Bestop Bikini
 

For Christmas, I got a Bikini top, for my 98 Wrangler. I SHOULD have
opened it and checked it out when I got it. Unfortunately I got my
first look at it this past weekend, and found that I need the "retainer
channel" yet I can't find it on their website.

My question to the group is.. Where does this "channel" bolt to, and
can I simply fab my own? Has anyone else done this?

Dave wrote:
> For Christmas, I got a Bikini top, for my 98 Wrangler. I SHOULD have
> opened it and checked it out when I got it. Unfortunately I got my
> first look at it this past weekend, and found that I need the "retainer
> channel" yet I can't find it on their website.
>
> My question to the group is.. Where does this "channel" bolt to, and
> can I simply fab my own? Has anyone else done this?
>

http://www.bestop.com/index.php?s=9

Steve

they make 2 kinds one that you drill holes in the windshield and one that
bolts in to the factory latch spot.. I reccomend the one that bolts in but
it is more expensive if there is a 4 wheel parts near you they have them!

"Dave" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> For Christmas, I got a Bikini top, for my 98 Wrangler. I SHOULD have
> opened it and checked it out when I got it. Unfortunately I got my
> first look at it this past weekend, and found that I need the "retainer
> channel" yet I can't find it on their website.
>
> My question to the group is.. Where does this "channel" bolt to, and
> can I simply fab my own? Has anyone else done this?
>

Thanks for that link, I was looking in the completely wrong spot...

I'm thinking of going with the drill-type, since then I can leave the
channel on there with the soft-top up. Does anyone have experience with
this? Does the drill-type channel look really strange when there is no
top on the vehicle?

Thanks!

No, it's not even really noticable, and it's great for putting on a bikini
top. Only problem is if you let your tops be loose and flap in the wind
alot, it will eventually rip the channel out at a most unfortunate time,
like when your on the highway..... Keep your top tight, and if need (from
experience), get self tapping metel screws and go crazy on your channel...
Nick


--
http://members.cox.net/nnote/
"Dave" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Thanks for that link, I was looking in the completely wrong spot...
>
> I'm thinking of going with the drill-type, since then I can leave the
> channel on there with the soft-top up. Does anyone have experience with
> this? Does the drill-type channel look really strange when there is no
> top on the vehicle?
>
> Thanks!
>

Thanks for your response Nick, I'll now be purchasing one.

I searched 4wd & quadratec, and was unable to find it.. I Froogled
51210 however, and it turned up for $14.75 from a Yahoo! store called
"Inclined Vehicles" .. anybody heard of these guys?

Have you tried to see if it fits in the header channel for the soft top?




"Dave" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> For Christmas, I got a Bikini top, for my 98 Wrangler. I SHOULD have
> opened it and checked it out when I got it. Unfortunately I got my
> first look at it this past weekend, and found that I need the "retainer
> channel" yet I can't find it on their website.
>
> My question to the group is.. Where does this "channel" bolt to, and
> can I simply fab my own? Has anyone else done this?
>

"bizbee" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> On Tue, 24 May 2005 12:18:49 -0700 in <l7Lke.2180$yp.429@fed1read02>,
> "Nick" > graced the world with this thought:
>
> >No, it's not even really noticable, and it's great for putting on a
bikini
> >top. Only problem is if you let your tops be loose and flap in the wind
> >alot, it will eventually rip the channel out at a most unfortunate time,
> >like when your on the highway..... Keep your top tight, and if need
(from
> >experience), get self tapping metel screws and go crazy on your
channel...
> >Nick
>
> I'm trying to figure why you would leave your top on so it was
> flapping around...
> I've had a channel on my CJ5 for more than fifteen years, never had a
> problem.



Are you interested in a hardtop for your CJ5?

Under the rubber seal which is glued in place on the top of the
windshield frame? the plastic lip on the bikini-top is longer than
the header channel, and would interfere with the ends of the channel,
from what I could see. It was obvious that it wasn't intended to work
that way, so I abandoned the idea. Especially since it was glued in
place.

Jeff Strickland wrote:
> Have you tried to see if it fits in the header channel for the soft top?
>
>
>
>
> "Dave" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > For Christmas, I got a Bikini top, for my 98 Wrangler. I SHOULD have
> > opened it and checked it out when I got it. Unfortunately I got my
> > first look at it this past weekend, and found that I need the "retainer
> > channel" yet I can't find it on their website.
> >
> > My question to the group is.. Where does this "channel" bolt to, and
> > can I simply fab my own? Has anyone else done this?
> >

Good question. I have one channel - works for bikini top and soft top.

Steve
95 YJ
98 ZJ

Jeff Strickland wrote:
> Have you tried to see if it fits in the header channel for the soft top?
>
>
> "Dave" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>For Christmas, I got a Bikini top, for my 98 Wrangler. I SHOULD have
>>opened it and checked it out when I got it. Unfortunately I got my
>>first look at it this past weekend, and found that I need the "retainer
>>channel" yet I can't find it on their website.
>>
>>My question to the group is.. Where does this "channel" bolt to, and
>>can I simply fab my own? Has anyone else done this?