Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

[Gobird]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Gene, Not sure how that would hold up with a convertible top!

[steelblue5505]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

My concern is about the weight of a loaded rack. Where does this downward pressure go? Is the deck lid, its hinges, brackets, down stops, latch and gas springs designed for any additional weight?

Another concern I have is the mounting brackets. Aaron mentions the "feet" or brackets have a rubber cushion molded into them, but I still think under a load the rack will move or jiggle a bit as our Birds drive down the road. Can the thin clear coat take this rubbing movement.

How much freight to you want to put on the deck lid of this cruiser?

[T-Bird Concepts]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Hi Mike & Evelyn,

Good questions. We have thought this out carefully. Let me explain;

The weight is distributed down to the footings of the rack and the footings lay directly above the locations in the trunk that have the strongest stability; The little pointed cushion stop pad by the tailights inside the trunk, and the hinge stability arm in the rear inside of the trunk.

These are the two best locations on the flexible fiberglass trunk that we can disperse the weight evenly.

Another great fact that we are happy about is that the trunk is made of Fiberglass. Fiberglass has a flex-response characteristic that benefits the use of this trunk and the use of a this New Trunk Rack.

Let me explain this.

If The Tbird's Trunk were a steel trunk and it were to bend whatsoever, then it would remain bent because steel has no flex-response. If a fiberglass trunk is to bend, it has a flex-response to snap back to it's original shape.

Does that make sense and this would be the worst case scenario if the Trunk Rack were to bend the Trunk.

I believe that the Trunk Rack will not bend the Fiberglass Trunk because of the weight limit we recommend.

We recommend a weight limit on the Trunk Rack to hold 50 pounds max. This is enough to easily hold the 30 pound spare tire or a 50 pound Airport Luggage Bag (which has a 50 pound limit by the airlines anyhow).

So, I think we reached a "happy medium" for storage weight limitations on this new Trunk Rack.

On the subject of the Rubber Gasket Footings, I used this case scenario;

As we all know, the Hardtop does eventually rub the paint off and it has a similar Rubber Gasket system as this new Trunk Rack. But, there is a huge difference in the two.

The Hardtop is in constant use and weighs a lot more... at all times.

The Trunk Rack disperses it's weight of 2.5 pounds per leg footing.

So, how did we come up with the conclusion that the Trunk Rack will not damage your Tbird?

We used the information and experience we have had with the Hardtop from past experience. We all know that the Hardtop wears through the clear coat at about 30,000 - 40,000 miles of driving.

This is what makes me confident in that I will not have worry that this new Trunk Rack will not damage the Tbird's paint anytime soon.

Let me explain some more:

The Hardtop weighs 81 pounds and wears through the clear coat at around 30,000 to 40,000 miles (this is just from my experience working with a lot of Tbirder's on a daily basis and the results can vary depending on if you live on a bumpy dirt road... most of my Tbird customers do not, and have seen the Hardtop wear through at around 30,000 - 40,000 miles).

This is my logic.



The Tbird Hardtop:
-It takes a lot of miles for this 81 pound Hardtop to wear through the paint.

-The Hardtop is on the Tbird for most of the year... this is a pretty constant thing.

-The section that wears away is right next to the top quarter panels on the deck lid. The whole Tbirds chassis is constantly flexing from driving and that is why that specific seem wears through (on each side of the Tbird). I have a picture of it on our site at; www.thunderbirdconcepts.com/reardeck.htm (that paint wear was from my neighbor, Harvey, who had 60,000 miles on his Tbird before the paint started to wear away from the Hardtop)

-Again, the Hardtop weighs 81 pounds and is sitting on a total of 3 moving quarter panels.



The New Tbird Trunk Rack:
-It only weighs 10 pounds which is not a lot of pressure on the footings. The dispersed weight is approximately 2.5 pounds per footing leg.

-Some Tbirder's will not have the Trunk Rack on full time and this helps possible rubbing damage of course.

-Even when loaded down with 50 pounds that is only about 12.5 pounds of weight dispersed per footing leg.

-This is the big one; The weight is sitting on a solid ONE-PIECE trunk lid unlike the Hardtop that sits on THREE constant-moving quarter panels. That is why the Hardtop rubs through the paint. This Trunk Rack will not because of the weight dispersed per footing and the position of the weight on top of a solid one-piece trunk lid.


I will assume that very few Tbirder's will have their Trunk Racks weighed down for everyday driving, so possible damage is not a factor at 2.5 pounds of pressure on a solid rubber gasket. Also, the footings are located on a flexible Fiberglass Trunk located in the strongest points possible.

I hope I have explained it clear enough. That was a tough one!

Thank you for the good question. I can now post this answer on our website for other Tbirder's to benefit from.

I hope that I answered this ok. It turned out to be a lot longer of an explanation than I anticipated, but it had to be addressed.

Cheers,
Aaron




.............

[islandtime]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

I have total confidence in Aaron. He has been completely honest with us in his testing and production of this item. Either you want it or you don't.

I had a s/s trunk rack for my 1980 MG...it was one of the best things I ever added to that little car. 'Nuff said.

[T-Bird Concepts]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Hi Sally,

Good question. I think the Trunk Rack might actually fit in the trunk. I will test it out.

I guess you could have it sitting there if you didn't want it sitting on the trunk. Then you could use it if you were our shopping and you found another CHROME accessory you had to have but could not fit in your Tbird without strapping it to the Trunk Rack!

I will get back to you on that.

.....

[steelblue5505]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Aaron,
thanks for the answers to my questions.

[My Raven]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

I'll pack less also. After you load your luggage, or whatever, and strap it down, you now have no rear view mirror vision. Plus, I don't care for the way it looks. JMO

Evening Blacks think alike, Mike. It looks like a over sized Kenmore refrigerator rack to me. But if you like it go for it ...

[Johnny Gumballs]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

The most important thing to me is that the stainless is 'buffed and polished' so that it will shine on the Platinum Beauty.

[HKS]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Aaron,

Can you recomend a good looking piece of luggage for the rack. One that could easily be tied down. Do you supply tie downs for the rack?

HKS

[redbirdsal]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Also, I did not show the 1000 pound limit safety strap in the photo shoot. It's simply a black strap with a 1000 pound breaking limit secured with a vinyl coated military flange hook that has a weight breaking limit of 1000 pounds as well. It straps in the rear of the rack by the 3rd brake light and hooks to the inside of the trunk.

This is an overkill for a safety strap, but I rather have the over protection then be sorry later.


......

[rpatton3]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

I had a Maverick, early Mustang and Cougar factory luggage rack on a 1968 GT-E 427 Cougar. My dad helped make some straps so we did not drill holes in the trunk. I only used it a couple of times but it was very functional and mine was removable, too.

GOOD JOB WITH AMERICAN MADE AND STAINLESS STEEL!

[MATBird]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Aaron,
Can you recomend a good looking piece of luggage fot the rack. One that could easily be tied dow. Do you supply tie downs for the rack?
HKS

If you want some real classy Leather stuff:
http://www.saddlebackleather.com/sto...?idCategory=18

[T-Bird Concepts]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

I like those suitcases. It makes me want to pack up my treasures and go on a trip.

[Leroy]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Aaron, Weather or not the trunk rack fits in the trunk should've been one of the main design factors I would think? If I buy one it's not becuase I want it on my car all the time just for looks. But I do think it would be something nice to have in the trunk if you did decide to purchase something unexpectedly or to hual your luggage or flat tire on. Have you tested it to hual a flat tire? Leroy

[steelblue5505]

Re: Chrome Trunk Rack For Our T Bird

Leroy,If you keep a bungee cord in the spare tire well for an emergency like a blow out, you can put the blown out tire in the trunk and bungee cord the deck lid closed while you drive somewhere to get a new tire. Afterall, the mini-spare is only suppose to be driven on at a reduced speed, not high speed freeway/turnpike mph.