Roof rack or trunk rack? (solution: none of the above... modded trunk!)

[larrybuck]

Well! I just got one wild hair of an idea.

Leave your trunk alone for weather seal/protection for your spare parts.

My plan only accounts for about 2 bikes, but I still want to share.

They make elongated hitch mounts which several people on here use as support for their boattails.

Picture 2 bikes on their sides elevated/ mounted bunk bed style length wise beyond
the back of your car.

Yes, this would INVOLVE a lot: license plate/tail/brake light relocation/duplication
and custom brackets to secure everything.....but.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think how trick that an effective boattail could work, and look if you could sleeve
the bikes into a body bag aero looking package!!!!!

A lot of work; but I bet the results could be quite satisfying!!!!

[Jakins]

Ok! So I'm less than a week away from my road trip to arizona and I finally got the bike rack situation figured out, my friend gave me a messed up trunk for free and I cut a giant hole in the back for my bikes to stick through. I might get a little bit more creative by building some sort of tail on it If I have some time this week. I also made a little door for it so that i can close it up whenever i shut the trunk, as if the jaged metal edges wouldnt deter theives well enough. Ill have pictures up either tonight or tomorrow. I'm getting really excited.

[MetroMPG]

This is a really creative mod. Please do post the pics.

[Jakins]

I'm just testing it. For the trip I will take off the handle bars and front wheels. It can easily fit 3 or 4 more bikes. Overall I think it was a real good solution to my problem. Not to mention it took like 20 pounds off it seems

[skyking]

how cool is that!

[Fat Charlie]

That is awesome.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Jakins

I'm just testing it. For the trip I will take off the handle bars and front wheels. It can easily fit 3 or 4 more bikes. Overall I think it was a real good solution to my problem.

When you get 3 or 4 bikes in there, would you post one more pic? I'd like to put this on the front page - it's a really creative mod.

[skyking]

I think you could put a flexible plastic or rubber 'skirt' around the edge of the hole, that would just bend out of the way for the bike frames. seal it to the trunk lid with some silicone. I bet it would minimize leakage.
That was a huge score, getting a trunk lid that bolts on.

[Jakins]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

When you get 3 or 4 bikes in there, would you post one more pic? I'd like to put this on the front page - it's a really creative mod.

Hell yah! We are leaving Saturday so ill post pics. Ill try and get a ton of pics all throughout the southwest as we are traveling. One small problem is I had it open and the seats folded down you get some exhaust in the cabin and dust if you are driving on dirt. I really want to put some plastic on it to make it a little more aero dynamic but idk. I was thinking about putting something on the jagged edges but I might just be lazy about it instead haha.

[freebeard]

The sun's at the wrong angle to clearly see how you cut the lid. 3 or 4 slots 2" wide would suffice. You might fill the hole with a sheet of rubber from an old inner tube (I think trucks still use them).

A vented spoiler like they use to keep dust off the back window of a station wagon might keep the exhaust fumes out. Or a tail-pipe extension that curves down into faster moving air. Don't be lazy about carbon monoxide ha ha.