Car hoods direct

I've been pricing up a new roof recently as the original has shrunk slightly and side cable is looking suspect

Can anyone vouch for the quality of carhoodsdirect.co.uk

I think I want to keep it original and go for black vinyl again, assuming they honor the club discount the hood and cables should come in at under £200

Others charge much more for what appears the same thing.

I'm going on the theory that a hood is only as good as quailty of the fitment and this comes down to the fitter

Im still in 2 minds as to whether I want to tackle it myself but I do need to dye the head lining and it needs a bit of restitching and I cant do that if someone else is fitting it

Anyone else purchased from them??

1. If you have the skills go for it.
2. If you have the tools go for it.
3. If you have doubts, pm Chortle.

4. I would drop by and do it, but I do charge and I don't know how much of a discount I could get for a transatlantic flight.

If you’re not sure about the roof and headliner then pay someone proficient to do it.

Nothing worse than making a mess and having to then pay someone to do it again.

To repair the headliner you’ll need to remove the interliner and padding. Then remove the headliner which is stapled cross the rear now and fixed in carp places. So it’s back to the bare frame.


The odds of removing that in one piece aren’t high.

For the time spent faffing dying a Headliner and sewing it, particularly if it’s gone at the seams the results I’d say would well be variable.
So odds are you’d end up putting a new one in.
However you can’t fit the headliner after the hood.
No matter what other folks say.

I do this for a living and there’s only a couple places I use for my gear.
Because I know it fits and works.

I’ve tried to fit stuff other customers have supplied.
Notably BAS two headliners one too big other too small.
Rang them never got a call back.
Some hoods are just too small and you’ll spend ages trying to stretch it.
I had one down the unit for 3 days.
Had to use ratchet straps to inch it down.
Never again…
Ideally you’ll need the following

Headliner
There are different sizes and the info out there on sizes is BS.

Interliner and padding kit.
Don’t buy sponge kit.
Waste of time.

Hood you take the risk of it fitting and your ability to make it fit.
Cable wise buy a decent cable these one piece cables are copied off a stretched old one so aren’t clever.
Side tension cable wise there’s 2 different lengths.

You usually end up with wire and crimps.
Unless you know the length required your toast anyway.
I’d also check the rear window frame for rust.
Otherwise you’ll get the glass and seal out new roof on only to find you’ve nothing much left for the seal to lap onto, subsequently it’ll leak.







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I had no idea there was varying sizes in any of it.
I a Mk1 would be a Mk1 and that be the end of it

Im methodical enough that I think I could accomplish it and its a feather I'd love to have in my cap but I'm also aware that one slip and I could well have to buy the lot again.

Car hoods direct are within sensible driving distance from me and was hoping that as they are part of the mk1 OC pack discount they would be reputable

I'd like to purchase the parts (not necessarily at the same time due to cost) then make the drive to Derby

Yes,
VW. Changed the roof frame slightly 3 times, in fact later cars are actually longer.
They changed the side cable and headliner arrangements.

Not all hood covers are are suitable.

Hoods vary from suppliers and yes there is variation.
I’ve fitted hoods and they’ve gone on like a dream.
Then different supplier it’s been a fight all the way.
I’ve ripped a couple tops trying to fit them over the years.

Had to start again.





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If it was me I’d deffo strip it back and put all new gear on.
You know then it’s all good for years.



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Car hoods direct don’t fit anymore they are just supply.




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Chortle:

Replacing a hood is a RIGHT OF PASSAGE in ownershipremember when the only documentation was the Forrest Kings Word doc with no pictures.

LOLOL  I used that on my first top… Got it fitted, but oh the tricks I have learned since.

I have learned that not all rear cables are the same, and the cheaper all steel cable is too long and have had to shim them about 3/4 to an inch on both sides on the install, I have written to the suppliers that it's length is wrong, only to be re-buffed by them.  I have also had ones that while are the correct length, the plastic sheathing is too brittle and breaks in places making the install a pain.

There is no standard install only the Steps to do it, as each top is a Custom Fit… Only you and I know the issues to watch for, and I too have had to return a top to the manufacturer as it was sub-par.  I have also learned that if your shop Garage or what ever isn't up to temp, 75-80 degrees, then the vinyl isn't as forgiving…stiffer and painful to install.  Even the thin headliner at 45-50 degrees isn't a Joy…



 

Lol
I get you.
But yep it’s been a steep and expensive learning curve.
That’s why I prefer to supply and fit myself.
When you try to explain the stuff they’ve bought aren’t fit for purpose and you need to add extra days labour for carrying trying to fit stuff.
They don’t want to pay.
One guy bought all his gear off BAS  I just refused the job.
No point fighting all the way.
I’ve had cars bought to me that are a mess, stuff missing off them or bits cobbled together with all manner of stuff.
Stuff riveted down instead of stapled.
One guy riveted the headliner across the rear bow. Shattered the insert at the corner where the corner webbing straps goes.
The interliner was rotten underneath but they tapped an old curtain over the top.
The pad was shot where they’d put a heavy box on it.
The headliner was torn too the flaps that go over the bars torn out.
No gluing or sewing that back up.

Yet only wanted a new top fitting.
I did persuade them there’s was no justification in putting a new top over that lot.

In the end I redid it all headliner upwards inc rear window frame.
Totally transformed looked the car it looked amazing and he couldn’t stop smiling when he saw the car in fact he hugged the car.
He was glad he took the advice and spent the extra.




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It looked so nice after I wanted to keep the car.


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Yep suppliers don’t take criticism well.
Yet these Suppliers are not fitters.
So you’d think the feed back would help them to help us.

Yes you can buy the cables as a set, for the cost of one rear cable for me to supply.
I’ve chucked a few in the trash when the customer turns up with them.
They look at me like a mad man till I show them the difference between them and the reasons why I won’t use it.
It’s just people often go for the cheap option and don’t know the difference.


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Wow that looks incredible, makes me realise how bad mine is.
I just hope my rear window frame is good but no way of knowing that until the day comes.

I'd rather have chortle do it than anyone else its just the distance from home and if it cant be done in a day I'd be a bit stuffed

Oh, you should see:



There was more spent in Duct Tape than the price of a new kit.  They wondered why it took me 5 days to get it right, then to top it off they had a screw that was 1/2 too long on the window regulator that prevented the window from rolling up to engage the seal.. That took me a little bit to figure out…. Even went to a Wrecking yard to get a new Regulator…. (glad I kept the door pull screws from removing it.)

I suspect folks don't realize what it may look like underneath the rotted skins.

This was one of the worst I have done. The last photo was the top fully latched sitting about 1/2 inch above the "a" pillar.  Bent and Broken receivers, and eccentrics that were way off…. They told me that is the way it was when they bought it 10 years before…
 

Best Trick Ever, I learned was to Cut the Rear window out after getting the back cable installed… makes the rest so much more enjoyable as the cable is correct and enough strain and tension is removed from the top that you usually can seat the "Front frame" and be 3/4 done in no time.

I hear you brother Brian lol.
I’ve had a few of them.
Flash tape for sealing shingles round chimneys that kind of thing.

I Marvell at peoples inventiveness but they cry at the mess I got to clean up.

Some fitters I know won’t get involved in it.
They’ve rang customers up and said there’s no money it for them.
One sends them home without the rear window fitted if the old frame is rotten.

I’ve had where someone had a top fitted but no rear window because the frame was rotten.
They asked if could put a new frame in for them
No problem I said until the car turned up and the fitter had cut the webbing straps off that holds the top of the frame in place.




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Ah didnt consider that, at worst I could have it as a cabbie van until I sourced a new rear window frame if indeed mine was knackered

I dont want to jinx anything but I'd like to think as my car has only done 42k and seen very little of the elements that things should be in pretty good order