Luggage rack removal
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 62
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From: IL
Luggage rack removal
Do you guys recommend this? I would rather not have the luggage rack on my car but I don't want to screw anything up either. Is there a good way of removal and way of covering up the holes?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 15,136
Likes: 477
From: NM
Re: Luggage rack removal (Chris Tabor)
Most are mounted with a compression fitting. Just remove the screws from the top and it should come right off. Some will then just use rubber plugs to cover the holes.
tom...
tom...
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
Re: Luggage rack removal (Chris Tabor)
Removal should be fairly easy, I just removed the screws and then got underneath and popped the clips out. There were 2 clips that I had to get at with the gas tank out. As far as filling the holes, Im just having mine glassed over when i go in for a paint job.
Jason
Jason
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
Re: Luggage rack removal (Chris Tabor)
I tried to remove mine once. I taper ground the holes and fiberglassed over them. But after a while they always showed through the topcoat. No matter what I did there was always a telltale where the holes used to be. I finally surrendered and mounted a new stainless rack. Actually I'm glad I did because I use it a lot going to car shows. You can strap your chairs and other stuff that doesn't fit easily in the back and it makes a nice place to support your t-tops when you're putting them in bags. JMHO.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,166
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa Ok
Re: Luggage rack removal (vettfixr)
I have yet to hear of anyone having successfully covered/ glassed over those holes. I think the best option would be chrome plugs of some sort that would make it look like its a optional attachment.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Luggage rack removal (Chris Tabor)
I took my beat up luggage rack off and put some black plastic plugs in the holes. The plugs are about inch in diameter and cover up the luggage rack marks nicely plus they are thin and tappered on top so they sit pretty flush.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 0
From: Cut n Shoot TX
Re: Luggage rack removal (Fevre)
Lowes and Home Depot sell 1/2'' metal plugs that I had painted the same color of the car. I then used silicon on the inside edges of the holes and pressed the plugs in place, and now they hardly even show. :flag
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,075
Likes: 1,191
Re: Luggage rack removal (Chris Tabor)
I want to take the luggage rack off of my car too but every Corvette shop I talked to said that the repairs to the wholes will shrink and the wholes will be visible again.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
From: South San Francisco CA
Re: Luggage rack removal (Chris Tabor)
I removed my luggage rack and mounting hardware and then cut some pieces of .050 aluminum 2" X 3/8" and tied some fishing line around the middle of each piece. Next step was to mix up some two part epoxy and put it on each piece of aluminum. I then lowered each piece through the hole vertically and then pulled up on the fishing line so the aluminum would stick to the underside of the hole. I used some masking tape on the fishing line to keep the aluminum from falling into the hole. After the epoxy dried it was just a matter of mixing up some fiberglass and doing the repair. If you don't place something in the hole first, you will get those telltale marks where the hole is. The aluminum keeps things steady and acts as a foundation for the fiberglass. There's probably a better way, but this worked pretty well for me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 2
From: Eastern Connecticut
Re: Luggage rack removal (bl75vette)
My rack was held on by rubber "nutserts". I just unscrewed the rack and put in chrome socket head screws. I wasn't trying to hide it, and it looks finished with the chrome. Joe
