My 170S Build

Roof

Its been mostly good weather so far but there have been a couple of occasions when I needed to get the hood on quickly. I have decided to keep the hood rolled up on top of the boot cover to make it easier to get to (I think it also helps to reduce the backdraught around my neck when driving on faster roads). Some straps that I found on Amazon (see image below) allow me to tie it safely to the roll bar. The hood bag from Soft Bits for Sevens is on my Christmas List.

I am getting quicker at installing it and finding it not too troublesome. Obviously, getting in and out with the hood up is a challenge but doable – at least for the time being. It’s probably one of corollaries of the Second Law of Thermodynamics that you only ever get stiffer and less flexible as you age, never the other way around.

One suggestion I have picked up from other owners is to use a bit of drainpipe as a ‘former’. This will help to roll the roof up whilst minimising creases (which might otherwise become permanent) in the transparent panels.

For my first attempt, I stuck some bits of sponge on the pipe to help hold the pipe in place – as it was surprisingly easy to pull it out from the middle which would be quite a hazard if it happened on a roundabout say. I have now updated the device by making use of more of my left-over poppers from the build. Two of these, pop-riveted to the drainpipe, enables me to fix the roof onto the pipe and then roll it up much more neatly.

The pipe does ‘bulk out’ the stored hood making it even better at limiting back drafts around your neck.

I was a bit surprised to notice the roof lateral straps pulling out of the fixing screws, even though they have hardly ever been used (the straps are factory-fitted). For some reason, no washers had been installed, so it was not surprising.

There are plenty of left-over washers that I was able to use to hopefully stop this in its tracks.

I have done longish drives through very heavy weather and the car remained dry internally with no noticeable leaks at all. The felt baffle that helps seal the front of the hood to the top of the screen is very effective. I didnt find any rain getting in despite several hours of driving at 60+ mph. The baffle is damp, but that is evidence that it is doing its job.

[I have subsequently bought a half hood as an option for times when it is not completely pouring]

Heater

With some colder weather appearing, I am starting to experiment with the heater. What is clear to me is that the under-dash knob is not really a control. Its either on or off. The way to control the heat is with the flaps on the louvre that distributes the air.

I drove for a couple of hours on a sunny 10 degrees day and was fine (with heater on). And I know that if neccessary, I can put on the half hood which will retain a lot more of the heat and thus be comfortable in colder weather. How cold, I have yet to discover.

My rules of thumb are:

• Looks like rain and I am driving: half hood
• Looks like rain and I am parked up for more than 30 mins: full hood
• Looks like rain and I am parked up for more than 30 mins and its windy: full hood and point car into the wind if possible
• Above 15 degrees: yippee.
• Above 15 degrees and sunny: yippee and sunglasses and sunblock
• Above 10 degrees: yippee. Might need the heater on.
• Between 5 and 10 degrees: still fun. Doable with roof off but with coat, wooly hat and gloves. Heater on. Plan journey times around sun position to avoid blinding dazzle. See below regarding spray
• Below 5 degrees: still fun. half hood but with coat, wooly hat and gloves. Heater on. Plan journey times around sun position to avoid blinding dazzle.

Spray and wipers

I have changed out my Caterham wipers for something a bit more substantial. I have also put some Rain X on the screen which means I dont need to use the wipers if I am travelling at more than about 40 mph.

I had one memorable journey in January where it was warm enough to have the roof off. It was one of those dank days where, even though its not actually raining, you are for ever doing a quick wash/wipe to clear the windscreen of the dirty spray that comes off the never-drying roads in winter. What I hadnt anticipated, was that this dirty spray would be carried around the windscreen by the turbulent air and that the inside face of the windscreen would also become dirty. I ended up having to stop to clean the inside of the screen. So under those conditions, the half hood might be the best way to go.