DIY Full and Upper Door Options


Deciding on a method to enclose your FUV can be a challenge. Waiting on Arcimoto to offer a solution may take months or years. More than likely it will never be forthcoming. 

FULL DOOR

Estimated costs are $2000 for full doors with a ring hinge at the bottom. 3/8" ABS is attached to the front area of the door with a ring at the bottom with another section of 3/8th inch ABS frame that swings on the ring. Clips then hold the door closed to a strip of 3/8th inch ABS that sits against the pillar between the front and back seat. This option is the best to ensure all potential air leaks and wind entries are plugged. It is also highly cost effective, much lighter in weight, and highly simplified. The upper portion will be removable. 





UPPER for HALF DOORS

Another option is to fashion a ballistic nylon and vinyl window upper potion to fit over hard half doors. Estimated cost is $1000.

Both ballistic nylon/vinyl options are the best at keeping wind out and keeping weight off the hinges that are very small. You attached the upper to the frame thus requiring the driver and passenger to zip the window to get in and out. Attachment can be done via a flexible awning track, 3M velcro, or simply laying the fabric over the top of the upper tube structure with the roof screws holding it in place.



CURTAIN WINDOWS

The curtain method is highly simplified, cheap, and by far the hardest to get in and out of. Attach clear vinyl rolled material to the front and top of each side of the vehicle. Gorilla or duck tape have been used to reinforce the edge of the vinyl. Slits are cut along the edge and velcro goes through the vinyl edges and attached to the Arcimoto frame every 8 or so inches. You have to lift the bottom rear edge of each window and shimmy yourself to get in the vehicle. Not pretty but it sort of works. You can see some in my DIY Soft Upper Window article.


FRAMED UPPER

A third option is to make an upper frame that holds either vinyl sheet good that slides into each of the bottom half doors. This is the most conventional method but will likely allow the most wind, noise, and rain into the cabin. It will also weigh the most and thus put extra strain on the small hinges that hold the doors. Also, the tube pillar between the driver and passenger (B pillar) is not aligned with the hard half doors, forcing the upper window frame to be offset from the doors it is mounted on top of. The final problem is in opening the rear door. Because the upper structure curves inward at the top of the vehicle, the opening might either be too small or difficult for your head and shoulders to navigate past with ingress and egress.

No comments

Home
BROWSE ALL Have no any related posts Search Archive No Result Found