which hood to choose

[FrenchStag]

Good morning. I have seen a lot of posts about who makes the best hoods. Is there one maker that really stands out, given they are not cheap.

Also, when trimming the frame with material before putting the new hood on, do I need to cover all the individual hoop bars with fabric or just the header and rear rails.

For information I was able to find 25mm half moon EPDM rubber foam for the header rail cushion online from a building supplier for a lot cheaper than the specialist pricing.

Thank you

Simon

[Wheelz]

You will get various opinions about which hood cover is best. In my experience of fitting many different hoods, Aldridge Trimming are of superb quality, and they always fit nicely. I have tried most alternatives, and none fit as well, and some are not of the best quality IMO. In one case, I tried to fit a cover sourced from a well known major Classic car parts supplier, and it was nowhere near a correct fit, and had to be returned for a refund.

A useful tip is to buy from James Paddock as they usually stock some colours of Aldridge covers.

The mohair coverings are only applied to the header and rear rails. NB You will probably need to replace the half-round foam strip on the front rail as it is usually rotten. TIP: You can use black vinyl cloth instead of mohair covering, fixed with high temperature heavy duty spray adhesive.

Rubber seals can be purchased at good prices from COH Baines. coh-baines.co.uk

[FrenchStag]

Thank you Chris

[alan_thomas]

If you do buy an Aldridge hood buy it direct and get the club 10% discount.

[Goldstar]

A lot of members have had good experience of the hoods Jim van Gent does (SE Trimming). He advertises in the club mag

[richardthestag]

Jim from SE trimming fitted my hood decades ago. very happy customer

[Goldstar]

Nice trip over from France in the summer - not much more than a cover from Aldridge that you’ll have to fit or have fitted.

[Hughesy]

I have fitted two different hoods from different makers, one from a major Stag parts supplier and the other from Aldridge after doing some thorough research after not being happy with the first one. The first one's rear window was heavily wriggled with vertical waves which could not be removed. The cloth perimeter of the window was able to be stretched tight but the clear window itself which sits below the cloth perimeter was just too large. Conversely, the Aldridge hood fitted perfectly with the rear window drum tight. Do a google search on photos of Stag hoods and you will quickly see the issue I am mentioning. A photo of the Aldridge hood is attached.

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[FrenchStag]

Thank you for your advice. The choice looks clear.