Roof box design

[Jabbawocky]

Hi all

Thanks for the replies. Have seen the chequerplate boxes on ebay and I am making a similar toolbox for my Forward Control at the moment, but out of mild steel sheet. Making a similar box for the Dormobile would not be a problem, except it would be to heavy. Alloy could be the answer, but after reading all the posts, I think if I do make a box, it would have to be white Fibreglass to match the roof.

As for roof bags, yes, they look the part. We did buy one and had a go with it. Compared with a proper roof box, it was very hard work and was passed on to Lowebox.

As for wood. It's a great material, but to make a quality waterproof roof box that would cope with living on top of a Land Rover for years, would not be cheap by the time you have bought decent materials and the labour involved in making it.

The end result will probably be not much different from the plastic roof box I have started with!!

Cheers Mick

[Troika]

A wooden box with curved top, brass corner reinforcements and matching, lockable securing latches, painted in oxblood faux leather could be my next option, similar to the type of trunks the landed gentry might have used on the Grand Tours.

[DanC]

Now you are talking Graeme!

[jerryd]

Now you are talking Graeme!

That looks the goods, might last longer over here than in the uk too I thought about making one purely to keep bedding in, I was thinking along the lines of something like Robin's but maybe a bit shallower and not quite so erm........"something to put the mother in law in "

[RMS]

That looks the goods, might last longer over here than in the uk too I thought about making one purely to keep bedding in, I was thinking along the lines of something like Robin's but maybe a bit shallower and not quite so erm........"something to put the mother in law in "

Ah, I did say it was that size just for the Morocco trip as we wanted to put the porta-potty in it without separating it.

When I get around to it, I will take about 6" off the height, so it won't look quite so 'in-your-face'

However, the point I made was that even fully laden for expedition, with that big roof box on, we still averaged nearly 40mpg while the other Carawagons with identical engine and running gear with smaller boxes were in the low 30s, consistently!
So, that size, shape and design must be ok, don't you think?

You wait - when I chop it down and put it back on, I'll bet the fuel consumption will go up?

Cheers,
Robin.

[wienun]

I didnt find a decent box with the right dimensions till now.

So i will have to go either alli or wood and create a box myself. Alli would be more weather resistant, but i cant weld alli.

Wood would look the part and would be easier to build for me. Expences for decent wooden panels and proper varnish will be an issue, then.

Sigh !

Stefan/wienun

[kevanf1]

What about using a square or rectangular box so that you get max depth along the whole of the box. Then, make up some form of windjammer like some lorries have on the front?

[wienun]

Would be best spacewise.

Might look ridiculcous, wouldnt it ?

Cheers

Stefan/wienun

[kevanf1]

Would be best spacewise.

Might look ridiculcous, wouldnt it ?

Cheers

Stefan/wienun

Possibly.... I suppose it depends on how it was made though. How about a nice chequer plate design Yes, that is a joke!!!! I am not an aerodynamics engineer (or even any sort of engineer) so I don't know what would work best. I'm jsut throwing an idea into the ring simply because it seems to work on HGV's etc. Maybe not so big though?