Hood swap

[jon_wilkinson]

Bit of a long shot but here goes: Is there anyone with a SWB Roadster with good condition black hood and sidescreens who would be willing to swap for a set of almost as new tan colour factory items?

The reason for the "almost" is the hood has previously been test fitted to an unfinished kit and Tenax fasteners added at the rear. The sidescreens are unused. I bought them intending to use them on mine but don't think the colour is right with the pale blue of my car. Would look good with green or red.

If you're interested, please message me.

[martinclan56]

I am afraid i don't have a good condition black hood (I have a very bad condition black hood) but if you ever want to sell the tan hood I'd like first refusal :-).
Cheers, Robin

[jon_wilkinson]

Noted, Robin. If I don't get any takers I'll be using them as patterns to have some made up. Not high on the priority list so likely to be a while but I'll send you a PM when done.

[martinclan56]

Thank you. My rebuild has a long way to go yet so no immediate hurry....
Cheers Robin

[C_Bogue]

Have you thought about dyeing your hood and side screens? I am pretty certain that it is more than possible and I seem to remember an episode of Car SOS, where Tim Shaw did just that and I also remember Mike Brewer and Edd China on an episode of Wheeler Dealers doing the same with an interior, which they took from tan to black.
Just a thought!
Chris

[jon_wilkinson]

I did look into it, Chris, as I've used Renovo on two previous hoods to restore them to black. However, everything I've read on the internet suggests you're only painting on a surface layer rather than properly dying the fabric. Given that others might have done it I'll have to do some more investigating. Thanks.

[FranklinLeicester]

I tried Renovo but I think it’s expensive and ineffective. I use Carbusonic CFB 511 Canvas Black Dye, £22 per litre. I bought some 5 years ago and have done my LWB hood and tonneau twice and still about half of it left. Easy to brush on, looks better, dries quickly and lasts better than Renovo.

[jon_wilkinson]

Good to know, thanks.

[martinclan56]

Still interested if you decide to sell it....
Cheers Robin

[jon_wilkinson]

Still interested if you decide to sell it....
Cheers Robin

Don't worry, not forgotten . Just not got round to sorting a new one.

[yellowbelly]

I bought a beige lwb roadster last year; it came with a beige hood which was more or less usable but had a few issues. The windows were scratched, there was a lot of staining, and the fabric had developed some strange blisters, presumably as a result of being incorrectly stored at some point in the last thirty years.

The windows polished well with T cut, but the staining wouldn't come out, and my best efforts with the steam iron didn't fully sort the blisters.

I decided to try to save it by colouring it dark brown - the beige/beige colour scheme was a bit pallid anyway. I used Carbusonic fabric paint as above, and their waterproofer too, at a cost of just over forty pounds. It is not perfect, but much improved - even those blisters are less obvious in the darker colour.

I don't know how long it will last, but it is was definitely worth a try, the alternative being to commission a new hood at £??.

As a bonus, the beige/brown colour combination looks quite refined. Describing any roadster as elegant may be a bit over the top, but to my eye it is vaguely reminiscent of a thirties Hollywood film star car, although I accept that not everyone will see it that way...