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dkoltz Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2011 Posts: 8
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:02 pm Post subject: Luggage rack cover |
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With winter approaching, I'd like to install a cover over the luggage rack to avoid snow build-up. Has anyone come across any aftermarket covers? I'm looking for a seasonal/temporary fix, as I frequently use the rack during the spring/summer/fall. Thanks! |
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BillWYellowstone Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2011 Posts: 767 Location: Yellowstone NP
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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Watching this with interest, I have a heavy winter coming up. No garage, and won't be near the westy for a month at a time. Montana, I am actually thinking just leave it. Can only hold so much snow, right? _________________ Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round. |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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BillWYellowstone wrote: |
Watching this with interest, I have a heavy winter coming up. No garage, and won't be near the westy for a month at a time. Montana, I am actually thinking just leave it. Can only hold so much snow, right? |
The luggage rack bears on the roof so it can deal with a vary large amount of snow, but the rest of the pop-top should have the snow cleared when it gets deep/heavy, I have read that the roof can develop a bit of a sag in the middle if large snow loads are left alone, but I have never seen/experienced that first hand.
Parking the van in the open where wind and sun can minimize snow loads if possible is the way to go. _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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outwesty Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2006 Posts: 1074 Location: Tahoe City
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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It can hold a bit _________________ www.outwesty.com Vanagon / Syncro Repair in Tahoe City, CA |
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vanis13 Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010 Posts: 3079 Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:21 am Post subject: |
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guess you can put a flat piece of something over the hole and strap it down. scrap 3/4" plywood should work.
Also making a "dome" that sheds snow might work. Bet coroplast (plastic cardboard) might bend nicely and with November election sign season coming up you can find some on your local corner. _________________ 83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace
www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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I made a simple cover cut from scrap 1/2" plywood on a couple of pool noodles I had hanging around. Good noise reduction (less turbulence at highway speeds) and about a .8 MPG increase as well.
_________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7717 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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Jake de Villiers wrote: |
I...simple cover cut from scrap 1/2" plywood on a couple of pool noodles... |
Nice! Not pretty; but effective! (Much like myself...)
I'll be doing this! _________________ 86 White Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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dhaavers wrote: |
Jake de Villiers wrote: |
I...simple cover cut from scrap 1/2" plywood on a couple of pool noodles... |
Nice! Not pretty; but effective! (Much like myself...)
I'll be doing this! |
But completely FREE except for the 40 minutes I spent cutting out the plywood! I've been thinking about springing for some nice white polystyrene sheet to make a 'nice' one out of but... _________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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thummmper Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2009 Posts: 2015 Location: Meadow Valley, California Republic
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Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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this almost feels like a jacuzzi cover-style solution.
maybe I can get with gregor and mock something up. I am close to hanging my sewing tables anyway.
polystyrene body 2" thick within a durable vinyl enclosure with possible flaps-- |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:35 am Post subject: |
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Did you mean styrofoam? It needs to be more than 2" thick - the luggage well is tapered too, from front to back. I went with the ply because its easier to find a place to put it if I need to use that space while out driving, whereas a 2' x 4' x ~3 1/2" foam billet would be a pain...
YMMV _________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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j_dirge Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 4641 Location: Twain Harte, CA
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:36 am Post subject: |
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Hard to beleive that filling that space will buy .9 mpg.
I may have to try it out as my mpgs have slipped to 18 on the HWY, due in large part to being 3" taller than stock and rolling on large tires.
Hmmm... _________________ -89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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j_dirge wrote: |
Hard to beleive that filling that space will buy .9 mpg.
I may have to try it out as my mpgs have slipped to 18 on the HWY, due in large part to being 3" taller than stock and rolling on large tires.
Hmmm... |
I should have said .9 miles per Imperial Gallon. With US Gallons, that's more like .72. Still, the best part was the noise reduction at 70 MPH. _________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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campism Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007 Posts: 4482 Location: Richmond VA
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Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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Try running your bungees front-to-back and see if you get the rest of that one-full-MPG improvement. |
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dkoltz Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2011 Posts: 8
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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Jake - the plywood is awesome... leave it to good old Canadian ingenuity - Red Green would be proud! Speaking of, I didn't notice any duct tape
This may what I'm looking for... I'm not concerned about weight; rather, parking in the garage overnight and the associated snow melt. Just looking for an easier way to keep it out than having to empty it frequently. |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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dkoltz wrote: |
Jake - the plywood is awesome... leave it to good old Canadian ingenuity - Red Green would be proud! Speaking of, I didn't notice any duct tape
This may what I'm looking for... I'm not concerned about weight; rather, parking in the garage overnight and the associated snow melt. Just looking for an easier way to keep it out than having to empty it frequently. |
It should do that for you - I was just looking for less wind noise on the highway. Plywood - all things to all people! _________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7717 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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My version, thanks to Jake's inspiration:
I stretched & stapled on a layer of rubber roll roofing I had laying around (for weather resistance & to keep down splinters)
otherwise all according to Jake's original plan (ie: plywood, swim noodles & bungees).
Drove today in very windy conditions & I agree the wind noise is diminished. Might be even quieter with a truly air-TIGHT design,
but I'm happy considering the time & materials I put into this.
I will definitely keep this in place long-term. Should keep the snow off & will stow easily at a moment's notice.
Thanks, Jake! _________________ 86 White Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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Nice work!
That is a real nice compromise between keeping the luggage bin, getting better aerodynamics, and not taking too long to build.
Here is are a couple pics of mine, FWIW, I obviously lost the luggage bin, but got a larger aero gain/wind noise loss, but the fiberglass work was a real time killer :-/
_________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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LTBeck41 Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2005 Posts: 44 Location: Jacksonville FL
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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That filberglass replaceemnt for the luggage well really adds a lot to the overall looks for the Westy! market it !!! |
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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If you use a piece of membrane roofing, you might match the white fiberglass.... _________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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