luggage rack
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 200
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From: Finksburg Maryland
luggage rack
I bought a 1968-1975 six hole replacement rack for my 72 convertible.The four outer holes line up but the two center back holes are about an inch forward of the holes in the car. Does anyone know where I can buy the correct fitting luggage rack? Thanks
Steve
Steve
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Chicago IL
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 364
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From: Anaheim California
I bought a replacement some years ago to replace mine put on my 71 when new in Sept. 70 but had the same problem of it not fitting the existing holes. I would recomment having yours rechromed if it is not bent.
Last edited by Ed Campbell; Dec 26, 2008 at 10:40 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Steve,
Luggage racks are something that has always been a problem.
If you have a chrome luggage rack on your car and it’s an original rack, there will not be a reproduction chrome rack that will fit the car.
If you want to learn a little history about luggage racks I suggest you read this post on our web site. http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=217
You really have only a few choices here. Re-chrome the original rack, pay the money for a NOS rack or purchase a Stainless Steel luggage rack that is absence of any holes. If you choose option number three you have to drill the holes and it will give you a perfect fitting rack (I have one on my personal car that did indeed have an original rack on the car).
An old trick to install the reproduction on an original rack car is to loosely start the screws in all the stands and tighten them down slowly a little at a time. Sometimes the holes in rack are further off than others, but in some cases you can do this and get the rack on the car. It may tilt the stands a little but it should work.
There are advantages to a Stainless rack is they do not rust and if ordered with no holes they will fit! If ordered with holes they tend to fit way better than the chrome reproductions. Disadvantage to a stainless steel rack is they only resemble the original racks but they will not pass any judging.
Advantage to a reproduction chrome rack. . . Well there really aren’t any. Disadvantages would include: the lack of weep holes which will cause pre-mature rusting due to condensation in the tubes, they are hard to fit and even a good judge will know the difference.
NOS Racks. . . Hard to find and big bucks. . . But they do fit and work fine on cars that have an original luggage rack.
IMHO. . . Happy Holiday’s
Willcox
Luggage racks are something that has always been a problem.
If you have a chrome luggage rack on your car and it’s an original rack, there will not be a reproduction chrome rack that will fit the car.
If you want to learn a little history about luggage racks I suggest you read this post on our web site. http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=217
You really have only a few choices here. Re-chrome the original rack, pay the money for a NOS rack or purchase a Stainless Steel luggage rack that is absence of any holes. If you choose option number three you have to drill the holes and it will give you a perfect fitting rack (I have one on my personal car that did indeed have an original rack on the car).
An old trick to install the reproduction on an original rack car is to loosely start the screws in all the stands and tighten them down slowly a little at a time. Sometimes the holes in rack are further off than others, but in some cases you can do this and get the rack on the car. It may tilt the stands a little but it should work.
There are advantages to a Stainless rack is they do not rust and if ordered with no holes they will fit! If ordered with holes they tend to fit way better than the chrome reproductions. Disadvantage to a stainless steel rack is they only resemble the original racks but they will not pass any judging.
Advantage to a reproduction chrome rack. . . Well there really aren’t any. Disadvantages would include: the lack of weep holes which will cause pre-mature rusting due to condensation in the tubes, they are hard to fit and even a good judge will know the difference.
NOS Racks. . . Hard to find and big bucks. . . But they do fit and work fine on cars that have an original luggage rack.
IMHO. . . Happy Holiday’s
Willcox
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,267
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
I believe Ed is right about how the NCRS considers luggage racks.
In the Body and Fit part of the Exterior section of the Judging Sheets there is a small point deduction for the presence of a rack. The deduction is for the holes in the body. For 70-72 cars a right side mirror is judged in the same way for the same reason.
Regards,
Alan
PS: The point deduction should NOT be enough to make a person who wants a rack take it off.
In the Body and Fit part of the Exterior section of the Judging Sheets there is a small point deduction for the presence of a rack. The deduction is for the holes in the body. For 70-72 cars a right side mirror is judged in the same way for the same reason.
Regards,
Alan
PS: The point deduction should NOT be enough to make a person who wants a rack take it off.
Last edited by Alan 71; Dec 28, 2008 at 12:53 PM.
