Luggage carrying... on the cheap!

[spoodler]

Got a holiday coming up in the not too distant future which is why I bought our Mk1, been looking at how to carry a week's worth of clothing, washing kit, walking boots, spare coats etc. for two people.
The luggage space in the Mk1 is pretty appalling - in my Spitfire based kit car I could fit all the above plus a tent, bedrolls, sleeping bags and cooking kit!
Having looked at the price being asked for boot racks and those boot bags I'm considering making my own. Anyone done something similar or come up with a cheaper alternative?

[Rickyy]

I wonder if you could adapt these to work.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roof-Rack-Bars-Ford-Fies...

The luggage rack that came with my MX-5 has clamps similar to that, to hold it to the boot lid. You could attach the legs to the boot lid and cut down the bars to the required length, giving you something to strap your kit too.

[spoodler]

Thanks for the suggestion - I've just been looking at stuff like this on Ebay. If I could find some used ones locally they might be worth a shout - don't fancy buying new in case I can't make them fit.
Something that has come to my attention is that inflatable roof bars are available... will investigate.

[gforceg]

Hi, are you thinking of improvising something like this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX-5-Boot-Bag-Lugg...

At that price you might not be able to do it any cheaper, unless you already have a big squashy bag you can use.

I did something similar a couple of years ago and it was fine.

[spoodler]

Spotted that one and keeping an eye on it - you're right about costs. I looked at the idea of canoe/kayak bags as they are waterproof but by the time you've bought a couple of those, an anti slip mat and some bungees...
I was also looking at knocking up a bolt on rack out of whatever I have kicking about the garage - if I go that route I'll post something up.
To think I must have given away half a dozen boot racks over the years

[NiceCupOfTea]

Spare tyre out, soft bags, use the back shelf... We had a walking/driving holiday for two in Yorkshire in our a couple of years ago and no problem, even carrying tools as I had a cooling system problem at the time.

In fact, I seem too recall leaving the spoare tyre in.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Spare tyre out, soft bags, use the back shelf... We had a walking/driving holiday for two in Yorkshire in our a couple of years ago and no problem, even carrying tools as I had a cooling system problem at the time.

In fact, I seem too recall leaving the spoare tyre in.

[spoodler]

Yorkshire is where we are headed too...
We should be able to cram all our stuff in as we travel light (normally run stripped down Harleys) but also thinking ahead to camping weekends and taking a tent etc. I'd already decided the spacesaver was being swapped for a can of tyre sealant.

[gdaybruce]

I've managed three trips to Le Mans in MX5s carrying two tents, two sleeping mats/airbeds, two sleeping bags, camping stove and kettle (plus mugs, tea bags and coffee), a selection of tools and the usual luggage. Ditching the spare wheel makes a huge difference to the boot capacity, which feels risky but lots of cars start off with nothing more than a can of sealent these days. I strap things like tents to the roll bar with bungees and can still raise and lower the roof.

One year we went in an MG Midget and that actually has more luggage space, which must say something for the space saving benefits of cart springs and lever arm dampers!

[Craikeybaby]

I did a few 2 week trips 2 up in my mk1 and always had plenty of space what was without the spacesaver though.

[Boo152]

We did a 2 week trip via Paris and over the mountains to the Italian Lakes a few years ago in a mark 1, and took a tent, sleeping bags, and airbed as well as all the rest.

Its amazing how much stuff you can pack into an Mx5 if you use the hood wells for the soft stuff. Pack your sleeping bags and other soft stuff etc down there before putting the hood down, then the (small) tent goes on top of the hood under the tonneau - tight but it works!

We did stop in hotels as well for part of the time, and ate out whilst camping so didnt bother with any cooking equipment (to save space!)

[Rage Page]

I got a bootbag from boot-bag.com. Great bit of kit and not to expensive, around 70 quid and fully waterproof. It means I don't have to have a ugly static luggage rack all the time and frees up space in the boot for more fragile things like beers and my laptop when going on weekend trips with the missus.

Edited by Rage Page on Friday 30th August 11:33

[OSR]

spoodler said:

I'd already decided the spacesaver was being swapped for a can of tyre sealant.

At a recent meet someone suggested getting one of those tyre pumps that plug into the fag lighter socket to go with the can of sealant as they don't always have enough gas in them to fully inflate the tyre. Never having had to use a can of the stuff I don't know if that is true but on the other hand I wouldn't want to find out at the side of the road with a flat tyre. BTW my local tesco has the smaller cans of Holt's tyre sealant half price at £3.50 at the mo if you want to stock up. Bought a can for my MK1 as I don't really want to rely on the 20 year old space saver in the boot.

[Craikeybaby]

I used tyre weld on my mk1 after getting a puncture - I'm sure it was a case of driving to the nearest garage to top up the pressure.

The kit in the mk3, sealant and pump isn't much bigger than 2 cans of tyre weld, so may be a good option.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Tyre Weld comes in a couple of different sizes depending on wheel 7 tyre size.

It's only supposed to be an emergency quick-fix so you can drive somewhere to get the tyre repaired or replaced, same as if you had run-flats. It's not meant to stay in there any longer than that i.e. it's a patch, not a repair.

[spoodler]

Have had occasion to use a tyre sealant a couple of times over the years. Once on a car when it worked fine until I was in a position to get it sorted properly - a tyre change as the carcass had been damaged in the initial puncture, and on a 'bike when it left me with a sticky mess that just made changing the tube by the side of the road that much more difficult... having said that, in thirty years of driving and riding bikes I've probably only had half a dozen punctures so it shouldn't really be an issue (looks round anxiously for some wood to touch).
Also, I just managed to get an old 1960s 100+ luggage rack from Ebay for nineteen quid, no fixings but they'll be easy enough to knock up... was advertised as something like "Vintage car luggage carrier" - much cheaper than anything with "MX5 boot rack" in the title.

[spoodler]

Didn't get around to making up any brackets for the boot rack so had to come up with an alternative. Two of my cheapo ratchet straps and four cut off bits of innertube (to protect the edges of the boot lid) and it didn't go anywhere over a thousand mile trip. It was only carrying spare clothes in a pair of old army back packs that I normally use as panniers on the Harley, would not want to put a lot of weight on it. However. it did allow us the room for everything else to go in the boot, coats, walking boots, food, maps, radio, books, c.d.s, rucksack etc.

[pewe]

Always good to find a locost solution.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the way you've fitted it you must be worried about the luggage sliding forward under heavy braking rather than backwards under fierce acceleration??
Cheers, Pewe.

[spoodler]

Funny you should remark on the fitment of the rack... having been in a couple of classic sports car clubs this is a subject that divides families and starts wars! One of the concours judges in my old Triumph club would deduct points if the rack was fitted with the bar at the back. I've actually seen fitting instructions from the 1960s and the argument was pretty much that under heavy braking you need the bar to stop luggage flying forward far more than you need it to stop stuff rolling off the back under acceleration... With the bar fitted forward anything heavy can be strapped to it and the weight is kept nearer the boot hinges making it easier to use the boot. Personally I'll fit them either way depending on the car and what I'm carrying - oh yea, remove the bar entirely if you are carrying a set of double extending ladders on a Spitfire...