Chrome luggage racks

[Oldbluoval]

Years ago repo racks came with woodgrained steel slats. All I see now come with wood.
My question is about the slats…
What was the difference in the old metal repo slats and original metal slats?
We’re the old repo welded at the curved ends or die stamped?
Other diff???

[Gene F]

Gosh I have had my trunk rack for a number of years now. Mis chrome, with chrome bolts and nuts holding the decorative slats on. I do believe decorative slats are actually some kind of plastic blend. Not bakalite, but something else, they are colored for decorations. I'm sure the plastic is cheaper...

[Oldbluoval]

Long time ago some had metal slats with the worst woodgrain you could imagine.
I’ve had them in the shop but not even since i moved to this shop in 1992!
Haven’t seen anything but wood since!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Bill, didn't Al Lepore offer those? I think the only issue with those were they were kinda incorrectly grained in most people's mind, but I think they were actually close. They were supposed to be Walnut wood colored but with a non-Walnut style graining pattern. I would need to study up on that but I seem to recall that a real timberman would make fun as they didn't replicate a real species of tree wood. When I have judged Area 15, if we saw the slats were metal, then it received no deductions. I/we have/had no idea if the shape was close or not, and didn't care I suppose.

[larrys40]

I have an old repro metal slat rack set aside .
I thought they were pretty nice. One could argue the grain. Show us an original and a repro side by side. Anyone have any photos ?
Larry

[Oldbluoval]

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The metal slated repos were very nice…..except for the graining..imho
The remainder was good. Brent mentioned that A&L may have made them. If so, top notch.
I’m now sure the stamped slats I have are original. The few carriage bolts had small thin jamb nuts and shaker washers. Repos we’re not that way.
I can’t put slats side by side but maybe can post what I have and the bolts et al

[katy]

The few carriage bolts had small thin jamb nuts and shaker washers.

Wot's a "shaker washer"?

[denniskliesen]

When did they start making the chrome racks? The only luggage rack I see mentioned in the Service Bulletins were the black folding racks the dealers started selling in June 1929. We have a club member that has a 31 Cabriolet with a chrome rack and his slats are painted black. It’s the best looking chrome rack I’ve seen.

[Oldbluoval]

Shaker washers is what I call them…maybe in error.
They are pronged/starred. Much like what’s under the door hinge screw between it and the cup washer

[Ed in Maine]

You all have mentioned chrome plating. I just purchased a polished SST/wood version from Snyders. It is just beautiful. I had poor luck with the plating on a rack that was on my Town Sedan. You really don't know what kind of plating job you are getting unless the supplier tells you it is copper, nickel then chromed (tripled plated). Ed

[Oldbluoval]

In the past, what I saw on the repop was chrome to steel. Lasted about 3-5 years before scaling

[BillCNC]

I have one with the wood slats. The outside chrome on the wood side is perfect other than the clear coat on the wood which is degrading, but the underside with the nuts holding the wood on, is pretty rusty. Very inconsistent from one side to the other. I took it off the car because of that. Looks good from the back of the car while not in use, but lower it down, or look at it from the side of the car by the doors, it looks like crap.

Regards
Bill

[gdmn852]

The chrome rack probably was introduced when the Deluxe Roadster came about in mid 1930 as it was standard equipment along with side mount tire on driver side and lower top and windshield.

[Doug Linden]

As I recall, Warren Christensen, from the Springfield area of Massachusetts, manufactured probably the best quality trunk rack in the 70's. The chrome plating was excellent quality and the slats, although wood, were beautifully finished.
They were too expensive for me to buy back when I was just starting in the hobby.