The Camping 914 at Monterey Car Week, EXPEDITION AIR COOLED! 'No plan. Full Tank!' Options

[RiqueMar]

Hey All —

Hope everyone’s doing well out there - wrenching, driving, thriving.

Monterey Car Week is just around the corner (crazy how fast summer’s flying), and I’ll be making my way up from San Diego to show 914Seis at Werks Reunion. Looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and catching up with the extended 914 family.

This year, I got lucky and was selected to join the Overcrest Group — they’ve secured space on a working winery just outside town and are hosting a 5-day sports car ‘camp’ during the week. From what I hear it’s a blend of curated cars, good people, and low-key hangout vibes. Their main event, 'Sportscar Vacationland', is shaping up to be something special.

That brings me to the project…

Roof Rack Build – 914 Style
Since it’s a camping trip, I figured I’d build something functional and fun — a 914 roof rack, mounted to one of my extra Targa tops. I’ve got a few tops lying around, and one of them is… let’s just say, past its prime. Perfect donor.

The plan:
- Use or build a 40”x40” base rack (maybe a Thule or Yakima basket as a base)
- Drill clean holes into the fiberglass, reinforce from below, seal everything up
- Mount the rack, paint to match (or contrast), and strap down camping gear: bedroll, duffel, tent, etc.
- Nice top stays stashed safely in the rear trunk for the show days or gets left behind.

Still in the concept phase but wanted to share it early in case:
- Anyone here done something similar
- You’ve got suggestions or photos of a past build
- I’m missing something totally obvious (always possible and likely)

Appreciate the input, and who knows if it turns out well, maybe I’ll toss the idea onto a shirt, or make a short video for the 914Seis feed.

See you on the road or in Monterey,

— E

[infraredcalvin]

Hmm since you’ll be traveling with a spare ‘nice’ roof, how about making the rack removable and able to fit underneath a stored roof in the trunk. That way you can leave the nice top in the trunk for shows, then disassemble and store the other roof and rack at the same time???

Or make the donor roof nice enough, figure out a way to plug rack holes, have the option for open air motoring with rack and top storage in the trunk…

[bdstone914]

I would be very concerned about to stress that mounting a rack would place on the thin fiberglass top. Think about the wind resistance a Thule top would cause. And it will put added strain on the front and rear targa latches. I have seen both of them break under normal use. Would hate to see your targa top made into an open sunroof.

[bdstone914]

With all that said here is a car owned by Wayne and built by Tom Woodford.
Note the roof rack mounts at the corners where the roof is much stronger.

[East coaster]

I did a tilting rack mounted to the factory roof rack points. Targa can can on/off without removing rack.

[jim_hoyland]

Great project (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Keep us in the loop

[RiqueMar]

Hmm since you’ll be traveling with a spare ‘nice’ roof, how about making the rack removable and able to fit underneath a stored roof in the trunk. That way you can leave the nice top in the trunk for shows, then disassemble and store the other roof and rack at the same time???

Or make the donor roof nice enough, figure out a way to plug rack holes, have the option for open air motoring with rack and top storage in the trunk…

@infraredcalvin - 'Uhoh - he's onto me!'.

Yes, I would love to see if I could plug the holes or somehow make it removable. This way, drivable in it's original form by day but still practical for the road.

I would be very concerned about to stress that mounting a rack would place on the thin fiberglass top. Think about the wind resistance a Thule top would cause. And it will put added strain on the front and rear targa latches. I have seen both of them break under normal use. Would hate to see your targa top made into an open sunroof.

@bdstone914 - All very fair and on my mind as well.

I'm less concerned about the fidelity of the fiberglass, believe with support beneath in the form of a wider-surface area or 'crossbars' this isn't a problem - though I share your worries on the latches. Perhaps in the case of securing the roof, I need to also rely on a sure-fire way to secure the roof - maybe the mounting on the bottom of the roll-bar or the threaded-holes on the inside of the B-pillars.

I did a tilting rack mounted to the factory roof rack points. Targa can can on/off without removing rack.

@East coaster - Really like your solution, great work!

Obviously, the threaded support on top of the windshield is a MUCH stronger solution, though I'm hoping to make this a bit more stealth and independent of the actual paint and body work. Compliments on your work on the back, and I think that's the route I'll go, using the threaded holes on the bottom of the roll-bar as a support 'connection point' for the rear of the rack.

[Steve]

I think the Leits factory ski rack would be easier to adapt or use an extra rear trunk lid with a 914 luggage rack. Sir Andy has one on his rear trunk lid. http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=352901

[VaccaRabite]

There is no way I'd bolt or attach a rack on to a 914 top. The latches just are not that strong, and the roof is not structural.

I have made a rack that attached to the ski mounts under the roll bar though. And I have done a fair amount of camping out of my 914.

Zach

[bkrantz]

There is no way I'd bolt or attach a rack on to a 914 top. The latches just are not that strong, and the roof is not structural.

I have made a rack that attached to the ski mounts under the roll bar though. And I have done a fair amount of camping out of my 914.

Zach

This.

[RiqueMar]

There is no way I'd bolt or attach a rack on to a 914 top. The latches just are not that strong, and the roof is not structural.

I have made a rack that attached to the ski mounts under the roll bar though. And I have done a fair amount of camping out of my 914.

Zach

No disagreement, and yes to the roof-rack supports for additional support. I'm away right now, but I'm thinking to make a sort of 'shelf' that gives me a base-support from the roof-rack bolts on the roll bar and offset everything toward the back. While, yes, there will be a mounting point on the roof, weight / support / structure is at the rear.

Of course, I haven't drawn out or created anything - 'It's all up here' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

[76-914]

There is no way I'd bolt or attach a rack on to a 914 top. The latches just are not that strong, and the roof is not structural.

I have made a rack that attached to the ski mounts under the roll bar though. And I have done a fair amount of camping out of my 914.

Zach

@VaccaRabite Do you have any pics showing the 914 in it's camping mode. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

[VaccaRabite]

Sure!
We have done 2 adults for 4 days and 3 nights out of the 914 on a couple occasions. Its a mix of car camping and backpacking, based on the smaller form factor you need to pack in the 914.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-1435-1753450415.1.jpg)
The cooler is the Yeti Roadie 24 - and it fits EXACTLY in the front trunk of the 914 if the spare is put in the rear trunk. We use it mostly for beverages, and coffee creamer. I bought it after measuring the front trunk carefully and then finding the largest cooler that would fit the space. At the time I also got a steep discount on Yeti stuff, so it did not cost much more for me then the slightly smaller Coleman or Igloo coolers.
The tent is the largest tent I could find that had both a small form factor packed up, and the easiest setup. I would not want to be in the MoonLence tent in a big storm, but so far it has held up really well. I use a cheap tarp as a ground tarp under the tent as a general rule.
Food is usually dehydrated meals like you would carry backpacking. Just not enough room in the cooler for a lot of fresh food, especially when loaded chock full of frosty beverages. Coffee and food is made with my backpacking stove. I like the MSR burner over most of the others as you can adjust the flame. So when I'm boiling water or making coffee I can turn it way up, but if im making eggs they won't get burned. And the burner packs down small and fits into the coffee press along with a lighter, and a couple cups.
In the tent is a queen size air mattress, one of the 10 inch thick ones. A luxury, yes. But we are middle aged now and the ground is hard. I'll let the boys sleep on camping pads. The mattress (and battery op inflator) packs up small and goes int he rear trunk, as well as pillows, and camp chairs and the spare tire.
In the front trunk is the cooler, baggage, sleeping bags (they are zip out queen size and can be used as a comforter instead of individual bags) and a sheet to go over the mattress.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-1435-1753450416.2.jpg)
We also sometimes bring bikes on camp outs. Which is what I built the rack for.

In this pic the car was LOADED. 2 bikes, and all the camping stuff needed for a three night trip/party.

It is fun to be at an aircooled party/camp out and break a full size camp out of the smallest car in attendance. I've had people ask where my support pickup was to haul all the camp gear. All the bus/vanagon guys just scratch thier heads. :-)

Zach

[Shivers]

There is the factory front mounting area. Make a mount for the roll bar bolts that mounts to the rear of the rack