Luggage Cover

[Ivor_E_Tower]

And now, at long last, I've finally had the time and the good weather to take some digital pics for you all. First of all, from the back (I can assure you that from outside, you can't see anything much other than the travel rugs):

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Next... this is the wooden frame, made in my case from some 18 x 44mm planed all round (PAR) that I had lying around spare, all except the rearmost bit shown at an angle in the pic, which is from something like 12 x 38mm.

Self-adhesive Velcro is positioned strategically to hold the frame when folded up, and to grip the "furryness" of the travel rug and hold it in position, as well as stopping the wood rattling on the rear side panels.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Next... These are the main pivots, I think the bolts I used are M5 (not sure as again, I had them lying around). One washer underneath the head, one between the 2 bits of wood, one under TWO nuts underneath - set the first one to give some tightness to the pivot, then using 2 spanners, a second nut to lock the first one and stop the joint from coming undone due to vibration or repeated turning of the joint.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

And now... Folded up, the velcro keeps everything in place (and it stores lengthways in the car under row 2 and between seats of row 3 - it's too wide to fit across the car under the middle row unfortunately). The longest piece of wood is about 1520mm from memory, and the main pivot is right in the centre. The front-pointing piece is less than half this length, as is the cross piece that rests on the 2 folded up seats (you can see from the photos that these pieces, when folded, do not exceed the length of the longest cross-piece). When fitting it, the travel rug is passed around the cross-piece to stop it from marking the backs of the middle row seats.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

..and finally the finishing touch is the white expanding net-curtain track that justs rests across the side panels as far back as you can get it. Then just drape the rug over it all, poking it under the 2 cross-pieces to stop rattles etc.

[Guest nimrod]

Very inventive Ivor :o do you carry all that lot stashed in the boot around with you all the time?

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Almost all the time, yes, except when filling up for a trip to the tip etc (and you haven't seen what I've got squeezed into the rear panel alongside the jack yet......)

[seatkid]

Wow! Very good Ivor - impressed.

 

I've got two luggage covers in the garage (one from 1st written off Alhambra). Never used either in eight years.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

The size of wood I've used means that the cover acts as a shelf as it will support a fair weight. I think that if you really wanted to carry a regular amount of heavy stuff, a downward piece of wood, reaching the floor plus a pine or contiboard shelf cut from a sheet from the DIY places would be sufficient. Have certainly had several kilos (jackets, new rotating washing line etc) resting on my wooden frame though (and it hasn't snapped yet...)