Finished the DIY boot hood (vers 00003) .
Methodology and Cost
For this to work one needs a 70 mm floatee from Para Rubber Co, 1/2 meter of
soft cotton fabric, a couple of pieces of vinyl, a piece of terry towel or
protective padding (Most Car trimmers have a product suitable) and some velcro.
Floatee 7.95
Cotton fabric 5.00
Vinyl 10.00
terry towel or padding 8.00
Velcro 5.00
Total $35.95
Add about 35-40 bucks if you use a car trimmer to cut and sew it for you.
Trim the floatee to be just wider than the plastic rear window
Cover in cotton material and stitch it up (needle and thread. The old fashioned
way. Wives are good at this
Sew the protective padding one of piece of vinyl (vinyl 1)
Sew the other piece of vinyl onto vinyl 1 . (Vinyl 2)
Stitch a piece of Velcro to the edge of vinyl 2
On the front of the hood (where it meets the windshield you will find a flat
piece of metal with about 6 or so screw heads in it . Place velcro in between
these screw heads (you need to cut the width of the velcro in half so it fits
below the level of the screw heads) Clean this rail well so the velcro sticks
to it.
Use of DIY 003
Push the cover as far back as it will go on the flat deck behind the seats.
Unclip the hood
Hold the covered floatee horizontally in the centre of the rear window and
partially drop the hood and fold the padded bit of vinyl (vinyl 1) towards the
rear to cover the exposed plastic window part then drop the hood completely.
Your rear window does not need unzipping as it folds neatly over the 70 mm
floatee without any wrinkles , bends etc.
Now take hold of Vinyl 2 and place the velcroed (if there is such a word) edge
onto the velcro on the metal part of the hood .
You now have your rear window encased in protective covering and the underside
of the hood protected from the UV. It is a damn site easier to instal than the
commercial hood covers.
The only exposed parts in the hood mechanism but I doubt if the sun will effect
that.
The weight of the hood keeps all components in place. It survived a nor wester
this morning alright. If you are doubtful you could use some surplus velcro to
attach it to the deck at the back.
It does not utilise the domes immediately behind the seats so my DIY windblocker
001 can be used still.
When the hood is up I keep the floatee wrapped up in the DIY 003 and leave on
the shelf behind the seats so it doesn't take up valuable boot space.
When I get around to it I will take some pictures and some kind soul might like
to place them on the net.
It looks neat and tidy. I would have to say that eh ?
And it cost damnall.
--
Col
Col's law
* Thinly sliced cabbage *
