Vintage MotorCar Grill Mounted Luggage Rack

@Techdave posted:

I have just a few questions on the new luggage rack:

1) Any drilling needed? - Maybe

2) Does the rear grill need to me removed to install the rack? - Not Usually

If you didn't order the luggage rack with your Speedster it is likely the holes in the rain guard weren't drilled. But that would have been up to the builder if he decided to drill the holes without you ordering a luggage rack.  The legs of the luggage rack extend through the engine grill and the threaded ends pass through the rain guard where you would affix nuts to hold it on.

It is a good idea to use fender washers on the top of the rain guard and underneath to add strength and displace stress and to not pull the threaded ends through the fiberglass.

I trimmed some fender washers to fit in the top side of the rain guard and epoxied them in place after the holes were drilled. That way I never had to remove the grill to install the luggage rack. I just opened the engine cover a little bit with the luggage rack in place, placed a fender washer over the threaded end of the rod and put on a nut to hold it in place. Once I had the nuts on the two legs of the luggage rack closest to the bottom of the engine lid I opened it the rest of the way and finished the other two.

If no holes were drilled you'll have to remove the grill, position the rack, mark the holes, and drill them just large enough to pass the threaded rods through and no bigger. After that you won't have to remove the grill. Make sure to test fit the luggage rack with the grill in place first to check fitment.

There are two holes that appear to be drain holes only at the bottom,(no holes on top). I assume that means I will need to drill some holes? Note: the holes at the bottom are kinda off to the side.

They are usually in the corner at the top and bottom. Should be lined up with the last row of slats.

Robert,

Thank you for the diagram. The builder did not drill them out. Looks like I will have to drill  all (4). If you recommend a washer top and bottom, I believe I will have to remove the grill to place the washer on top. There are (2) smaller pre-drill holes at the bottom, but no not line up with the grill.

Thanks for your help

@Techdave Not a lot of people mention or know this, but it is a VERY good idea to SEAL the edges of drilled fiberglass. You can use super glue, epoxy, paint, or even nail polish. But after you drill the holes, seal them. Then wait until whatever you put on dries, and the run the drill through to maintain your hole size.

Sealing the edges helps prevent cracks from forming on the fiberglass. It also prevents moisture infiltration which will result in delaminating.

Danny,

I would have never thought about that. Thank you for your sharing.

No problem at all.

It's what we do here.

Use masking tape, mark the holes, and start with a size tiny bit.

Once the hole is started, drill speed HIGH(and pay attention to where the drill chuck is since you're close to the decklid paint there).

Don't push, let the bit do the work. Easy does it. Carefully peel the tape, ripping it in pieces TOWARDS the hole, so you don't pull the paint up. Then seal.

@DannyP posted:

@Techdave Not a lot of people mention or know this, but it is a VERY good idea to SEAL the edges of drilled fiberglass. You can use super glue, epoxy, paint, or even nail polish. But after you drill the holes, seal them. Then wait until whatever you put on dries, and the run the drill through to maintain your hole size.

Sealing the edges helps prevent cracks from forming on the fiberglass. It also prevents moisture infiltration which will result in delaminating.

Thanks Danny. I forgot to mention that.

@Techdave posted:

Robert,

Thank you for the diagram. The builder did not drill them out. Looks like I will have to drill  all (4). If you recommend a washer top and bottom, I believe I will have to remove the grill to place the washer on top. There are (2) smaller pre-drill holes at the bottom, but no not line up with the grill.

Before I epoxied mine in place I would drop them through the grate and use a long phillips screwdriver to position them over the holes. After I tired of that I epoxied them in place and then painted the inside of the rain guard all one color since mine was never painted.