rooftop rack for MX5

[Hammer]

Would love to see this with the complete car in view. It seems similar to the factory roof racks offered to Porsche Boxters. the only different is the Boxter's roof rack is lower and follows the soft top profile closely, and its in black. However, once fitted, you cannot drop the soft top (in the Boxter). Not enough clearance.

Looking at this photo, it seems the extra height of the roof rack is for that reason - allowing you to drop the soft top even with the roof racks fitted.

[ForceMajeure]

Ive travelled as far away as Byron Bay and back with two surfboards in the passenger seat without issue, cant say i realy like the roof rack look myself, maybe surfboards are OK but no way would i be stacking windsurfers on there.

Just ditch the passengers for your surfboards.

[Old Dude]

I have seen a lot of stuff carried in or on the 5 but most have the top down, Pamex even carried a double bed on her 5, using the BD roll bar for the back and the windscreen at the front.
I have also seen a towbar with a stand about a mtr tall and a cross piece, to hold the back of the board and single tube roll bar to hold the front. It worked really well but you can't have the top up.

cheers
Dale

[Quicksilver]

In the photo there are snow skis in the background. The Japanese are avid snow skiers and I'm guessing that is what the rack is designed for. Surfboards might be too heavy for the windscreen frame?

[Okibi]

Look at the flyin miata tow bar, a small trailer might be a better solution.

[ForceMajeure]

In the photo there are snow skis in the background. The Japanese are avid snow skiers and I'm guessing that is what the rack is designed for. Surfboards might be too heavy for the windscreen frame?

Standard Surfboards would be fine IMO, they are extremely light, but when you start talking 9" plus malibu's and windsurfers its a different story, yes i would be worried about the windscreen frame strength and nasty wind gusts. Those racks dont look like they are designed to hold any significant load beyond something light either.

My advice would be to buy a shitbox so you are not going to worry about rust given you will be hanging at the beach with all that lovely salt spray, Ive also seen a few mx5's with rust at the bottom of the windscreen pillar BTW.

[PAU61L]

Hello everyone, I have seen a set up that had a raised roof rack attached to the frankestein bolts, and another rack coming off the towbar or tow bar mounting points. So then there is no load on the windscreen
Towbars cost around $400ish, depending on model, it would be easy to do if you have a NA.
Talk to you later, Paul.

[Quicksilver]

[quote="Surfboards might be too heavy for the windscreen frame.

Standard Surfboards would be fine IMO, they are extremely light, but when you start talking 9" plus malibu's and windsurfers its a different story, yes i would be worried about the windscreen frame strength and nasty wind gusts. Those racks dont look like they are designed to hold any significant load beyond something light either.

Well the window frame is designed to absorb a significant amount of energy/weight (in the range of a few thousand kgs) in case of a roll-over. I doubt it'll give way under the weight of 20kg or so.

I'm not suggesting it would give way, but may get minor denting where the mounts are. The weight of the hardtop roof for example is spread across the whole width of the frame, not just on two points. Anyway, if it works, thats great.
It looks ugly too!

[ForceMajeure]

[quote="Surfboards might be too heavy for the windscreen frame.

Standard Surfboards would be fine IMO, they are extremely light, but when you start talking 9" plus malibu's and windsurfers its a different story, yes i would be worried about the windscreen frame strength and nasty wind gusts. Those racks dont look like they are designed to hold any significant load beyond something light either.

Well the window frame is designed to absorb a significant amount of energy/weight (in the range of a few thousand kgs) in case of a roll-over. I doubt it'll give way under the weight of 20kg or so.

You may well be right, but what about the boot area? It appears the bar sits on the aluminium bonnet for support. At the end of the day im pretrty certain these are "ski racks" and nothing more.

Could you use it for surfboards?, i reckon you could, but im pretty certain you are pushing your luck with anything bigger or heavier.

[Old Dude]

Here's a couple for you

Rack 3.jpg

if your concerned abot carrying weight this would be the strongest way.

Roof rack.jpg

but there are certainly ways to do it

cheers
Dale

[ForceMajeure]

You may well be right, but what about the boot area? It appears the bar sits on the aluminium bonnet for support. At the end of the day im pretrty certain these are "ski racks" and nothing more.

Could you use it for surfboards?, i reckon you could, but im pretty certain you are pushing your luck with anything bigger or heavier.

I saw a phot from a slightly different angel the other day. It appears as if the rear part was attached to the Frankenstein bolts where you normally attach the hardtop.

Well if you can mount a TV antenna, a luggage rack, a roof rack (with capsule) and a rear wing all on the same car i guess anything is possible.

[Old Dude]

Don't forget the 2 chickens behind the seats

[de Bounce]

Look at the flyin miata tow bar, a small trailer might be a better solution.

I thought about the trailer solution as well but decided against for a number of reasons:
- cost of the tow bar (?1000AUD)
- cost of a solid trailer (>600 AUD)
- annual registration fee (200-300 AUD)
- lack of a garage
- calmost always needs a second parking spot (fees)

Think your prices are a little out
Towbar are about $350 delivered
Small second hand trailer $200 - $300 or a folding trailer.
Annual rego fee (200-300) What part of Australia do you live! Small trailer in Vic is free or $36 if you want to tow it interstate. NSW is $56.

And before anyone ark's up about towing a trailer.
Mazda does not recommended a MX5 be used to tow a trailer

[Hammer]

...Small second hand trailer $200 - $300 or a folding trailer....

I've seen these Easy Trailers. A few of the guys at the track use them, and they're good value with lots of accessories available to modify your trailer to suit your application.

$499 for a basic trailer or $599 for a folding version (delivered!) is good value.

[tbro]

Didn't Richard from MX5+ bro have a set up for carting race tyres to the track??

That would hold a surf ski.