Keeping your hood cover (car cape) on

[TheBard]

I've been using a WillB car cape since I bought my Elan, and it does a stunning job at keeping the water/sun/dust out of my car when I park it up overnight. I treat it with a waterproofer every now and again, and it is wearing well.

However, I've noticed that as they've aged the suction cups don't hold on as well as they used to especially when it is very cold, or very windy.

The creative and devastatingly simple answer was provided by Laura, my wife who had encouraged me to buy the Elan in the first place, who made the brilliant suggestion... "magnets would hold it down"

These are Grade N42 Red Plastic disc (1/2" x 1/4", 5lb pull) magnets from www.kjmagnetics.com and by placing one inside the car, and the other on the cover, I can fasten it down securely and it holds up very well to heavy wind! A pair in each corner for a regular overnight, and 4 pairs spread across the rear for extended stays.



Thought I'd share this amazingly simple and effective solution, and say "thanks" to Laura via LEC.

[Paul.P]

Great idea Ian !, & by the way, i think Will can provide new suckers if required.

[Enright]

That IS a good idea.

I had also come back to my car a few times to find the back end of the cape had lifted and flipped over the windscreen.
It's more of an issue if the car is a bit dirty (hey, it can't be spotless ALL the time!) but those plastic suckers do deteriorate with age.

A neighbour gave me a couple of rings that he'd cut out of an old inner-tube. I squeezed them through the rear corner holes of the cover (the suckers still fit back through the holes), then used a couple of bungee cords linked into the spokes of the rear wheels. Never had a problem since.

Oh, and the slight rubbing on the bodywork hasn't caused a problem either.

[Paul.P]

The only problem ive had with Wills cape, is it shrinks a lot when dry, so if you put on when wet & then it drys out, it can shrink that much it pulls the suckers off, does everyone have this problem ?

[Sy V]

No... it's just you.

[Enright]

Paul, did you get a special early one made out of wooly underpants that shrinks in the wash?

I've found that mine is a bit of a pain to fit when it's wet, because it clings to the surface while you're trying to get it into position (what fun when you're being lashed by the wind & rain), but by the time it dries it has settled into place nicely.

[Paul.P]

Emmm , so its just me then, perhaps i should have a word with the supplier then

[dapinky]

Emmm , so its just me then, perhaps i should have a word with the supplier then

Nope - it aint just you - I thought it was just me!

[Paul.P]

Emmm , so its just me then, perhaps i should have a word with the supplier then

Nope - it aint just you - I thought it was just me!

Thank god for that !
Ive spoke to Will & he reckons to reproof it, as it might be the fact its absorbing water thats making it expand so much, makes sense, any idea what to use to reproof it Dave, Neil suggested Fabsil ?

[dapinky]

Fabsil should be good for it - tell you what, you try it, and if it works, I'll have a go

[Paul.P]

Fabsil should be good for it - tell you what, you try it, and if it works, I'll have a go

I'll let you know mate

[Dave Eds]

Try ScotchGuard

It'll also keep the Murph's off :-D

[WillB]

Fabsil, that was the name I was struggling to remember!

[The Ref]

Try ScotchGuard

It'll also keep the Murph's off :-D

I Think Scotchguard has been taken of the market; i remember a rep saying that someone had killed themselves by using it in doors. The water reproof stuff you can use on tents should do the trick. try this link.

Billy

http://www.hi-peakleisure.co.uk/~sa_web ... ?page=1235

[surfboardfiller]

My hood cover shrinks quite a bit too when it dries out, I find the best thing to stop the hood coming off in the wind is to put it in the boot. I live on an old railway and when the wind comes down the line it's very strong.

[londoner]

Reviving this old thread. And it's a bit OT as well.

I'm stranded in London basically, relying basically on public transport. But where can I find fabsil?

TIA

[Enright]

I found it in a local camping shop.

[tweetdriver63]

Not to take anything away from WillB's showercape, but this problem doesn't exist with the one I got from moto-build. The big burley elastic strap at the back just goes around the spoiler (specially great on a fed car). It doesn't actually have the undercar strap shown in the picture, and I added short elastic straps with suckers on them at that spot on each side, just for a little added security, and to keep the edge lower than the upper edge of the door, so no water can get in at the bottom of the windows.