Hello all,

I have a hankering to install a hard top to my Kyote, and have approached East Coast Buggies for dimensions of their offering to see if with a little fettling it could be made to fit.
I know he is very busy, so while I'm waiting for a reply (it's been a few days since my enquiry) does anyone have one themselves that could give me dimensions of the top part?

My other thought is to visit an acrylic fabricator not too far away and see what they can do, but would a 5mm? thick tinted green hard top pose any particular problems, as I'm not too familiar with using that material over large areas on a moving vehicle?



Cheers

Hugh the 2nd

I'm really interested in the outcome of this as i want a hard top for my Kyote as well. FF buggies do a hard top for a LWB but i'd imagine it'll take some fettling to fit the Kyote.

I've seen photos of that one but I really wanted something much more open.

If I can get the right answers about using perspex/acrylic I may go that route anyway
I'm concerned about it shattering under wind pressure, although I can put stiffeners in to stop it flexing too much.

Cheers

Hugh the 2nd

My own 2 cents . . .

We use 6mm acrylic sheet on a greenhouse - and that can still shatter quite spectacularly if hit with a ball

No way would I use it on a car

Thank you Dave, that resolves that

Cheers

Hugh the 2nd

Why a hardtop? Have you considered a bikini soft top, gives most of the benefits of a hardtop, shade and rain protection, with the benefit of easy removal and storage in the buggy so you have the choice of wearing it or not. Can't do that with a hardtop

And a well designed soft top rolls up to go in the back of the Buggy wherever you may be -

Mine has zip out side panels and is nice and dry inside too 

Forget acrylic and like materials. Very brittle. Spent thirteen years working in a PETG process plant.

PETG is a clear thermoplastic polyester. Has extreme clarity and light transmission. High gloss surface finish and highly impact resistant.

You would need between 250 to 290 degrees centigrade to "melt it". (Not so high for forming).

Forming "plastics" is fairly easy with small sheets that fit in an oven or using a hot air gun. However  large sizes would need a fabricator. I would be surprised if your local guy could not help as long as he has the facility for the overall sheet size.

PETG is readily available.. 

Soft top is a nice idea, but I was looking for something a little more durable, which is why I was looking at East Coast's offering.

PETG sounds interesting, and the company I was looking to approach (NE Plastics in Dartford) work in it.
I may give them a ring tomorrow, although I would prefer a tinted or coloured top to a clear one otherwise it could get a bit hot inside.

I was also considering a patterned aluminium sheet fastened to the windscreen and roll bar, and would probably only need to 3 or 4mm thickness, and maybe some bars at the edge to support the weight.

Cheers

Hugh the 2nd

' I was also considering a patterned aluminium sheet fastened to the windscreen and roll bar, and would probably only need to 3 or 4mm thickness...'

Sounds fine but make sure you have some edge rigidity or slight curve to the edges to reduce/avoid finding you have a musical diaphragm above your head once you hit 40mph.

Why not have a chat with Roadrunner ( he makes these) and buy yourself an angle grinder to make it fit   

I used 6mm perspex for these with an aluminium channel around it then for Snoopy 3  for the hardtop doors I used 4mm plexiglass screwed onto a 1/2 inch marine ply sheet with a window cut out then used lift off hinges on the screen frame.
Was thinking of doing a hardtop by building a plug on a buggy using a wooden sheet then forming the sides and rear then glass matting over it with a few layers to make a top but thinking is as far as I got.

Am I right in thinking that Plexiglass is still permitted for side windows, or has that been outlawed now?   

It is ok for side windows and the kango rear is now plexiglass it cannot be used for windscreens as it scratches easily.
Any car with a 17 digit VIN from the 80's onwards is type approved so fitting plexiglass sides would change it from original specification and thus render the certificate invalid but so would any other changes to the vehicle so strictly enforced modding of newer cars is out unless parts are type approved and certified as in most of mainland Europe.

' I was also considering a patterned aluminium sheet fastened to the windscreen and roll bar, and would probably only need to 3 or 4mm thickness...'

Sounds fine but make sure you have some edge rigidity or slight curve to the edges to reduce/avoid finding you have a musical diaphragm above your head once you hit 40mph.

Good point; I don't need a drumming roof as I make progress

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Why not have a chat with Roadrunner ( he makes these) and buy yourself an angle grinder to make it fit   

Sorry but I've already discounted that roof as it would take too much hacking to fit my body shape.

This is an interesting discussion and I hope it leads to some fabrication ideas that others can make use of 

Cheers

Hugh the 2nd