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Tue May 09, 2006 6:44 am

So both of rustisnotacrime's racks are HWEs? Right? What does HWE stand for? Does anybody know any history on this HWE company?

Tue May 09, 2006 6:54 am

robot909 wrote: I do not like the "westfalia" style racks, but the plain metal ones.

Friend of mine gave me this rack a couple of years ago .. came from his 1970 T2a, and he didn't need
it anymore. "Lapa (?) - made in Italy" is stamped on it.

Tue May 09, 2006 7:57 am

EverettB wrote: mr. warehouse wrote: Anyone know the story on this rack?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=297528

That looks like a Bekowa rack with HWE clamps to me.

Bekowas have the right angle cross-supports while HWEs have the ones that come out in a large bend.

My full length BeKoWa rack has 8 legs not 6 like the one in this picture..it also has a riveted on aluminum tag..would that be the difference between early and late BeKoWa as well?

Tue May 09, 2006 11:14 am

I think the rack pictured above is a 3/4 rack (I know the pic makes it look longer). The full length, 6 leg rack has 5 small tubes between the legs: leg, 5 cross bars, leg, 5 cross, leg. People have do the "nip tuck" deal and made 8 legged full HWE racks out of a 3/4 + a 1/2 rack. This would give you an 8 legged rack with 4 cross bars between each set of legs.

Tue May 09, 2006 11:41 am

mattoreg wrote: So both of rustisnotacrime's racks are HWEs? Right? What does HWE stand for? Does anybody know any history on this HWE company?

I think I have BeKoWa racks with the HWE clamps.

I THINK !!! :?

Tue May 09, 2006 12:03 pm

After looking at a bunch of pics it seems that the curve leg brace section on the HWE is bar stock, solid and smaller OD. The same brace on the Bekowa is a curved tube. There is also a difference in the eyelet that the clamp bolt goes through.
I had a HWE bug rack and it had a very small logo stamped on the eyelet. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about the bus racks.

Tue May 09, 2006 1:14 pm

brewerjas wrote: Here is mine...not sure of the brand or year. I'm getting ready to sell it, if your interested shoot me a PM.

I have a rack just like this one. I am not smart enough to post a picture so I am going to use this one. Cool story. I friend of mine found this rack while on his honeymoon. He and his new bride were in the country of Granada and found this rack and sent it back to the USA. He had this rack for sale at BOR many years ago. I had a German dealership map from 1959 or 1960 that he wanted for his Binz. We made the trade. I pile all kinds of weight on this rack every where I go. It took me awhile to get all six og clamps. I was also able to locate all of the rear hold down clamps that hold the spring clamps to the rack at the base of each leg. It is not as strong as a Bekowa, but does ok just the same. Rich

Tue May 09, 2006 1:51 pm

Here's a Full Length rack in the same style as in the photo above. I was reading the "ebay sales flap" thread and saw an old VW promo photo of a pressed bumper, Euro plated, flap bus with what looks like the same rack. I had thought this style rack was later then the pressed bumper era?

My rack

Tue May 09, 2006 2:07 pm

Looks like it Aaron... the flap buses have a water splash rail atop the flap area to keep water off the sellers goods when it is raining ....no clamp can attach to drip rail in this area....Here is a photo of my HWE luggage rack....anyone have any info on these racks...I would like to find a taller version to clear the sunroof.

Tue May 09, 2006 2:14 pm

Here's a pic of my rack, from what I gather from the previous posts it must be a HWE? There's no label or stamping I've ever been able to find... Anybody know for sure?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=274639

Tue May 09, 2006 3:07 pm

Check the foot where the clamp goes it should have a stamp similar to this one on my rack.

Tue May 09, 2006 9:31 pm

how much for the single cab rack?

Tue May 09, 2006 9:32 pm

I know it's not on my split, but it fits better on the bay . . . I have no idea what it is or where it came from, but this is about the biggest and beefiest rack I've seen on any T2 . . .

More pics here

Tue May 09, 2006 11:01 pm

Mango Juice wrote: Check the foot where the clamp goes it should have a stamp similar to this one on my rack.

Hey cool thanks !!! That pic jogged my memory. That is the stamp I have on both of mine.

Now I just need a 3rd bus to put a 2/3 length HWE rack on it !!

Does anyone know if HWE made a little rack to fit in front of a poptop ?

I have seen a few small ones but I dont know if they are repops or home made.

Wed May 10, 2006 3:19 am

brewerjas wrote: Here is mine...not sure of the brand or year. I'm getting ready to sell it, if your interested shoot me a PM.

Mine looks most similar to the ladder shown above. Any info on this style rack? Or how about the ladder? I've been wondering about this since I bought them.

Wed May 10, 2006 5:53 am

Speaking of roofracks... and ladders... does anyone have any more info on the VW stamped ladders? I haven't seen another yet.

Wed May 10, 2006 9:42 am

Issah, I've got a couple of ladders with the VW stamp like that. I think the two we have are actually a little different height if I rememember right.

Kevin, good to see your bus back in the mud. Bice looks like it will hold up against the rocks better than that pressed bumper did ;)

Wed May 10, 2006 11:55 pm

Here is my ladder. My buddy I bought it off of said it was a repop. I have forgotten who he said made it.

Those were the days when I didnt have a piant job to worry about.

Thu May 11, 2006 2:24 am

Those are all pretty cool roof racks, but I like the one I just bought:

Thu May 11, 2006 3:08 am

Richard,
The pic is from when I was in Utah trying to cross Hell's Backbone Road. But no worries, I'll be back in the mud tomorrow campin' in eastern OK!

So, anyone have any info on my rack? I'm really curious as to what it is... Gotta' be a rack expert on this site somewhere...
K

rustybus wrote: Issah, I've got a couple of ladders with the VW stamp like that. I think the two we have are actually a little different height if I rememember right.

Kevin, good to see your bus back in the mud. Bice looks like it will hold up against the rocks better than that pressed bumper did ;)