Bowfin Cruisers Roof Rack for the 60 Series (1 Viewer)

[dogfishlake]

Hello all,

I have been building and selling my new roof rack concept in the 80 section for a while now, and it has been my intention to add the 60 series rack as well. With the crazy holidays over I have had a chance to ramp up the effort and I should have a production rack ready in the next couple of weeks if all keeps going smooth. My 60 is my template for the rack and it's a good thing because someone took the liberty of doing "a little soft shoe" on the roof of it. With a lot of time invested working out dents, it is getting better, but will maybe never be perfect.

Anyway, on to the rack. Like the 80 series model it is made of sides laser cut out of aluminum, cross bars of 1"X 2" T-slotted aluminum extrusion, and custom built latches to securely fasten the rack down and give a much cleaner look than exposed bolts. The latch idea is pretty much what put me in the rack business in the first place. I looked at literally thousands of pictures of different kinds of hold downs and this one finally came up over a beer with one of my buddies that suggested something like the latch on our enclosed snowmobile trailers. Bingo! I couldn't find exactly what I wanted but did find and amazingly well built one that I now buy and modify to work on the Cruiser roof rail. Besides looking nice it imparts a lot of strength into the whole rack and I build it with a lock down bolt that makes it more theft/tamper deterrent as well as totally free of the risk of the rack popping off.

Bowfin Cruisers - Roof racks and more

 

[dogfishlake]

Here's a quick picture of the prototype side on my 60 "Patina Louise"

 

[dogfishlake]

I will be updating this thread as progress moves along. Should have more stuff tonight.

 

[John Staton]

so I am a fairly new 60 owner (1983) and next up is an H55 upgrade, but I am also interested in a rack. I am curious if yours will have weight advantages over the others out there or what other considerations I should be making when deciding on a rack. Also, I just upgraded my chrome on my rail in one section and now want to do the rest because the stuff I ordered from SOR looks awesome compared to the dented up flimsy stuff that was on it when I bought it. Can you have chrome on the rail with a roof rack attached or does is have to be naked?

 

[dogfishlake]

so I am a fairly new 60 owner (1983) and next up is an H55 upgrade, but I am also interested in a rack. I am curious if yours will have weight advantages over the others out there or what other considerations I should be making when deciding on a rack. Also, I just upgraded my chrome on my rail in one section and now want to do the rest because the stuff I ordered from SOR looks awesome compared to the dented up flimsy stuff that was on it when I bought it. Can you have chrome on the rail with a roof rack attached or does is have to be naked?

The rack is all aluminum except for stainless fasteners. Weight is 60 pounds.
The latch tab will reach around to the deepest part of the rail so it should clear your chrome. I agree that chrome looks cool.

Sounds like a great 60, wish I had a 5 speed in the works too! Someday.

There are lots of steel based racks and i think at least a few aluminum ones too.

Trail Taylor has an aluminum rack for the 60 in the works too.

Lots of awesome vendors on MUD. For me, if I can just enjoy the ride and make new Cruiser friends I'm good.

 

[NookShneer]

Happy to see more 60 vendors. Welcome to the Party. Looks like a nice product.

 

[dogfishlake]

Happy to see more 60 vendors. Welcome to the Party. Looks like a nice product.

Thank you.

It's strange that the greatest vehicles ever produced (Land Cruisers in general) get so little love in the US.

I have a 40, 60, 80, and now a 100. They all need things done to them but the total cost of them is a lot less than one new half ton 4x4 pickup.

Glad for the Cruisers.

 

[88Retired62]

I’m sure I’m not the only one recognizing a new “renaissance in roof racks” I’ve always been partial to the tall 6”-8” bins with aluminum railings and wooden bowed birch slat flooring ever since owning a 60’s VW Pop-Up Campmobile back in my Colorado college daze.
I gotta tell you though, the Bowfin appears to be a thing of low-slung but beefy structural beauty.
I’m wondering what the new height increase will be after installing the Bowfin on a 60 series Land Cruiser? Might be equally affective navigating a low hanging tree branch or urban parking garage not to mention the height challenged suburban home garage. Nice work, dogfish!

 

[dogfishlake]

Here's a quick video I did for the latch system on an 80 series. The 60 will be essentially the same.

 

[Nostradamus]

Here's a quick picture of the prototype side on my 60 "Patina Louise"
View attachment 1604085

Dig it. Can't wait to see more pics.

 

[Code Red]

Here's a quick video I did for the latch system on an 80 series. The 60 will be essentially the same.

Brilliant. That's the kind of thing that makes you slap your forehead and wonder why they aren't all done that way.

 

[dogfishlake]

Thanks!

Project concepts over a brew and drawings on a bar napkin, right?

 

[madvr6]

How much does this add to the height of the truck?

 

[John Staton]

is there something that goes between the slats and the roof to keep them from bending from the weight of cargo?? I have not owned a rack before. Want one for my 60.

 

[dogfishlake]

How much does this add to the height of the truck?

Well, i am still deciding on the final size of the side rails but it should be not more than 3" avove the highest roof point or less.

 

[dogfishlake]

is there something that goes between the slats and the roof to keep them from bending from the weight of cargo?? I have not owned a rack before. Want one for my 60.

The bars on their own will deflect some. The more spread out, the less deflection. A roof top tent will work fine up there.

While I don't have it ready yet, I think a mesh roof kit is going to happen which will greatly improve rigidity. That's really not the main reason for it, more for a better catch area for "stuff", but still a nice perk.

 

[dogfishlake]

Made more progress so I thought an update was due. I have figured out the crossbar width and a few other things. I really like the latches for the 80 rack, but they are too long for tthe 60. I am waiting for quotes for a suitable replacement, but in the meantime, I have a reasonable plan to do a quality mod on what I have.

The rack will employ 4 under-center latches per side, like the 80 rack. The wind deflector is a lot different (my sample in the pic is too tall) and will have a lightbar option. There will be 8 cross bars plus 1 for the wind deflector (only 4 on in the pics). The 60 roof has a small curve down tbe gutter, front to back but the side rail gives a bit this way while still aligning the cross bars and taking plenty of weight on the rack.

I just have a few more changes for the next version and we should be ready to roll!

 

[IslandJ]

lookin good

 

[Mid TN]

So each side piece is pressed into the gutter by the clamps. is there any type of "cushion" on the bottom of the aluminum or a small flange, doesn't appear to be from the front edge?

 

[dogfishlake]

So each side piece is pressed into the gutter by the clamps. is there any type of "cushion" on the bottom of the aluminum or a small flange, doesn't appear to be from the front edge?

There is a square rubber gasket for each side rail and one for the fairing. I dont have it in in my picture but all racks will come with it. Good question though.