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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6316 Posts |
 Posted - 23/07/2024 : 14:36:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Blue M
When you look at period photos the hood material looks thin and wrinkly. Tent canvas?
When I was going through my notes in order to respond to Ian Bowers's question I noticed that I’d recorded a comment from Mike Collingburn to the effect that hoods were sometimes just a single layer of canvas with no rubber lining. Mike Allison said much the same when I was picking his brains for my article. However, references to the hood in the M.G. publicity material refer to black rubberised twill.
You can see that the hood of the car beside my J2 isn’t exactly made to the standard we expect today!
Simon J
J3437 |
Edited by - Simon Johnston on 23/07/2024 14:39:56 |
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johnmereness
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - 23/07/2024 : 20:09:19
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american made stayfast
JMM |
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Bruce Sutherland
United Kingdom
1588 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2024 : 14:15:57
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A further attempt to understand the differences for hood fabrics - courtesy of Woolies-trim and Haartz Corporation:
https://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-78-hoodings
1) Single Thickness Duck Material. Black.
Not Waterproof, not for actual hooding.
183cm (72") wide.
This is the same material used to make Double Duck but just a single layer with no rubber backing.
Use to cover hood bars or ancillary parts, much more flexible than Double Duck.
Will fade with time.
2) Heavy Double Duck Hooding. Black.
178cm (69") wide.
Two layers of black cotton sandwiching a black rubber waterproof layer.
Comparable to pre-war quality duck.
Will fade with time.
Shrinkage likely to be around 2% - please make allowance when fitting.
3) Wigan Weave Double Duck hooding.
178-183cm (70-72") wide.
Finer weave and generally lighter weight than heavy double duck.
Black only.
4) Haartz Stayfast – https://www.haartz.com/products/stayfast
Formerly specified over many decades for OE applications Stayfast is our standard replacement topping and has an acrylic square weave facing, rubber inner-layer, and cotton backing
Material Type - Fabric Laminate
Facing - Woven Solution-dyed Acrylic
Inner-Layer - Butyl Rubber
Backing - Cotton Drill
Standard Width(s) - 1.52m (60")
Thickness - 1.0mm
Application - Convertible Topping
Processing - Cut & Sew
Bruce. (PB0564) |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6316 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2024 : 18:21:37
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While that’s a useful summary copied from the websites you mention, Bruce, it doesn’t really help in choosing which to go for. So let me summarise what I gleaned from my research over a decade ago.
The hoods were described in sales brochures as being of 'rubberised twill' but I could never get any definition of what exactly that was. But the concept of two layers of cotton with a rubber layer sandwiched between them was already well established, e.g. Mackintosh raincoats, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that this was the type of material used. The reference to 'twill' would suggest that the cotton cloth had a diagonal weave. Both double duck and Wigan have a plain weave.
KevinA and I have both mentioned that Wigan is a lighter material than double duck which makes it much easier to fold the hood. I found no evidence to suggest that the hood canopy was removed from the frame before the frame was folded so being able to accommodate the folded fabric as the frame is folded is important.
 [b
Wigan weighs it at around 24 ounces per square yard compared to around 30 ounces for double duck. For comparison, heavy denim jeans (Levi's 501 anyone?) are around 12 to 14 ounces per square yard.
Haartz are not the only manufacturer of solution dyed acrylic fabric, but they are probably the best known. Their Stayfast fabric is a plain weave of roughly the same weight as Wigan while their Twillfast material is about the same weight as double duck, and a twill weave to boot. I believe they are both available in a range of colours as well as black.
Simon J
J3437r] |
Edited by - Simon Johnston on 24/07/2024 18:25:49 |
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Bruce Sutherland
United Kingdom
1588 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2024 : 21:33:18
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So Simon,
It could be considered the choice is a 'toss-up' between an older spec Wigan which may shrink and possibly colour-fade and a modern fabric - 'Stayfast' - which doesn't...???
Perhaps the OP's (Originality Police) would chose the former?
Bruce. (PB0564) |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6316 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2024 : 22:01:39
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Each to their own, Bruce. I’ve been using (and abusing!) my Wigan hood, side screens and full length tonneau cover for over eleven years now and I’m absolutely delighted with it (the fabric that is, not the workmanship which was woeful). It has probably faded a bit (haven’t we all in eleven years?), but it hasn’t shrunk, not disintegrated. For sure the tonneau cover can become hard to stretch to get it fastened on all the studs but that’s because it wasn’t made correctly in the first place. But all it needs is a good soaking and then leave it to dry when it’s stretched over the Lift The Dot studs and it recovers. But the hood fastens perfectly every time and I don’t leave it erected if the car is not being used - it stays folded and stowed as in the picture above. But I will admit that I don’t fold it away when wet - I’d let it dry first.
Also, I think the slight fading looks better as the car ages than the hood being permanently true black. YMMV 
Simon J
J3437 |
Edited by - Simon Johnston on 24/07/2024 22:06:07 |
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KevinA
New Zealand
681 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2024 : 23:55:58
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Thanks everybody. I think the takeaway from all this is there is no single, simple universally acknowledged solution. Sometimes new technology makes the choice simpler, but not in this case.
Another complication I have which most don't is making sure the hood blends with the fabric body- most of the modern fabrics which i have swatches for seem to jar rather than blend nicely.
Decisions decisions!
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JohnE
United Kingdom
381 Posts |
Posted - 25/07/2024 : 11:29:36
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Another factor for the 4 seaters is the hood bag can look a bit starved with modern thinner material hoods inside.
JohnE |
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Topic |
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Hood Fabric
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