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Guys,
Anyone have a folding type luggage rack you want to sell for my TD? Also on the look out for a rear sway bar for a 1970 IRS VW rear. Thanks for lookingBy folding luggage rack, you mean the kind that creates a big shelf behind the car? Cause I think those are pretty spendy. (i.e. $200 plus shipping)
The rear bar kit looks to be about $90 + shipping at the usual VW suppliers. A bit more here and there.
I was thinking of getting one but was thinking she’d need a matching oversized one for the front as well.
I think one thing to account for is which way your rear cover opens if its a VW based kit. Some open upward and some open downward and take a different style luggage rack.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackDale, If you remember my luggage rack, it does not come up flat but rather conforms to the angle of the spare tire. If you are interested, I can take some detailed photos of how it is mounted. Julie and I regularly carry a suitcase on it.
Regarding the rear sway bar, I have a question. Bill Fisher’s book How to Hotrod a VW does not recommend a rear sway bar for a normal road stage hotrod. “not recommended”. But, he does not say why. ???He recommends a rear sway bar for the intermediate stage: “only if front is equipped with a 3/4 inch anti-roll bar and car is understeering or to quicken handling.”Do any of you have a 3/4″ front bar and did you notice any difference when you put it on?Lots of the Speedster owners have them & say they like the handling.
The Bug tends to understeer a little but the kits tend to understeer a lot–or mine did, anyway, before I softened the springs and put new rubber on her. Since the fronts of these cars are 400 pounds lighter than the Beetles they’re made from and the amount of weight taken off the rear is proportionally less, could be that the small front bar is right, even with a big rear bar.
I might just buy a rear bar and try it.
Roy/Ed,
My only sway-bar experience is with a Karman Ghia convertible, not these much lighter kit cars. I upgraded the front bar and added a rear bar. It helped with understeer a bit, but the biggest noticeable change was a lot less body roll — it was much flatter in sharp curves. Seemed to plow much less, but still wasn’t nearly as precise as rack and pinion steering.The tradeoff was a noticeably harsher ride on uneven pavement…Like Ed suggests, I’m not sure the front of these much lighter cars needs more than the stock front bar. If anything, I think I’d start with just new polyurethane bushings on the stock bar…. then the next issue for the front would be good shocks/valving. The challenge there would be finding a soft enough shock for these light cars, with the correct length for the lower front end. Both KYB and Bilstein — the most common aftermarket upgrades — seem to be too stiff for these light cars.Offerings for the rear, whether sway bars or shocks, would seem to be more appropriate since most of the weight reduction is on the front suspension, not the rear, as Ed describes… the weight being dealt with on the rear is much closer to stock VWs.Should you try going to a stiffer bar on the front, I’d certainly pay the extra $$ to get an adjustable one such as this, so you could fine tune it:Here’s a link to Sway Away’s offerings, though primarily for the rear, and non-adjustable:Without ready access to a track or other place to safely test drive, I’ve always been a bit leery of experimenting with sway bars – using only proven combinations. When they may be most needed is when you could encounter unforeseen issues…
KentT2013-04-02 10:23:35Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Thanks Guys – I am not sure I need a rear sway bar because it does real well and I do not notice much body lean in hard turns ( remember I have a wide track due to my hot rod look ), but have never Autocrossed w/ a vengeance so I am looking for some input. I believe the std front if fine for our cars as light as they are and sounds like most agree. Maybe I just need to find a open parking lot and give her a go.
Roy – I would love some photo’s of your rack ( please send G-rated photo’s ) to see if your type will work. My issue is that my rear cover is removable and will need to have the rack mounted in a way that will allow me to still remove the cover as needed. A couple of pic’s of the different types you all have would be great.ThanksDale, this is for the autoX? I recommend removing your shock absorbers, replacing your oversized tires and rims with narrow bias ply tires running at about 60# pressure. I remember reading that you want to keep the weight down and taking 2 spark plugs out helps also. 😀
I’ll send pics in a few hours.Roy and here I thought the easiest way to lighten the car was not to put gas in the tank. he he
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackYa Ya – I know – before you all say anything – lose about 50 lbs – right? I know that would help – wish I had the ability to do that…
Shu….not certain but Roy just might be trying to hedge his bet. But not to worry….Bill’s going to beat him in the autocross!
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackAlan, are you committed to the AutoX? Only those who are are allowed to kibbitz.
Dale, I’m having a dickens of a time trying to figure out how to reduce my pictures to a size small enough to post. May take longer than promised.Unfortunately Roy I will not be in the AutoX. Also unfortunate is the fact that I will have to cancell my trip to Carlisle this year as I have just found out I will be TDY to Wyoming from May 13th through 22nd. Its a shame too as Linda and I were looking forward to going again this year but it isn’tgoing to work out that way this year. If there is anyone who needs a room at the motel where the Speedster and TD group are staying one will be opening up tonight. Sorry gang. We really were planning and looking forward to going.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackFinally! I had to re-take the pictures. 24″ wide 18″ tall. The upper stand-off is very much like a door stop. The bottom bracket is home made and is on my list to improve upon.
Hope this will help.Thanks Roy,
The only problem for me is that my cover comes off so the lower brackets will need to be attached to the cover somehow. I can adjust the uppers to allow the fit of a real spare if needed.Were do they sell those?
Anyone else have any other options?
Allen, Before you give up your room can you email me – I have a room in the same place, but has a single bed w/ roll out couch and want to switch to two beds as my wife will now not be coming. I have a friend that hopes to come to the event w/ me and that would work better. dlschu42 at comcast.net
ThanksSuper bummer!
If any more of the wives/girlfriends/etc drop out, I’m likely to lose mine also. (I’ve already gotten the “I don’t want to be the only……..”)Seriously guys, whose mates are coming?Back on topic. Schu, it’s been said before but not lately: a useable luggage rack can be had for $50 or so just by repurposing a tire step commonly sold as a truck accessory. Not period-correct but super strong, easily removed for shows and folded flat for storage.
Schu you have an email
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackSorry you can’t make it this year, Allen.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"This is what Ed wrote about:
It folds up. Holds up to 200 pounds.If you just need to carry a suitcase, this is a great idea. Hang it on your spare and strap it down with a couple bungee cords.Obviously not an option if you are also looking for esthetics.PMOSSBERG2013-04-03 10:08:08
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Here is an entire thread on luggage rack options:
From that thread, here is one of of Moss Motors reproduction racks (the type that folds down and sits even with the ground, just above the bumper):This one, also from Moss, permanently attaches above the tank:Mike (screen name Mike N Scarlett) has plans for a rack you can build yourself. Send him a private message and I’m sure he’ll send you a copy.Here’s another “build it yourself” rack, pretty nice looking:And here are plans for a luggage rack fabricated out of PVC pipe. This one is definitely NOT for looks, you would not leave it on your car. It is purely functional.PMOSSBERG2013-04-03 10:06:08
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
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