Hi Nick - I know that a long time ago a few builders made their own hoops, but as far as I know they used a basically similar design. Possibly the few that have/had a roll over bar, a radically different design could have been fabricated. Nobody that I know has fitted anything like, for example a cantalevered hood frame so that you might be able to put the thing up one-handed. My nephew, who has just sold his competition Lotus Elise (just try putting that hood up in a hurry!) for a Mazda MX5 just sits in the driveway putting the hood up and down it is so easy.
Maybe if you feel adventurous you could get a spitfire or midget hood frame and do some experimenting? Nothing is impossible, and I imagine it would only mean a bit of shortening, lengthening, bending etc but it might be worth it? The fitting of the hood to the screen is an interesting/complicated/opportunistic area.
If you get along to Peterborough next weekend you might see how others have fitted their hoods.
