Rain cover when driving without the top?

[BeeJii]

Weather is slowly getting warmer here in Finland and i start to dream about taking the top off from my BJ40. Here where i live we get rain so often that i would need to have somekind of rain cover that i could put on when parking the BJ or when we get rain while riding. It would need to be easy to put on and off.
I found a cheap tough tarp that is just the right size and might work if i could figure out some way to mount it on the windscreen frame. Rear of the tarp i could tighten over the roll bar with straps, a bit like ive seen bikini tops attached.
Have any of you guys made anything similar and have idea(s) how to mount the front part on the windscreen frame?
Do anyone have picture how does factory made bikinitops attach from the front?
Or do you have some other idea how i should make rain cover for summer rides?

 

[bikersmurf]

The front edge basically uses a rope stitched inside a folded over edge of the material. This then slides into a strip with a round tube along the edge which has a narrow slot in it which the material slides into but the rope won't fit through. The strip should be easy enough to find locally.

I prefer a rigid roof which goes from the windshield frame to the roll bar. It wont flap in the breeze, and it keeps you dryish, and shades you from the sun.

Over the years, I've made a Bikini top or two, tried a soft top, and gone topless.

 

[sadam_husain]

whichever way you decide to attach it to the windscreen frame it'll have to be pretty secure if your driving it so it doesn't get the wind caught under it and start flapping or start blowing off, I've got press on stainless domes across the front of my windscreen frame that fits both my bikini top and full soft top

 

[tlc762]

If your location precludes shipping a "correct" land cruiser windshield channel you can use a J##P CJ/YJ etc. windshield channel. You may need to cut one side of it down a little. The last time I ordered a channel that is what I got shipped by the vendor along with a bikini top- been so long I don't remember who I ordered it from. Also if you search threads I remember reading about using a J##P duster attached to the rollbar to cut down the wind/ rain spray. But I don't remember which model j##P was the best fit to the factory rollbar. I don't believe your '79 will have the factory threaded holes in the windshield frame for the factory soft top channel- think it was stopped in the mid 70s... Someone else with more knowledge of later years will chime in with the date that stopped if I'm worng.
HTH,
Will

 

[Tezmac]

I dont have any solutions for you, but I took a couple shots of my channel where my bikini top attaches to the windshield frame. Let me know if you'd like anything else!

Channel top

• Tezmac
• Apr 26, 2016

Channel Top

• Tezmac
• Apr 26, 2016

 

[BeeJii]

Thank you very much for your replys! That channel sounds like an idea that i could make to work with my tarp, since theres rope inside the edges allready. I will have to see Tezmacs pics again bigger when i get home to my computer and look if i could find something similar locally.

 

[StaleAle]

Those pics show what's often called a Tiger channel, as it was used by Bestop on their Tigertops. Many bikini tops sold today use that channel because it is much faster to take off the top. It is a slot instead of the C channel that bikersmurf described. That channel will not work with a conventional tarp. The top must have a flat ribbon of plastic sewn into a pocket along the leading edge. This stiff edge slips into the forward facing slot and the top the folds back towards the rear. Backward tension on the top holds it in place.

The C channel style requires a larger diameter rope edging than most commercial tarps. If you are talking about a poly tarp, it will not hold up to the buffeting from driving. It sounds like you need a bikini or family top, or possibly a bimini top (uses soft top bows). Search for Trollhole soft tops in the Vendor forum. Marshall has what you want, including dusters at reasonable prices and I believe he still ships internationally.

The tiger channels come in two pieces. I cut mine down and redrilled the holes so I could use the factory bolt holes in the windshield frame. I've driven 65 miles per hour without a problem with my bikini top. I also run a duster. Makes a big difference in comfort when caught in the rain and when the temp drops.

 

[BeeJii]

That Duster is all new thing for me and it looks like a good add on for the bikini(tarp) top. I have to think about adding one when i get my top on first.
Tarp i got is a lot thicker than poly tarp. It has rubbery surface and thick canvas inside the rubber. I think it´s as tough and non flexible as a tarp can be. If i can get it tightened properly i think it will be ok even in higher speed?
I allso found from my junk pile a aluminum profile that might go as C-channel? It´s a bit short, but not too much. I will look if i could change the rope inside the tarp edge to a thicker one and still fit it on the profile channel?
Those factory made bikini tops would sure be nice and i wish i had the funds to buy one! I´m a bit on a budget with my BJ and it has a lot of work to be done to it in the near future, so i will save those limited funds for more necessary parts!

 

[BeeJii]

That profile i got is just a bit short. Not sure if i could make it work? Rope inside of the tarp edge seems to be thick enough. I tried to pull it off the c-channel but couldnt get it to fail even if i pull as hard as i can.

I allso took the roof off.

 

[BeeJii]

I got the c-channel and tarp installed today. It stayed in place in 100km/h speeds too in my test ride.
First plan was to cut the tarp a little narrower so it wouldnt go over the door frame. But after installing and testing i think im keeping it as is (even though its not too pretty). When i park the car i can fold the edge of the tarp over the door frame and prevent rain getting on the dash. When i go to drive i fold the edge of the tarp over it self to free the top of the doorframe so i can open and close the door freely.
Not pretty, but functions really good, espesially considering the money i spent on it. 19.90€ for the tarp and around 9€ for the straps, c-channel was free from the scrap pile.
I still need to test if i could paint those straps black to make them look a bit better?

 

[BeeJii]

Theres a funny effect on that C-channel when driving without the tarp in it. It whistles (to the ladies??) in the wind after speed get over 60km/h.
I thought that those holes that i drilled in the c-channel to mount it was making this whistle and put tape over them but the whistle was still there.
When i put my hand over the windshield frame and c-channel the whistle stops. It doesnt matter whitch part of the channel im covering if i just use my whole palm to cover big enough part.
I still need to experiment a bit with the whistle and try to think of some way to either cover the c-channel or fill the groove in the c-channel when the tarp isnt there.

 

[BeeJii]

I got another tarp and cut it smaller to make it look a bit better. I allso sew those straps on the tarp so they are a bit easier to attach when putting the tarp on. It doesnt give as good cover from the rain as the bigger one, but i can use that big one when i park the BJ and know its going to rain. (I allso painted the BJ to temporary color until i get all bodywork done to it)

 

[cruiserpilot]

Bestop makes the aluminum channel that you can screw to the top of the window frame. You can
buy a bikini top from them, or make one like these other guys. They aren't too expensive, maybe ship
cheap to you cause they weigh less than >5 kilos.

Windshield Channel | Bestop

Bikini Top, Traditional | Bestop

These are pretty nice, and you can sew more to them if you want. It shows white, but they do have a colour selection I expect.
Good luck. J