Please help - Convertible owners with factory luggage rack installed!!!
#21
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C4 Luggage Rack Search! :-)
Hi Guys! Would really like to put a rack on my convertible '87. I LOVE the idea of that guy below who talked about making one out of TEAK! Where do I place my order for one?!? :-)
Seriously; if ANYONE out there knows where I can find a new or used rack that will fit, I'll gladly pay a Finder's Fee. It can be in any condition.
Thanks!
wendy
(the only girl w/a black convert. 'Vette in the Florida Keys!)
Seriously; if ANYONE out there knows where I can find a new or used rack that will fit, I'll gladly pay a Finder's Fee. It can be in any condition.
Thanks!
wendy
(the only girl w/a black convert. 'Vette in the Florida Keys!)
#22
Yes, that's why I am looking for the mounting template with the dimensions on it. There are alot of chrome luggage racks out there, especially in the foreign car market. I would use my Vette for longer trips if I could carry some nice waterproof luggage or a carrier.
I'm just afraid to drill holes where something important may be under that spot.
Thanks for your reply,
Craig
I'm just afraid to drill holes where something important may be under that spot.
Thanks for your reply,
Craig
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Jetvette_95 (08-17-2022)
#23
Burning Brakes
The template for drilling mounting holes in the right position is one thing, but how are you going to get washers and nuts on the mounting bolts? I have a feeling that the rack was installed at the factory before the deck lid was attached to the car.
#24
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This note is for Wendy. The template installation instruction does not call for bolts and washers - only screws. I believe the exact placement of the holes is only for the factory rack to fit properly. There is nothing directly under the back deck that a screw would damage. To solve the issue of unavailability, I have purchased a rack from a 1994 Cougar (like my Mother had) that is close enough to the correct configuration as not to matter. I am currently restoring this for installation.
#25
Pro
I have been looking for a carrier like that. Is that carrier made specifically for the luggage rack? If you can tell me who makes them or who sells them I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
#26
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C4 Luggage Rack
Yes, I saw the photo and can't help but believe someone, somewhere wrecked one like yours with a perfectly good rack and I can't find it. Oh well, perhaps in my next life . . .
#27
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Yahoo!! I got one!!
This sounds like a nursery rhyme but: The nuts that hold the screws that hold the slats are under your rear deck.
I know no one who knows how the nuts are retained other than by the force created by the screws holding the rack pieces in place. I just found and purchased a factory luggage rack. It came with #10x24, 1 1/4" machine screws which held the luggage rack pieces in place to the deck. Clearly they fit matching nuts, and probably washers, on the underside of the deck to hold any luggage firmly in place. I am investigating several methods of installing the rack that do not involve removing the body from the frame to get at the underside of the deck. If anyone has good ideas please put them here. Don't say "molly bolt" unless you've found a stainless version.
Once a factory rack is removed, there will be roughly ten unnecessary holes in the rear deck.
I know no one who knows how the nuts are retained other than by the force created by the screws holding the rack pieces in place. I just found and purchased a factory luggage rack. It came with #10x24, 1 1/4" machine screws which held the luggage rack pieces in place to the deck. Clearly they fit matching nuts, and probably washers, on the underside of the deck to hold any luggage firmly in place. I am investigating several methods of installing the rack that do not involve removing the body from the frame to get at the underside of the deck. If anyone has good ideas please put them here. Don't say "molly bolt" unless you've found a stainless version.
Once a factory rack is removed, there will be roughly ten unnecessary holes in the rear deck.
#28
This sounds like a nursery rhyme but: The nuts that hold the screws that hold the slats are under your rear deck.
I know no one who knows how the nuts are retained other than by the force created by the screws holding the rack pieces in place. I just found and purchased a factory luggage rack. It came with #10x24, 1 1/4" machine screws which held the luggage rack pieces in place to the deck. Clearly they fit matching nuts, and probably washers, on the underside of the deck to hold any luggage firmly in place. I am investigating several methods of installing the rack that do not involve removing the body from the frame to get at the underside of the deck. If anyone has good ideas please put them here. Don't say "molly bolt" unless you've found a stainless version.
Once a factory rack is removed, there will be roughly ten unnecessary holes in the rear deck.
I know no one who knows how the nuts are retained other than by the force created by the screws holding the rack pieces in place. I just found and purchased a factory luggage rack. It came with #10x24, 1 1/4" machine screws which held the luggage rack pieces in place to the deck. Clearly they fit matching nuts, and probably washers, on the underside of the deck to hold any luggage firmly in place. I am investigating several methods of installing the rack that do not involve removing the body from the frame to get at the underside of the deck. If anyone has good ideas please put them here. Don't say "molly bolt" unless you've found a stainless version.
Once a factory rack is removed, there will be roughly ten unnecessary holes in the rear deck.
not 100% sure (but 99.99% sure), but i think the bolted slats are secure via "well nuts" in the body. removing the factory rack shouldn't be that hard, but you would have a couple dozen holes to fill, sand, fill, sand, primer, sand, sealer, paint to match, clear, buff, polish, look like crap, etc, etc, etc. i'd leave the factory rack in place -
BTW, for those who don't know what a well nut is --
Last edited by Joe C; 03-25-2013 at 05:16 AM.
#30
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Sorry, but I missed your message much earlier in the exchange. I woke up one morning and decided to put nothing but factory standard on the beast, so teak and my mother's Cougar XR-7 rack idea were out. I steeled myself to a long hunt which just paid off with a find and buy on eBay. A fellow in Pennsylvania was (is?) parting out two 93's and had two for sale. I almost had a heart attack. From my perspective $275 was a great price, and it looks like new. Must have been well garaged, like the beast. I call it the beast as I took it to a tuner who specializes in Corvettes and had it dyno-tuned to 375hp, well beyond the factory 300 I walked in with. Made quite a difference and actually gets better mileage. Good luck with all your plans!
#31
Race Director
Sorry, but I missed your message much earlier in the exchange. I woke up one morning and decided to put nothing but factory standard on the beast, so teak and my mother's Cougar XR-7 rack idea were out. I steeled myself to a long hunt which just paid off with a find and buy on eBay. A fellow in Pennsylvania was (is?) parting out two 93's and had two for sale. I almost had a heart attack. From my perspective $275 was a great price, and it looks like new. Must have been well garaged, like the beast. I call it the beast as I took it to a tuner who specializes in Corvettes and had it dyno-tuned to 375hp, well beyond the factory 300 I walked in with. Made quite a difference and actually gets better mileage. Good luck with all your plans!
He's a genius and getting more hp than many get with a head cam swap.
#33
None of the above posts mention the TYPE of bolts used to hold the rack and slats on. In a posting a few weeks back, someone who ahs one mentioend that the bolts / nuts are the EXPANDING type that work like this:
The nut is permanently attached to the bolt, with an expandable rubber sleeve between the nut and the head of the bolt. The whole aasembly gets isnerted through the slat into the deck, and then the head of the bolt gets tightened. As the head tightens, it pulls the nut upward, and that expands the rubber insert and "tightens" it against the UNDERside of the deck.
I imagine you shoudl not OVER torque those botlheads. The rubber provides plenty of friciton against loosening.
There is a name for this type of fatsener, but I cannot recall it.
Jim G
The nut is permanently attached to the bolt, with an expandable rubber sleeve between the nut and the head of the bolt. The whole aasembly gets isnerted through the slat into the deck, and then the head of the bolt gets tightened. As the head tightens, it pulls the nut upward, and that expands the rubber insert and "tightens" it against the UNDERside of the deck.
I imagine you shoudl not OVER torque those botlheads. The rubber provides plenty of friciton against loosening.
There is a name for this type of fatsener, but I cannot recall it.
Jim G
#35
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C4 Tuner
Sorry to be so tardy in this response. Been off the net for some time. The company is South Georgia Corvette in Thomasville, the SW part of the state near Valdosta. The owner brought in a retired GM engineer who actually worked on the development of the original C4 PCM and understood its issues and how to address them. I was surprised to find the OS is similar to HP's Unix. Fuel flow, timing advance, EGT, oxygen levels, all the possible adjustments, were made during five dyno runs. I am still most pleased, and this was done two years ago. After mine they did a 93 with similar results. The engineer was a virtuoso of the PCM and worth every penny. We are talking shaft hp not Bhp.
#36
C4 luggage rack found!!!!
I am sorry to post this but I have found a bought a new factory luggage rack for my 1990 black convertible! I have been looking for years and there it was on eBay yesterday!!! Bought it immediately for 325.00. Just thought I would post this to give hope to the ones still searching. They are out there!!! Good luck
#37
Can anyone please tell me how much space there is between the fuel tank and the top rear clip. I have a 95 Convertible and have found a very good after market rack. I just want to know how far I can drill without causing a major problem. Thank you.
#38
Pro
If you open and remove the gas filler hatch and the rubber spill liner from the tank filler neck, you can see the clearance from body to tank. I could get my hand in between the tank and body so its roughly an inch.
#39
#40
Luggage rack template
The luggage rack description in the manual is very poor.
You remove the slat pads from the slats.
Appears screws attach the slats to the body.
If you don't reinstall the luggage rack the slat nuts will be exposed.
The manual also mentions the slat nuts can be removed.
I'm guessing there is something embedded in the body panel that holds
the slat nuts.
Diagram 16 shows the break down.
Diagram 17 shows the luggage rack upside down.
You remove the slat pads from the slats.
Appears screws attach the slats to the body.
If you don't reinstall the luggage rack the slat nuts will be exposed.
The manual also mentions the slat nuts can be removed.
I'm guessing there is something embedded in the body panel that holds
the slat nuts.
Diagram 16 shows the break down.
Diagram 17 shows the luggage rack upside down.
Any guidance you may have in locating a template and hardware specs for the factory luggage rack? I'm contemplating making one in an exotic wood.
Thanks in advance for any help,
Ken