[flatheadfan]

DavidG-

I don't doubt what you read at the Benson Ford Research Lab was accurate as to the wooden strips but it does leave some questions. First, are the four square holes. The original rack I have has four special carriage bolts with a large collar that fits perfectly into the holes. The bolts are only 3/4" long. The purpose of the bolts is to hold the two wooden slats to the backside of the luggage rack. They are countersunk in the wood. The wood slats are 14 1/4" long, 1 inch wide and 3/4" tall. When installed the strips are the exact same height as the metal end pieces. As a result, these slats lift objects carried on the luggage rack above the sharp edges of the rack stamping.

If the wooden strips were not part of the original engineering drawing it seems that they were definitely anticipated in its' application.

Tom