Convenient cockpit cover

[hjr]

I park my fantastic new Tesla #1291 at my office, outdoors. Now that the weather has turned nicer in New England I want to leave the top off, but cover the cockpit to keep it clean and cool all day.

My home garage is a 200 year old barn - it is rodent free mostly, but I would be happier covering the cockpit at night also.

Are there any suggestions on a simple and fast way to cover the cockpit reliably? Needs to be white, fold up small to minimize use of our tiny trunk space.

 

[NigelM]

How about this: Shower-cap.com: Showercap cockpit covers

 

[hjr]

Nice idea. I tried Sector111 the US maker of the Shower-Cap for the Lotus Elise. They said that the shower cap would not fit the Tesla. I cannot understand why as the cockpit, windscreen, rollbars are the same.... I think I may order one just to try it.

 

[efxjim]

If it comes close to working I'll order one as well. (can do a little sewing if necessary)

 

[DrComputer]

I know it sounds cheesy, but I use a twin sized white sheet to cover the top when my car is in the garage to keep out the dust. When not in use I just drape it over the HPC in the garage. Inexpensive and works well.

 

[vfx]

I see a showercap as a nice addition to storing a Roadster with a Mesh top.

If Shinoo at Sector 111 says it won't fit I would believe him*. Early on I took my car to his place (120 miles away) and we tested what Lotus bits would an would not work with the Roadster. We did not try a showercap back then but I'm sure he has a nearby Roadster source by now.

*Those with mad sewing skills excluded.

 

[hjr]

I like the sheet idea for indoor storage.... outdoors in New England it might get blown away. Putting a sheet over a $150k hi-tech sports has a cool non-chalance to it though. I'll keep my eyes open and let you know what i come up with. Probably an adaptation of the showercap.

 

[hjr]

Shower Cap has arrived - no modification needed for Roadster

My Elemental Shower cap arrived today from Sector 111. I was please that it fits my Tesla so well. The cover is supplied with velcro (I hate that stuff) pads to attach behind the roll bar with adhesive. No way on earth am I applying that to my car. Besides, the tabs are too long to fit well under the Tesla rollbar, but I found that if I used a few binder clips to clamp the end seam to the vertical edge of the carbon fiber bar I had sufficient strength to support rain. Only attach the clips to areas of the shower cap that can be folded over under the bottom edge of the rollbar. See the photos. I would think that if I was worried about a small shower I would put the struts in to give additional support. On a sunny day I would not bother with the struts for convenince. eeded.

In the photo I tested the shower cap over the soft cover. I am ordering a Taylor Mesh Screen Top and I think the combination of the 2 will be fantastic - cool sunscreened open top while drivng and a shade cover over that while parked. The shower cap protects the privacy of your car interior from browsers (and face it, with the tesla you get alot of gawkers).

If you have any better ideas let me know!

 

[vfx]

Pretty cool. I may need to get one too.

About the Velcro. You can reach up under the Carbon Fiber rollbar cover to feel the actual rollbar. You can see it if you crane your head over the trunk and look up under the cover.
Would it be not so bad to attach Velcro to that unseen bar? Or does the showercap attach in a different way?

 

[NigelM]

My Elemental Shower cap arrived today from Sector 111.

How long does it take to fit it on? I have my roof down to about 30 seconds now....

 

[tennis_trs]

How long does it take to fit it on? I have my roof down to about 30 seconds now....

I was thinking about the same thing:
Looks like more work than taking the top off/on and something else to store in the car. I guess if you had little enough rain to not worry much about having to drive in the rain, maybe it would be useful if you wanted to leave the top at home and then have more storage space.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

How long does it take to fit it on? I have my roof down to about 30 seconds now....

I got the impression that the goal was to avoid heating the interior as the black roof would absorb solar energy. If soft tops were available in lighter colors, then that might be a great all-around solution.

My initial reaction was to suggest buying an Arctic White hardtop, or the appropriate light color that is coordinated with your body color, but I also get the impression that this thread is for folks who really like having an open top. I'm perfectly happy with my hardtop and haven't even removed it yet.

 

[Doug_G]

It took me months before I took off the hardtop. Now I drive convertible at the drop of a hat; it's really very nice. Do yourself a favor and try taking it off.

 

[SByer]

If you have any better ideas let me know!

Well, that looks pretty darned good. I've got some thoughts, but I'll have to get one and see which idea works...

(I'm not looking at supporting rain, though, just keeping the dust out.)

 

[NigelM]

I got the impression that the goal was to avoid heating the interior as the black roof would absorb solar energy. If soft tops were available in lighter colors, then that might be a great all-around solution.

I'm skeptical on that one. The standard soft top is much thicker than the shower cap and would therefore provide better insulation, no?

P.S. As someone who lives in a hot climate, I drive with the top off most of the time and it's the most fun you can have outdoors. The only downside (if you can call it that) is the number of people who admire and ask questions at stop lights.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

It took me months before I took off the hardtop. Now I drive convertible at the drop of a hat; it's really very nice. Do yourself a favor and try taking it off.

Thanks for the suggestion - seriously - but I own three convertibles. I know exactly what I am missing: Seattle rain! I literally put the top right back up in my S-2000 nearly every time I put it down on a whim. Usually rolling the windows down is all that works for me, which can be done without coming to a stop.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

I'm skeptical on that one. The standard soft top is much thicker than the shower cap and would therefore provide better insulation, no?

Insulation only helps when the outside air temperature is the only heating factor. Dark colors allow solar heating in excess of the outside air temperature, and in those conditions insulation would have no benefit. I'm assuming that the shower cap is light-colored as depicted in the photos. Keep in mind that there are Tesla Roadsters all over the world, from chilly northern latitudes where solar heating would be welcome to other extremes and everything in between.

 

[markwj]

I am ordering a Taylor Mesh Screen Top and I think the combination of the 2 will be fantastic - cool sunscreened open top while drivng and a shade cover over that while parked.

Interested how that works out, particularly the rear near the top of the windows. There is a gap between the top of the window and the start of the mesh top. So long as the shower cap comes down below the top of the windows you should be ok.

 

[Doug_G]

Thanks for the suggestion - seriously - but I own three convertibles. I know exactly what I am missing: Seattle rain!

Rain aside, I think the Tesla convertible experience might be slightly different, due to the quiet drive train.

 

[tennis_trs]

Rain aside, I think the Tesla convertible experience might be slightly different, due to the quiet drive train.

I've had nothing but roadsters for the last 21 years and I drive with the top down/off pretty much any time the weather allows, and to me the Tesla Roadster convertible experience isn't significantly different noise wise since wind noise dominates at pretty much any reasonable speed. One plus for the Roadster that I didn't expect is the targa roof. I'd only owned drop top convertibles before and was worried that the rear roof and window would make it feel like less of a convertible, but I don't notice a difference there, but the low roof line gives a more open view forward (i.e., more open space and less windshield) which I like. The targa is more work than a drop top, but not as bad as I'd expected.

I think the Ferrari 575M Superamerica has the coolest top: