Rack plus cover

For a motorist, a roof rack is not only a convenience but also a number of related problems. First and foremost — maintaining proper aerodynamics. The fact is that even when unloaded, despite its seemingly openwork appearance, a rack creates additional “sail area,” increasing wind resistance even at low speed. That means extra fuel consumption, and gasoline prices nowadays are biting harder and harder. Removing and installing it every time is an unnecessary hassle. And once you place even a small load on the rack, the sail effect becomes even more noticeable.

The design proposed by the Hungarian magazine “Ezermeszter” makes it possible to solve all these seemingly incompatible problems at once. In the no-load configuration, the side panels of such a rack will not interfere much with driving, since they fold into a flat package. In the working position, thanks to their height, they keep the load secure without additional fastening, and the cover itself protects it well from bad weather. And finally, another important advantage of the design: when removed from the car, the rack will not take up much space in the garage.

The main parts of the rack are prepared on a tube bender from 13 mm steel tubes. The frame is formed from two half-frames connected by hinges thanks to lugs welded at the joints. Five bushings are fitted on the long (longitudinal) parts of the half-frames, to which the posts of the side walls (side panels) are attached. On the short (transverse) parts there are two bushings each: for the posts of the front and rear wall halves. Spring-loaded pin locks are welded to the outer posts of the side panels, and matching lugs are welded to the adjacent posts of the front and rear wall halves. In addition, coupling lugs are provided at the joints of the front and rear wall halves: they are tightened with M8 bolts. Mounting and fastening to the car roof are the same as for a conventional rack.

The cover is sewn from canvas fabric or artificial leather — from two pieces forming the top and the skirt. The blanks are cut with some allowance for seams (with a fold). Along the perimeter of the lower edge of the skirt, also stitched with a fold, holes are provided, which are then finished like a buttonhole or edged with metal. A nylon rope is passed through the holes and the rack’s support mountings.

Unloading such a rack is very convenient, since its walls fold down like the sides of a truck.

“Modelist-Konstruktor” No. 2’97