Luggage Rack

[Matthew Cody]

Criticisms welcome, I added a factory luggage rack from a 84 LeBaron to my 91 TC to dress the back end up a bit. I personally love the look. 

[Plumbinguy]

I looked at this for a minute or so, don't think it looks out of place, conversely I wouldn't drill holes in the trunk of a car that appears clean and original. Glue on I hope...

[Hemi Dude]

I'll be kind by just saying this, I wouldn't do it to my TC.

In time you may regret it when washing and polishing your TC, it won't be those nice long strokes across that smooth trunk lid.

Marty McFly would like it if he came 'Back to the Future' and needed a tow on his skateboard.

But then, I have made several major changes on my TC, so who am I to speak?  The latest one, which I really like, is the black grille surround.

It is powder-coated.

 

[Michael E]

7 hours ago, Matthew Cody said:

Criticisms welcome, I added a factory luggage rack from a 84 LeBaron to my 91 TC to dress the back end up a bit. I personally love the look. 

I like it.

[Garnet & Gold]

Matthew, One of my TC's has a luggage rack identical to yours and it does look fancy, but Hemi is correct in that it is time consuming when you wash and wax the trunk lid.  Our trunks are large enough that we don't need that additional space for luggage.  Bob

[Matthew Cody]

Thanks for the comments. Honestly the car isn't as clean as the pictures make it look. It actually hides some scratches on the trunk lid from the previous owner using the car as a storage shelf as it sat for 6 years. 

[marty mopar]

FYI that part # is 4276442= 4504818 luggage rack  1981-89 K cars

 

I have 4 of these NOS

 

They have to be bolted on to the lid 

[Mark_Blodgett]

Where are you going that you need that much luggage space isn't the trunk large enough?

[Matthew Cody]

15 hours ago, Mark_Blodgett said:

Where are you going that you need that much luggage space isn't the trunk large enough?

It's pretty much for looks. 

It dresses up the back end, which looks rather boring, plus it always bothered me that the peak hood line is taller then the trunk line, puts it in better proportions. I used rubber expansion nuts and grommets to seal it from any water intrusion. The last thing I need are more water leaks, lord knows I've got enough coming from the tops and windows. 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Matthew Cody (see edit history)

[Nile]

I noticed your car had the hard top on.  For whatever it's worth - on all of my TC's the hardtops leak and the soft tops do not.  I don't know whether that's due to a design or manufacturing flaw (that the hard tops leak, not that the soft tops don't).  The soft tops are easy to adjust which may help the situation.  Now if I could only adjust the soft top on my S200 I wouldn't have to have a rag handy!  

[Plumbinguy]

Guess I'm lucky, hard or soft.,driving rain, not a drop. My point, with enough effort I suppose the can be kept dry. I'm surprised,    I must admit first of four convertibles I've owned that doesn't leak.

[Matthew Cody]

Both my tops leak, the soft top is the worst offender. On top of that my driver quarter window seal leaks and my heater core may have a small leak, I just can't win with keeping the interior dry hahaha. On a good note, the trunk is 100% dry.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Matthew Cody (see edit history)

[Hemi Dude]

Hello Matthew, if you really have an antifreeze coolant leak from your heater core, I recommend that you either correct that by replacing the heater core, OR by bypassing the heater core, by installing a by-pass between the 2 heater hoses going into the the drivers compartment.

I must warn you,  DO NOT PLUG EITHER OF THE HEATER HOSES, THEY MUST REMAIN FREE TO PASS COOLANT THROUGH. They are part of the engine coolant ‘BY-PASS’ system and would cause cooling system problems if not being able to continue free flow. If you want more information regarding this, refer to the COOLANT CONTROL VALVE article in Vol 29. March 2020, Page 5.

 

Hemi...

[Garnet & Gold]

Here is a picture of the heater hoses going thru the fire wall.

 

[Hemi Dude]

14 minutes ago, Garnet & Gold said:

Here is a picture of the heater hoses going thru the fire wall.

 

Ah Yes, you Matthew have a 3.0L V6. That is a good thing for you. In that case, you CAN block off the heater hoses..

Excuse me, I always think 2.2/2.5L and forget the others are not similarly affected.

Thank you Bob for the 'awakening'!

[Matthew Cody]

1 hour ago, Hemi Dude said:

Ah Yes, you Matthew have a 3.0L V6. That is a good thing for you. In that case, you CAN block off the heater hoses..

Excuse me, I always think 2.2/2.5L and forget the others are not similarly affected.

Thank you Bob for the 'awakening'!

 

I'll was planning on bypassing it eventually. I can smell it leaking though nothing has actually dripped on the floor but I know a bad heater core when I smell it. Once again, neglect on the previous owner(s) not servicing the cooling system. It was completely rusted and sludged up.