Roof panel stowage

[DustyC]

Has any body found good ways to stow the roof panels when touring (ie lots of baggage).

Do they fit on the parcel shelf?

(Couldnt think of what to call the bit behind the seats!)

[Pies]

Could always leave them
a. on the roof
b. at home

Yep its called the parcel shelf.
There was a thread about it a while back i think podie started it

which one did you get

[DustyC]

You'd certainly know if I had one!

I had a good look at an S3 yesterday. Also my first look with a view to purchasing.
Not gonna jump into anything to quickly though. Taking my time.

[DustyC]

Roof panels again...
I was asking with respect to a touring holiday in Europe so wouldnt want to leave panels at home, or always on roof.

Thought about this when looking yesterday and realised they wouldnt fit behind seats but didnt check to see if they would fit on parcel shelf.

[Pies]

Two links

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=47105&f=11&h=0

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=43280&f=11&h=0

HTH

[shnozz]

Adam, trips around europe are best approached by packing in small soft bags. You can use the sides of the boot to stuff things like sleeping bags if camping or clothes if hotelling. if you use the small bag approach, its amazing what you can stuff between the roof panels with ease. In addition, I have had tools and spares under the seats, cables etc behind seats, glovebox full to the brim with bulbs, torch, etc (and a first aid kit sat on top wedged up near the heater pipes).

As the parcel shelf is accessible to scrotes, i would carry a large rucksack style bag and fill that with personal stuff and clothes. Then you can lob that on the back whenever the car is parked up with no difficulty.

Its planning ahead more than anything. As I am only down the road you will have to pop around when you have the new toy and i'll show you some tips then.

PS - if you want to ditch the spare wheel and carry tyreweld it gives a whole load more space. Personally, after an experience with tyreweld, i always carried the spare after that and made do around it.

[DustyC]

Cheers for the advice Schnozz.
Shame I didnt catch your S3 in time. Will have to meet up with you soon though.

I was surprised you didnt mention the space for wasps!

>> Edited by DustyC on Sunday 28th September 21:33

[shnozz]

ah yes, and a wasp.

[Podie]

shnozz said:

ah yes, and a wasp.

I don't recall there being a wasp...

[DustyC]

If not a wasp then definitly some of those wood chippings you find sprinkled around flower beds...and perhaps half a wasp

So I take it that its impossible to store them anywhere useful then.
How about attaching them to the boot a la 400SEAC?

(Im not being serious, incase you were worried!)

[z_chromozone]

I ditched the spare wheel and got some tyreweld/inflate for this reason. My boot seems massive now.

Some people say you should not do it, but if you bought a new TVR thats all you would have.

Z

[Tripps]

I think TVR tried to sort something out but then went to the pub and forgot to finish it! The idea would appear to be to allow the panels would stow horizontally like the Tuscan, as there are slots at the back end of the boot which will take one panel, but not the other.

After trying all sorts of combinations in the run up to Le Mans, I decided they only seem to go diagnolly, ditched the spare (always carry tyre weld) and organised European recovery.

[WonkyGibbon]

DustyC said:

Roof panels again... I was asking with respect to a touring holiday in Europe so wouldnt want to leave panels at home, or always on roof. Thought about this when looking yesterday and realised they wouldnt fit behind seats but didnt check to see if they would fit on parcel shelf.

Ah - the age old problem. I second what shnozz says with regard to squidgy bags etc ... But the other thing that made a huge difference for us, is that we have a rack mounted on the boot lid (which matches the colour scheme of the car luckilly - so it doesn't look crap when we're out and about normally). Thus we were able to put everything we wanted secure in the boot - and then lashed the roof panels to the rack - easy to get to if there's a sudden downpour as well.

Thus - plenty of space for all our stuff for two weeks and able to take the roof off too !

Just a thought,

WG

[DustyC]

I noticed people asking if boot racks were possible a while ago. Where did you get them? are they permanent?

Wonder if MX5 removable ones will fit?
(they kind of strap around the boot lid so no fixing holes required)

>> Edited by DustyC on Monday 29th September 12:43

[WonkyGibbon]

DustyC said:

I noticed people asking if boot racks were possible a while ago. Where did you get them? are they permanent? Wonder if MX5 removable ones will fit? (they kind of strap around the boot lid so no fixing holes required)

I'm afraid you'd have to look back thru the archives - the previous owner had installed mine so I don't know where it came from.

WG

[shnozz]

z_chromozone said:

I ditched the spare wheel and got some tyreweld/inflate for this reason. My boot seems massive now. Some people say you should not do it, but if you bought a new TVR thats all you would have. Z

my issue with Tyreweld is that none of 6/7 or so tyre fitters in my neck of the woods would offer the service of removing it from the tyre to repair the puncture. Therefore, use tyreweld = new tyre (unlike the surcharge it suggests on the can).

When I got a puncture about 150 miles into a new set of RE720's I wasnt going to fork out £100 for the sake of using tyreweld. For owners of the new TVR's, its a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of rebuilding a AJP engine every 3000 miles.

oh, and Tripps, sorry about any fire breathing that went on opposite your tent at le mans mate. Hope it didnt keep you awake

[DustyC]

Asleep at Le Mans? who was?
Surely it was just a long blink!

You are all putting me off the idea of tyre weld quick enough!

I put some stuff in my bike tyres which is supposed to seal punctures as and when they happen but all it really does is make a mess of everything when you have to STILL fix the puncture yourself.

[shnozz]

Dont let me put you off mate, there are loads that swear by Tyreweld. I am simply not one of them. 2 bad experiences have made me stick with the spare with tyreweld in the car as a back up.

[Tripps]

shnozz said:

my issue with Tyreweld is that none of 6/7 or so tyre fitters in my neck of the woods would offer the service of removing it from the tyre to repair the puncture. Therefore, use tyreweld = new tyre (unlike the surcharge it suggests on the can).

Have to agree with that, it's a last ditch measure for me, if I've not got the spare in the boot or cannot use it for some reason. Thankfully never had to use it yet...

[Tripps]

shnozz said:

oh, and Tripps, sorry about any fire breathing that went on opposite your tent at le mans mate. Hope it didnt keep you awake

If I was in a sleeping like state, I'd have been camotose through alcohol anyway, so don't fret about any noise - besides those buggers with the noisy cars kept driving around the camp site all night long!!

Just sorry I didn't get the chance to meet yourself and Psychobert, with the pikies turning up on Sunday night and all. Will try and catch up soon though for a or something.