Angib
Jun 3rd, 2009, 09:51 PM
We’re all different (I consider washing a car to be a good alternative to having a life, and ‘detailing’ to be some sort of mental illness…) and my new convertible is there to carry me and my stuff around, pleasurably.
I knew from my test drive that my telescopic work ladders wouldn’t fit in the boot but it was a bit of a blow to find that I couldn’t even ‘post’ them through onto the folded rear seatbacks because the opening between the rollbar legs was so small.
So time for a boot box/extension with dedicated ladder storage:
157305
Putting the ladder in fore-and-aft means it does stick back into the boot, so the available space in there has got even smaller!
157306
But at least there’s space for a storage compartment within easy reach of the driver’s seat.
157307
The boot box is made from 9mm ply and weighs 10-15kg, so it’s pretty easy to lift the whole thing out when the roof is down – but not when my 20kg ladder is inside it, so theft isn’t a worry!
Anyone who might think something like this would be handy for carrying more luggage needs to see how little extra space it provides – the opening at the back is 200mm high, it’s 720mm wide between the rollbar towers and there’s just 600mm from front to back, and that’s just one less-than-huge suitcase, so a Clubman alternative it ain’t.
The boot box did demonstrate one aerodynamic effect – finished, it definitely improves on the protection provided by the wind deflector but while it was being made I had it in the car without its top panel on, and the jet blast that shot forwards through the central ladder leg hole was very unpleasant.
If anyone wanted top make themselves something similar I’d be happy to provide dimensions, construction, etc – PM me.
Andrew
I knew from my test drive that my telescopic work ladders wouldn’t fit in the boot but it was a bit of a blow to find that I couldn’t even ‘post’ them through onto the folded rear seatbacks because the opening between the rollbar legs was so small.
So time for a boot box/extension with dedicated ladder storage:
157305
Putting the ladder in fore-and-aft means it does stick back into the boot, so the available space in there has got even smaller!
157306
But at least there’s space for a storage compartment within easy reach of the driver’s seat.
157307
The boot box is made from 9mm ply and weighs 10-15kg, so it’s pretty easy to lift the whole thing out when the roof is down – but not when my 20kg ladder is inside it, so theft isn’t a worry!
Anyone who might think something like this would be handy for carrying more luggage needs to see how little extra space it provides – the opening at the back is 200mm high, it’s 720mm wide between the rollbar towers and there’s just 600mm from front to back, and that’s just one less-than-huge suitcase, so a Clubman alternative it ain’t.
The boot box did demonstrate one aerodynamic effect – finished, it definitely improves on the protection provided by the wind deflector but while it was being made I had it in the car without its top panel on, and the jet blast that shot forwards through the central ladder leg hole was very unpleasant.
If anyone wanted top make themselves something similar I’d be happy to provide dimensions, construction, etc – PM me.
Andrew