Luggage rack
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 74
From: Palatine, Peoples Republic of Illinois
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Welcome to the crazy! I'm not a big fan of luggage racks. Always thought that if you want to haul stuff get a pickup.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Personally, i think they ruin a c3, the only ones they look soso on are 68 to 73, but it also kills other "feels" those years give me, like being a mean sports car,
Any gear on the rack is subject to theft, weather and has to be removed for gas up,
But it doesnt matter one obese rodents rectum what i like or dont like, this is YOUR car, if you want the rack , add it,
I respect people who build THEIR car their way.
Any gear on the rack is subject to theft, weather and has to be removed for gas up,
But it doesnt matter one obese rodents rectum what i like or dont like, this is YOUR car, if you want the rack , add it,
I respect people who build THEIR car their way.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
Likes: 4,391
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi D,
WELCOME!
First post!
People have various feelings about the luggage racks.
What makes the choice difficult is that the racks require holes in the rear deck. If the present owner, or a new owner, decides the rack needs to go, dealing with the holes is a REAL problem.
How folks deal with the holes ranges from coming up with some sort of plugs, to doing the fiberglass repair and painting the deck.
Think carefully on this one!
Regards,
Alan
WELCOME!
First post!
People have various feelings about the luggage racks.
What makes the choice difficult is that the racks require holes in the rear deck. If the present owner, or a new owner, decides the rack needs to go, dealing with the holes is a REAL problem.
How folks deal with the holes ranges from coming up with some sort of plugs, to doing the fiberglass repair and painting the deck.
Think carefully on this one!
Regards,
Alan
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
Luggage racks are like paint color....purely subjective to personal taste!
You`ll find some who swear by them... wouldn`t be without them.
You`ll also find many who would`nt have one. I`m in the latter camp.
I agree with Raphiki... I didn`t buy a small sports car to haul a bunch of stuff around in!
You`ll find some who swear by them... wouldn`t be without them.
You`ll also find many who would`nt have one. I`m in the latter camp.
I agree with Raphiki... I didn`t buy a small sports car to haul a bunch of stuff around in!
Last edited by oldgto; Jun 10, 2017 at 07:50 AM.
Instructor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 199
Likes: 12
From: Fair Grove Missouri
I like the looks on our 69 convertible, and it is functional. Wife and I are following route 66 to Chicago at the end of the month and we need the room for stuff. We should know how to pack light as spent several years motorcycle touring on Goldwings and Electraglides. If someone knows if GM stated the trunk/luggage capacity in cubic feet for the 69 convertible I would like to know. Yes it is a pain and with the gas filler in the middle it compounds the problems. We use REI dry bags used in kayaking and strapped so there is still a little tunnel to use the interior rear view mirror. To each their own.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I would recommend installing one ONLY if you NEED to have a functioning luggage rack. I've used mine on several occasions. But, if you are considering one just based on 'appearance', I would not recommend it.
They look OK on early C3 coupe models, especially if they are a darker color and have stock rally wheels. In those instances, the chrome on the rear deck adds somewhat to the appearance of the car. I don't care for them on later model C3's (with the rounded off tail), nor on convertibles. But, that's just my preferences.
They look OK on early C3 coupe models, especially if they are a darker color and have stock rally wheels. In those instances, the chrome on the rear deck adds somewhat to the appearance of the car. I don't care for them on later model C3's (with the rounded off tail), nor on convertibles. But, that's just my preferences.
A very polarizing question.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 4,120
Likes: 1,230
From: Madeira Beach, FL
2024 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I have a dealer installed stainless steel one on my 68 coupe.
I would not in this day and age seek one and drill the holes into my deck myself. That said its there and I'm leaving it.
I use it to place the T Tops into the bags when I remove them.
It has with a large piece of cardboard on it served as a work bench for light work.
As Alan pointed out, I have seen them removed and .filled and you could still see a faint trace of the holes in the new paint.
Marshal
I would not in this day and age seek one and drill the holes into my deck myself. That said its there and I'm leaving it.
I use it to place the T Tops into the bags when I remove them.
It has with a large piece of cardboard on it served as a work bench for light work.
As Alan pointed out, I have seen them removed and .filled and you could still see a faint trace of the holes in the new paint.
Marshal
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
Likes: 4,391
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
I put a luggage rack on my car within a few months of buying it. I actually sort of liked the look.
But when I began restoring the car I was very sure that it wasn't going back on.
Filling the holes can be tricky.
I believe that if the surface around the holes, both topside and underside, is v'd out to the size of a silver dollar (remember those?), and the repair is done using just layers of mat and resin, but NO filler, there's a reasonably good chance that the holes won't show through the paint as time goes by.
At least up to this point I'm glad I removed the rack but don't think it's worth doing the work unless the car is being painted anyway.
Regards,
Alan
I put a luggage rack on my car within a few months of buying it. I actually sort of liked the look.
But when I began restoring the car I was very sure that it wasn't going back on.
Filling the holes can be tricky.
I believe that if the surface around the holes, both topside and underside, is v'd out to the size of a silver dollar (remember those?), and the repair is done using just layers of mat and resin, but NO filler, there's a reasonably good chance that the holes won't show through the paint as time goes by.
At least up to this point I'm glad I removed the rack but don't think it's worth doing the work unless the car is being painted anyway.
Regards,
Alan
Pro
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 577
Likes: 26
From: st george utah
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
had one on my 76 and a set of t hop holders was grreat moer room inside thy did not rub and get scrached al thoe you will dneed 19+77 factory style hase the pins on it
docmow
docmow
Last edited by docmow; Jun 11, 2017 at 03:50 PM. Reason: no edit
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
In 1977 I bought a new Corvette off the lot and it came with a luggage rack. '77 was the first year it could be ordered from the factory. Before that they were dealer installed options. We took a number of trips in that car and found it very useful. I probably would not have ordered it, but quickly found it definitely served a purpose. I even used it regularly to carry the T-tops on.
Years later I bought a '73 convertible and it already had a rack on it. It was also quite rusty so I bought a new one. At that time stainless ones were not available. It was a pain to keep corrosion under control. If it rained on it, it would start to rust in a few days. When they started offering them in stainless I quickly bought one and found it to be maintenance free. If you do decide to go with a rack, save yourself some aggravation by buying the stainless version. It is well worth the difference.
Good luck... GUSTO
Years later I bought a '73 convertible and it already had a rack on it. It was also quite rusty so I bought a new one. At that time stainless ones were not available. It was a pain to keep corrosion under control. If it rained on it, it would start to rust in a few days. When they started offering them in stainless I quickly bought one and found it to be maintenance free. If you do decide to go with a rack, save yourself some aggravation by buying the stainless version. It is well worth the difference.
Good luck... GUSTO
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,997
Likes: 6,213
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
First... No Corvette ever came with a luggage rack, they were all dealer installed and made by Duer Tube Bending Co. I did a write up on this on our tech site years ago.
http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...story-updated/
I have a rack on my 72 and while I like it for carrying my t-tops, I really don't care much for it. The issue with the luggage rack is it is next to impossible to hide the holes should you remove the rack from the car.
T-top carriers are cool though because you can stack the tops on the back of the rack and roll on... the only issue is when you need fuel you have to take the tops off (same with luggage). http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/w...op-carrier.pdf
When we distributed the racks back in the 80's they were one of the most popular parts we sold... But the reason we sold so many was that the racks would rust and the reproduction racks made today don't have the weep holes in the ends of the tubs so they tend to rust out even faster.
So my advice is if you are going to do a rack, go with the stainless rack. it'll last you a lot longer than the chrome one.
Willcox
http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...story-updated/
I have a rack on my 72 and while I like it for carrying my t-tops, I really don't care much for it. The issue with the luggage rack is it is next to impossible to hide the holes should you remove the rack from the car.
T-top carriers are cool though because you can stack the tops on the back of the rack and roll on... the only issue is when you need fuel you have to take the tops off (same with luggage). http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/w...op-carrier.pdf
When we distributed the racks back in the 80's they were one of the most popular parts we sold... But the reason we sold so many was that the racks would rust and the reproduction racks made today don't have the weep holes in the ends of the tubs so they tend to rust out even faster.
So my advice is if you are going to do a rack, go with the stainless rack. it'll last you a lot longer than the chrome one.
Willcox