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Rear Wind Deflector & Brake Light

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Here are some pics of my roll bar that I modified to house a wind deflector and high third brake light. I welded the frame for the glass within the confines of the roll bar and had a piece of Triplex safety auto glass cut to fit. J C Whitney supplied the mounting rubber. I also welded a custom frame for an LED third brake light into the top of the bar. Works really well.
glass.jpg

light.jpg

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Bill
 
Alright Bill,
You're going to have to create a complete set of plans and resources for this setup....it's only fair.
 
That is slick Bill!
The high mount stop light just looks as if it belongs there!
Better than any factory part.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
TR6BILL, The best rear roll bar glass wind deflector in a TR6 that I have seen, congrats!
 
First, I started with a standard issue "faux" roll bar that I had installed previously in the car (Vicky Brit). Took it out and welded a piece of 1/2" square steel bar across the bottom. Then, I took a some 1/8" x 3/4" steel strap and carefully bent it to follow the inside curve of the roll bar and along the top edge of the 1/2" bar. This was the tough part because bending steel on itself isn't easy. Lots of heating with a MAPP gas torch and a stout maul. Ruined more than a few pieces. The bottom piece I just used a 3/4" "L" angle iron. I tacked every 2" all the way around, ground back my welds and used Bondo to dress it all out. JC Whitney has a selection of rubber window glass mounting strips available. I chose their "H" shaped strip similar to the same strip that holds the Triumph windshield in place. It uses a plastic chrome strip to tighten up the grip. Glass shop cut me a piece of Triplex safety glass to match a template I made out of cardboard that I eyeballed to fit within the new frame, taking the thickness of the rubber into consideration. It worked first time! I then took some 16 gauge sheet steel and formed it to fit around the LED light (NAPA). Inset the light inside this "steel tunnel" and welded a backing plate for the light. Drilled through the backing plate and into the roll bar then fished the wire down though the roll bar to the base where the wires exited to be tied into the harness. Bondoed the housing as well. Sanded the whole thing down, and rattle canned the semi-flat finish (Krylon). I call this a "faux" roll bar because as we all know, it is just for looks. Might give a modicum of protection in the event of a, heaven forbid, rollover. I now have a place to mount my shotgun in my rear window and am looking to find a "P*** On MG" decal.

Bill
 
Nice Bill,
Your skills and ingenuity paid off in a good looking project.
 
Nice, Bill!

But who's the old guy you let sit in the driver's seat?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Mickey
 
Looks like "factory".
Or what the factory should have installed if they had...
1) The design acumen
2) The budget
3) The modern materials
Nice job Bill
Oh, and now we know what you look like!
 
That's our next forum project. Everyone needs to post a recent photo of himself/herself (we know that Sammy will post a picture of Burt Reynolds if he really wants a black Firebird). Might be good to see who you are talking to.

Bill
 
I'd probably post a picture of a Gorilla,just like I wanted to send in for my High School reunion!Better looking
too!.

- Doug
 
Larry, it greatly reduces the wind turbulence in the cab. My wife wouldn't ride with me with the top down before the wind deflector. Now she doesn't mind near as much. Her hair doesn't get mussed as much. Maybe I shouldn't have done it.

Bill
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif Absolutely, my homemade wind blocker (which isn't near as nice as Bill's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif) also showed a dramatic decrease in turbulence in the cabin. Without it the turbulence blows things from behind the seat forward to the inside of the windscreen. Conversation at cruising speed was also much improved. I say at cruising speed because under power my exhaust (stereo system /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) tends to get in the way. But it quiets down while cruising.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
I would suspect the mesh is a cost effective alternative to glass. It must certainly cut-down on 80+% of the wind buffeting that goes on.
 
I've also seen a 1/4" piece of plexi tie-wrapped to a bar. Definitely not as nice but easy and functional (and simple to remove if needed).
 
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