Roof Rack Inspiration.

[datzed]

Thanks for that Water boy. I've attached a pic of how I'd build mine:
http://img395.imageshack.us/my.php?i...abbit42ty6.jpg

Will require abit more welding and work but the one posted in VWvortex looks alittle too bare for my liking. Anyone know how you'd go about bending the metal pipe (would aluminium piping work with bends or does it have to be a specific material ie steel)?

[Water Boy]

Mate ill probably go steel as im a bum

[Jarred]

Thanks for that Water boy. I've attached a pic of how I'd build mine:
http://img395.imageshack.us/my.php?i...abbit42ty6.jpg

Will require abit more welding and work but the one posted in VWvortex looks alittle too bare for my liking. Anyone know how you'd go about bending the metal pipe (would aluminium piping work with bends or does it have to be a specific material ie steel)?

Mine'd probably look similar to this one. I might have red wood slats (just cause I love red wood) awith the bent metal side peices.

My dad said with a bit of heat a steel pole should bend up alright.

The other option it to just nick some stop /give way signs, cut them to size and tack em together..

[datzed]

Is heat the only/best way to bend? I would have thought you'd work out exactly how many bends you'd need and where, and take it to a metal bending place that will do it for you. Although, I dont know if such a magical place exists. Then it would just be welding it all together.

[Jarred]

I'm sure you could take it to a place that works with metal, and get them do knock it up. perhaps and engineering work shop or something. i'm sure if you search yellow pages or something, under roof racks, there should be a few places that come up. the only reason i didn't look at doing this is, I'm broke and therefore very much a DIY kinda person. So if it's something I can do myself, I see no reason why I should do it myself. i've already accepted it won't be perfect, but I don't mind. I don't have the time or money to be a perfectionist unforunately.

[Preen59]

I'm sure you could take it to a place that works with metal, and get them do knock it up. perhaps and engineering work shop or something. i'm sure if you search yellow pages or something, under roof racks, there should be a few places that come up. the only reason i didn't look at doing this is, I'm broke and therefore very much a DIY kinda person. So if it's something I can do myself, I see no reason why I should do it myself. i've already accepted it won't be perfect, but I don't mind. I don't have the time or money to be a perfectionist unforunately.

If you know any electricians, you could use steel electrical conduit and get an electrical conduit bender. That would give you nice even radii and no kinks without having to worry about heating it up. Its gal pipe though. But if you got cold drawn mild steel pipe of the same diameter, you could use that in a conduit bender no worries.

Making a roof rack won't be as easy as it sounds, especially welding it up if you have limited experience. By all means go for it but just don't spend too much money and get in over your head and figure out you can't do it right.

I might have a hack at one, one day too.

[rayray086]

Here's some inspiration for you. Just pics, no info on each setup:

[rayray086]

[rayray086]

If you could find a more modern rack for your Mk1 like the above, you could possibly go for a more modern cargo rack setup, though I don't know if that would be the style you're going for - I'm thinking either a basket or a standard Thule cargo carrier:





I'm actually going for the latter setup for my Mk3 for when I make the trip down to Melbourne later this year

[WABIT]

hey jarred, if you want some insparation ON your roofracks, i have an ond paint stripped dragstar frame and a few other bits for you to tie down for te nats trip

wabit