A New Hood for my Chariot

 

A New Hood for my Chariot

 

I remember the film which featured Charlton Heston as El Cid and his untimely death at the end of the movie driving his chariot towards the Moors in an epic scene. Fortunately my El Cid has not died yet and has been given a face lift with a new soft top. It has undergone a transformation with different fittings and means of attachments to make it more usable, quieter and faster than before. It was a job that had to be done. I could no longer see clearly out of any of the vinyl windows making driving difficult at night and when raining. I searched for quotes and visited a number of manufacturers. I needed a personal approach, just replacing like for like was not the solution I was looking for. I wanted things differently. There was a year of searching and at  the 2CV National in 2022 I was introduced to “Coops” who was working on a tonneau cover and would be able to do it after he had finished another job. Success a major step forward and the beginning of a good friendship. About a year passed before it finally got going with delays in having work to be done on the industrial sewing machine, ill heath that plagued us both through 2023, but in 2024 things got moving. I had already ordered the acrylic canvas and clear vinyl plus turn buttons, thread, velcro and press studs and were delivered with the car. Autumn and winter were very wet in 2023 and I was pleased the El Cid was warm and dry in Coops garage.

During 2024 there planned visits to progress the project. Coops had made a start with the cab section with a general shape fitting the luff tape and velcro to attach the rear section. The main central section needed most work and zips and windows had to be somehow sewn in. With the help on “Point North” supplier of nearly all materials I was introduced to Sailrite a You tube site specialising in marine covers and sails showing every technique needed. We poured over videos until finding the most suitable. The most used one Installing a zipper 102  hhtps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVpsV8RlY3Y closely followed by installing a fully dressed curved zipper  https //www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVdMQer1vaUhttps and how to install a window. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF7i-iAgzZc.  Following the instructions of using 6 mm double sided tape proved the most valuable being able to hold the composite parts together for sewing with no pining. In the process we decided upon using binding tape provide the basic support for every installation. Care at every stage with measuring, marking out and checking before cutting. Coops had a nifty tool that would attach “U” shaped staples over the material to make a hem for stitching. Cutting the acrylic canvas was easy to do with scissors or knife and for an outside edge a hot knife was best sealing the cut and stopped fraying.

On the rear part the first stage was locating the fabric by attaching the 50mm wide velcro at the join with the cab section and marking everything out from that point followed by windows and zips. When each side had been done turn buttons were fitted as another location point. Once the sides had all the sewing completed it was time to work on the back. As it turned out it had to be fabricated in sections. To get it right a template was needed to stretch the canvas and clear vinyl to remove all the wrinkles. Coops had a supply of 10mm plywood, ideal for this purpose. To make a taught hood securing tubes were stitched in on the roof and tops of the sides making a very unflappable structure completed with press studs and eyelets for the bungee straps and clear straps to tie up the windows along the sides and at the rear.

The cab section needed securing tubes and weather flaps and press studs to complete the hood in time for Registers Day in May but not the sidescreens for the door. The weather over that weekend tested the weatherproof capabilities and there were no leaks. A bonus for the construction method. I was well pleased with that. Coops had done a meticulous job in ensuring all threads were tied off and flame sealed but the next stage would be just as challenging.

 I had made the sidescreen frames copying the original construction, fitting them closely as I could to the opening. It is a three dimensional frame a shape that conflicts with sewing on a machine. Construction on the inside was again sectional sewing in panels to hold a portion of the frame before moving on to the next one until the whole frame was covered both sides with a window and zip. New hinges were fitted and securing straps on the back edge to hold the screen in place. All of which held together very well with no flapping even at speed, testament to the workmanship of Coops to achieve exactly what I wanted.