Roof basket/roof rack questions.

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Petros
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Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Roof basket/roof rack questions.

Post by Petros »

a lot of weight that high, plus the extra drag, makes it feel odd and unbalanced when driving. with only 62 hp, any extra drag is felt when at freeway speeds.

I generally do not like putting extra cargo on the roof because of the cost in fuel economy, OTOH, with more than two people and loaded with camping/ski gear, etc. not much else where you can put the luggage. And even than, it is still less costly than driving a full sized SUV (and luggage still manages to get on to the roof despite the larger size).

I had been thinking of making a roof cargo box, shaped like a half of a stream lined torpeado or something similar, that sits flat on the roof. Big enough for skis, backpacks, etc. I should think it should not have the same amount of drag as a roof basket, or even the cargo compartments. It could be made really light using the same construction method I use to build kayaks or small boats.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Termell
Newbie
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:10 am
My tercel:: 1985 Tercel

Re: Roof basket/roof rack questions.

Post by Termell »

Abletobecain wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:44 am It worked great but the drag was ridiculous with my cooler and water jug and my dog's food bucket up there...oh, and two camp chairs. I looked like The Beverly Hillbillies, ha! And she was slooooow...all the more reason to put in a 4AC.
Too bad to hear about the dragging. Those really affects the aerodynamics.
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