Is this a silly idea?

[Pete_W]

Need some feedback on the feasibility of my latest plan......and that is a boot rack ala MG!

Can it be done with a plastic boot lid? Will it look silly?

-basically want to carry some lugguage and have the roof down at the same time -too much to ask?!

Cheers

[JSG]

You would probably need to use the type of rack that bolts through the boot lid rathere than the clamp arrangement. I've seen a S with one fitted before and it looked no worse than any other sports car (MG, TR etc).

Cheers,
JSG.

[tvrmark]

If your car is an S3 or later then I would consider fitting another boot catch on the left.

Mark

[Dave_H]

I don't think it's a daft idea, and as the S was always a traditionally designed UK sports car, I think it would proberly look fine just like MG/TR/ etc, and the new MG F has one...

I've never picked one of those MG boot racks up before to see how heavy they are, but before you drill any holes in your boot I'd secure the rack to the boot in a "non drilling holes method" to see if your gas strut lifts the boot up with the rack attached. But with it fitted properly and laden with luggage you may have to remove the luggage every time you want to open the boot.

The gas strut has a pressure of 100n, I doubt you'd be able to fit a higher rated one as it would proberly damage the bootlid/fittings when no luggage attached.

If you do it, post some pics you might start a trend here

Cheers,

Dave.

[gadgit]

I'm quite sure that pwissel in Germany has one fitted to his car which was all over this site a few months ago. go to his name and find the pic,s somewhere in the replies mate.

gadgit

[aphelion]

The V8S has a bootrack - which I believe was fitted by Team Central - it sits on the boot the 'wrong' way round, ie. with the tilted part of the rack nearest the rear screen. I guess this was to keep the profile of the rear of the car neater (?!). We've never used it yet as we're not quite sure what will hold the luggage on adequately when cornering hard The previous owner of our car fitted another handy modification which works better IMO - the space saver spare wheel is bolted down on the rear parcel shelf - watching out for the petrol tank . It just fits behind the seats (if you have short legs) and the hole is covered by a flexible aluminium plate under the carpet when the wheel is stored in the boot. Without the space saver you can get the roof and luggage in the boot, as well as extra stuff beside and on top of the wheel on the parcel shelf. Alternatively you could just take a couple of cans of Tyreweld The real challenge is going to be when we get the Vixen back - full size spare on the parcel shelf, and no boot ....

[Pete_W]

I think a boot rack is normally fitted with the lip bit at the top. This is apparently due to the decelaration forces being greater than the acceleration forces. Fine for a MG, but what about a TVR?!

My plan was to strap a dirty great big rucksack on there. Since it will probably weigh around the 22kg mark I'm a touch concerned about it cracking the fibreglass, given the lid skin isn't very thick, maybe is needs some sort of aluminium sub-frame under the lid which it could bolt on to.

Fitting a double strut arrangement seems sensible, given I currently have none on there at the moment! I reckon the load will have to come off before lifting the lid whatever system is used.

If bootlids are freely available it might be worth having an interchangeable system, one with rack, one without!

[M@H]

Pwissels Rack on the "Alien S" (for those of you who remember (johno ).. I tend to keep old S pics for some reason




Cheers,
Matt.

[M@H]

PS if anyone would like extensive photos of the Airconditioning in this car I can mail them

(you had to be there..)

Cheers
Matt.

[jellyed]

rack looks great on s good thinking . spare boot lid good idea 2 .