot area to support the full hood so is doesn't sag. If you have a FIA roll bar the sticks become useless as the roll bar sits higher than the standard caterham roll bar so the sticks become useless. I'm getting my self a half hood soon as they are just better lol. They look pretty cool when up and do as good job keeping the weather out. They are also a lot easier to get up in a hurry. Adam Edited by - Ads7 on 5 Aug 2012 15:06:54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 I ditched my hood sticks and got a low-profile boot cover from SoftBits. Have always used their half hood. Fits in seconds. Doesn't make inside of car steam up like a full hood. Top bit of kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIM 5O Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 as SM25T says half hood top bit of kit they even do an easy entry model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyCoulson Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting Stationary M25 Traveller: I ditched my hood sticks and got a low-profile boot cover from SoftBits. here is mine before and after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Recent convert to a half hood here & yes it's great I feel they are a bit expensive for what they are so it helped that mine was a bargain from the club for sale section. I have a black car but the hood is white & I think it looks really distinctive. I have left the hood sticks in as I still like to have the option of the full hood for monsoon weather. Also great for keeping strong sun off your head & with mine being white it's like sitting in a fast noisy conservatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannonball Bob Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 If it's raining hard enough to need any kind of hood, it's raining hard enough to need a full hood. And because negative feedback of SBFS isn't allowed ( ) I'm afraid I can't comment on service. Edited by - Cannonball Bob on 5 Aug 2012 16:05:16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting Cannonball Bob: If it's raining hard enough to need any kind of hood, it's raining hard enough to need a full hood.I'm afraid I don't follow the logic of that assertion. It seems to suggest that what you need for a heavy shower on the Cornish coastal path is the same as for a monsoon on Kinder Scout. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Half hoods are brilliant, quick and easy to put up or down, keeps you dry in pretty much all conditions. Simply leave it connected and rolled up in the boot - then simply pull out and clip to the screen in a minute. Full hood works slightly better but is too much of a faff to bother with IMO, haven't used mine in ages - except if leaving it parked in a public place overnight in the rain (but even then the shower cap is usually my first choice!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Agree 100%, Steve. Although I suppose the standard hood would be easier to live with if it were made from the same cloth-type material as the half-hood. Two things put me off the standard item very early in my 7 career: the inflexible material (especially when cold) and the fiddly velcro fastening around the upper hoodstick. I've had an SBFS half-hood for over 12 years now, and I'm very happy with it. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannonball Bob Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting John Vine: Quoting Cannonball Bob: If it's raining hard enough to need any kind of hood, it's raining hard enough to need a full hood.I'm afraid I don't follow the logic of that assertion. It seems to suggest that what you need for a heavy shower on the Cornish coastal path is the same as for a monsoon on Kinder Scout. JV It isn't the falling rain that's the problem usually, it's the standing water left behind as a result which causes as many issues, that and the spray that gets sucked in through the open rear of a half hood. A light shower of the half hood variety just isn't worth stopping for, and hence nor is the half hood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeman Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Like so many people in this club I think the Halfhood is a fantastic piece of kit, and shares 1st place as the best 7 upgrade there is, with a Starcom. Jo and I have never got wet using a half hood and I would happily sell my full hood if I thought anyone was daft enough to buy it. Be lucky!! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannonball Bob Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Must just be me that drives so fast I create a vacuum so immense behind the screen that it sucks the world's supply of rain in to the car. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting Cannonball Bob: Must just be me that drives so fast I create a vacuum so immense behind the screen that it sucks the world's supply of rain in to the car. 😬 😬 😬 JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Not just you Bob, I recently had to drive on the M20 from the channel tunnel with the half hood on & ran into the Mother of thunder storms Huge amounts of standing water. Pretty much everyone slowed to a sensible speed but I got soaked & so did my brand new Euro road atlas which turned to pulp Be warned 🙅🏻♂️ there is a limit as to what a HH can cope with. Lots of interesting cars were returning from lemans, most notable was a modern 911 that ended up on it's roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyCoulson Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting weeman: Like so many people in this club I think the Halfhood is a fantastic piece of kit, and shares 1st place as the best 7 upgrade there is, with a Starcom. Jo and I have never got wet using a half hood and I would happily sell my full hood if I thought anyone was daft enough to buy it. Be lucky!! MartinDitto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy couchman Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Was the 911 on the A34? If so, believe driver was very badly injured. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin J Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting andy couchman: Was the 911 on the A34? If so, believe driver was very badly injured. Andy Different accident...this one was on the M20. When I passed it was being winched onto a recovery truck. It's roof was stoved in. ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Quoting Cannonball Bob: Must just be me that drives so fast I create a vacuum so immense behind the screen that it sucks the world's supply of rain in to the car. 😬 No you're not, the wet air does get drawn in a bit if you are going quickly, but if you sit as far forward as I do it doesn't get you wet 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Another for the Half Hood We've driven in torrential and works a treat. Works well with the rear draft excluder as well to keep a lot of the rain out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burwell7man Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Used my SBFS HH today and Friday for the first time. BL***y brilliant , even SWMBO agreed as we have suffered loads of fogging and fumes in the old series 2 . Up in seconds and dry seats after cloud burst in pub car park. Get one and be happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Cadet Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Another vote of support for SBFS and customer service for me has been top notch. My car is yellow with a green stripe and they made me a fantastic yellow top with a green stripe to match - very cool looking and this will keep out the rain (like today) even if heavy and if combined with the SBFS draught excluder between the seats, the rain is not sucked back in from behind-SORTED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian B Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 I had one of the first (now called "Classic"?) batch of SBFS half-hoods in 2005 and haven't used the original full hood since. (Not sure where JV got his SBFS one from 12 years ago 😳 ) I drive the seven in all weathers and keep it rolled up on top of the boot cover and attached to the rear straps. Can deploy it in 20 seconds if out of the car If leaving it parked up, or expecting torrential rain, I have a 99p mesh "sun shade" from Lidl that simply slides under the rear straps and tucks under the back of the HH. No problems at all in really haevy rain (so bad that we've had to stop as the wipers couldn't cope ). I've had excellent service from SBFS as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliW Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 I use both half and full hoods depending on how heavy the rain is. Full hood has its place IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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