This is the sort of thing I'd like to end up with for my F2.

Looks good, I'm assuming you intend on having screens/vinyl to the side - bit difficult to see on that image. Otherwise it's likely to still be a bit damp in wet weather, the rain has a tendency to curl round the front screen.

Must admit my plans for waterproofing combined with storage were a bit more basic - I'd planned to bolt a big roof box to the top rails if I did another trip round Wales!

One thing that's generally put me of the soft top idea is where to attach it and how. I'm not a fan of rows of push studs along the car. The best idea I came up with was hooks on the underside of the car onto which bungee cords along the bottom edge of the sides of the soft top could be looped. Would be nothing showing when the top wasn't attached.

There's a photo of Adrian's Fug 2 with weather gear in the Member's Cars section of the site, more traditional style though.

It's a good concept - keep us updated on your progress. I liked the original UVA hardtop design image and was disappointed when Tigger revealed it never made it beyond the drawing board.

Cheers

Paul.

I'm still not sure whether it will be a soft top or a hard top. It might be both in that order.

There will definitely be rigid side screens. I can mould better than I can draw!

I can't see why with a bit of effort you can't achieve that. Glassfibre, polycarbonate and a plan, that's what's needed. If mine was running a full body I'd probably do one myself, think you're on to a winner. Paul, I don't imagine I'll ever do distance in mine to need storage, but the roof box really is the answer now you've said it, saves altering things on the Fug just to achieve a shoebox of space.

My 'concept' took the form of a black vinyl roof which clipped onto the flyscreen and stretched over the back with bungee straps. As for storage I use a roofrack over the top of the engine, worked ok in France last year...but now I carry a 6 ft fishing umbrella, and sit it out :P

Thats an old UVA promo image...always thought it looked cool - as to weatherproofing don't bother....easier to weather proof yourself, water is thin and runny always gets in somewhere!!! Ditched the weather gear from my car - looked crap when not on leaked like a sieve when on. Now wear bike waterproofs if required.

I got a weather kit with mine, still got it but it looks bad and I doubt it will work that well anyway so not gonna bother!!

I now have a two part plan. Plan A: If I'm on a long trip and need luggage space I'll be in the Land Rover!!! the fug will follow along on the A-frame :P

Plan B (really simple his one) take a towel :P

Looks cool tho, what's your plan re the rear wheel arches?? I'm having trouble finding some to fit properly over the fat wheels. So if your making some ;) ;) (and a bonnet!)

It's still some time in the future as I'm re-building my bike at the moment but the way things are looking I'll be making pretty much all the bodywork myself.

It won't be the first time. I made new panels for my Mini Marcos racer.



This was eventually bought by Marcos heritage and they are using it as the demonstrator for 'their' Mk VI GT.



I also made a complete GRP chassis to replace the steel one on my GTM Coupe. There are odd one off body parts on this too.




This Coupe is on ebay at the moment. Apparently it's too small for it's current owner.

So unless someone can organise the supply of body panels it'll be down to me I guess.

Fingers crossed Devon Dave will let you use his moulds, I was on the brink of asking to use his moulds myself until you did! It would make life alot easier. Also thought of borrowing a good bonnet and taking a mould off that, as for the wheel arches I'm currently thinking of getting a local grp fabricator to knock some up for me (he does stuff for hotrods) but it's a cost thing, prefer cheap but ones that fit properly are an overriding factor....

Your previous work looks really good but I hope (for your sake) it doesn't come to starting from scratch. Fingers crossed eh!!

Worked out where your handle comes from too!! :)

There's a few glassfibre mudguards on Ebay, they are made by the guy who now does the Pheonix trike stuff. Must admitt, they are rather good, and the price is very fair.

Yes I thought the price was good too.

They made need to be wider but the bigger problem may be the large diameter of some of the off-road tyres some of you are using at the back.

It was more a reference, I don't run mudguards at all. It was and sometimes is a concideration, I bought a fully set of body panels including mudguards a couple of years ago to have in reserve as I may alter the look one day. But you're absolutely right, if the mudguard is the wrong size, even slightly, it really does look nasty. It's ironic too, as two of my mates do glassfibre for a living, and have done for over 20yrs, typical I don't need anything done.

The right size arch is a must, and I do have the problem of big fat tyres on the back.The fronts are fine but the original rears were to narrow and looked so bad they had to come off. As far as I'm aware they are a legal requirement so I would rather have some.

I'll probably get some made to fit but it's a cost thing at the moment. One way or another I'll get some in the end.

We had this a little while ago on the forum, you don't need mudguards! I know it sounds wrong, and I know you'd get pulled if you took the front wings off the family car, but these are fine, you honestly don't need them for MOTs or anything.

Yes I read that and was not entirely convinced to be honest, I do know that you can pass an mot without them but the road traffic act is something else. I would want to read that before I would not have any on my fug. ( for my jobs sake just not worth the risk )

So until I've read the RTA for myself they are going on, no offence meant, just my gut feeling and info from other sources

once again mudgaurds and the law. They come under construction and use and you are right legally you need them to act as a spray supresant and to stop mud from being thrown up. You DONT need them for an mot. As everyone says there fug leaks or they dont drive them in the rain, is there a point in having mudgaurds. No. Thats just my opinion. They just look better naked. And its only a £20 fine for not having them. Well worth it. I got pulled last year an the old boy was more concerned about my expossed engine and exhausts than my wheels.

Thanks Mattd, I thought that was the case. I agree, Fugs do look better without them. That said still want some as the local ECILOP's are really fussy and I can do without the hassle. I've even had dodgy looks from them when filling up the company car at a petrol station!! (big fast expensive car on Isle of Man plates)

yes a bit of a grey area i think i remember a mate getting grief of cleveland traffic police over no mudgaurds on his blitz !!

Absolutly right MrMunster, it is a personal thing, I can't afford to get pulled either its a condition of my job which has to come first...

My 'homemade' alloy ones don't look too bad, and when I attend track days, five minutes with a 17mm spanner and they are off, along with the flyscreen B)
Which is how I designed it. If you have the imagination and a little skill you can do whatever you want and still comply, which is after all, the whole point, isn't it?

Indeed it is Tigger, It's why I got a kit car in the first place!! and not one of the usual suspects either B)
Actually one of the biggest reasons for a Fug was a Tamiya Holiday Buggy I had when I was younger, come to think of it, that had a hard top with a louvered rear engine cover!! looked well cool and I reckon, given gtmdrivers previous work, could be done and look the biz

In spite of saying it would be a year before I could work on it I've made a small start.
Following the advice given here I've changed the silly wheels and tyres for something more sensible.






Of course that means that the mudguards now look stupid but they're going anyway.

The wheels are 6 x 15 Wolfrace and at the moment the tyres are 195/65 x 15 all round but I imagine I'll be going a little wider on the rear and a little narrower on the front.

They look nice to me, and as you say with the slight tire variation you'll have the look you want, perfectly in keeping judging by the pic you posted. It makes the whole mudguard thing irrelevant.
I really could do without police attention as much as the next person, so am always careful what I do. So, just to recap, a Blitz would have needed an SVA, do I guess it must have had mudguards for that! if so then a part of the now road legal vehicle has been removed, new issues arrising. I'm assuming a Blitz can't have a Mini or Fiat logbook anymore than a Fug can have a Beetle one, though Fugs have been driving about over 20yrs wrongly registered. Guess it's best not to attract attention, pretty hard in a Fug though. :D

Waht have you done with the old rear wheels, were they banded wide 5 vw rims? Maybe interested if you want rid of.

I advertised them on this forum but there were no takers so I've sold them on the Buggy forum.