Roof rack questions (8 Viewers)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Threads
3
Messages
14
Location
CA
I’m going to be checking out this 80 soon if I can and from the photos there’s no roof rack, which I like, but I still see the plastic sliders along the roof. So I have a question as to whether it came that way from the factory or maybe the rack was deleted and then the holes filled. From the pictures it looks like it may have been repainted at some point too since it looks to be such a good condition although pics can be deceiving.

Also any guide on removing the slider sliders on top? I like the look of the roof without them

A7CA6DC4-9D32-4C6B-A6AC-4E669366CF6E.jpeg


B320EDA2-07F3-4934-B7AE-548CDF94A968.jpeg


85A6B7AB-9A90-45D2-98A2-333F3D5B2371.jpeg


AE51D4D0-5902-4CF2-B201-682C08035965.jpeg
 
I'd bet it had a rack. I have two without a rack and they don't have the rails. They're glued on. @cruiserdan would know about the combo from the dealer...
 
I’m going to be checking out this 80 soon if I can and from the photos there’s no roof rack, which I like, but I still see the plastic sliders along the roof. So I have a question as to whether it came that way from the factory or maybe the rack was deleted and then the holes filled. From the pictures it looks like it may have been repainted at some point too since it looks to be such a good condition although pics can be deceiving.

Also any guide on removing the slider sliders on top? I like the look of the roof without them

View attachment 3063780

View attachment 3063781

View attachment 3063782

View attachment 3063783
The ribs come with the roof rack and are attached at the port.

Your truck had a rack, someone removed it, filled the holes, and repainted.

I THINK the ribs are glued on except for the bit at each end. I think there's a screw in each end but not positive. I'll bet they just painted around them so if you remove them, you'll have mismatched stripes on your roof.
 
My roof is the same. It never came with the rack, but does have the ribs. I have a 95, but it has cloth interior, manual seats, and the 94' style rear swaybar mounts.
 
The ribs are metal, sliding on a grooved plastic strip that is glued/double sided tape. It has amazing adhesive, especially with weathering. The end caps are screwed into rivnuts. Beware, these rivnuts tend to rust around them.
IF you choose to remove the ribs, you may have rust issues to contend with. Also, the double sided tape can take paint off if you're not careful.
A heat gun, fishing line, and patience work wonders when removing.
 
Last edited:
My roof is the same. It never came with the rack, but does have the ribs. I have a 95, but it has cloth interior, manual seats, and the 94' style rear swaybar mounts.

If it has black ribs with a screwed-down cap at each end, it had a rack. Or, someone bought a rack and only bothered to install the ribs.
 
I'd bet it had a rack. I have two without a rack and they don't have the rails. They're glued on. @cruiserdan would know about the combo from the dealer...
I THINK the ribs are glued on except for the bit at each end. I think there's a screw in each end but not positive. I'll bet they just painted around them so if you remove them, you'll have mismatched stripes on your roof.

Adhesive-backed plastic strips supporting aluminum rails, with a screwed-down plastic cap at each end.

Pulling the side rails and filling the holes while leaving the ribs on is like taking a shower and then putting your dirty shorts back on.
 
Pulling the side rails and filling the holes while leaving the ribs on is like taking a shower and then putting your dirty shorts back on.

C'mon, we all have that one friend with a story to tell.
 
Indeed, they are thicc aluminum ribs. Not plastic.
The adhesive strips on which they slide are pretty well there for eternity w/o significant effort to remove them. I mounted a rack to the ribs at one time. No issues while it was on tho I never put more than 100lbs up there.
The ribs are easily removed by unscrewing one of the plastic end caps and sliding the rib toward the end with the removed cap.
I took my ribs off but screwed the end caps back on (for now) to keep water out of the screw holes (what little water we see out here, tho the snow is fairly prevalent).
 
Indeed, they are thicc aluminum ribs. Not plastic.
The adhesive strips on which they slide are pretty well there for eternity w/o significant effort to remove them. I mounted a rack to the ribs at one time. No issues while it was on tho I never put more than 100lbs up there.
The ribs are easily removed by unscrewing one of the plastic end caps and sliding the rib toward the end with the removed cap.
I took my ribs off but screwed the end caps back on (for now) to keep water out of the screw holes (what little water we see out here, tho the snow is fairly prevalent).
Dang I was hoping at least there wasn’t only holes in the roof. I hate that because I hate dealing with rust, I’ve been spoiled being in Socal so rust stuff is foreign to me haha and all the body shops local to me refuse so work on cars with rust unless they’re a restoration expert and those guys are insanely expensive. I have the sunroof for the same reason. Wish I could find one that didn’t have the dust deflector, roof rack, or sunroof haha. I think it’s my biggest grip with these cars lol.
 
...Wish I could find one that didn’t have the dust deflector, roof rack, or sunroof haha. I think it’s my biggest grip with these cars.
That's called the 'poverty pack' and they are out there - no sunroof, rack, deflector, and with cloth.
They are the best ones to get imo. Mine is close...just had the luggage rack to deal with.
No biggie tho...several ways to deal with the remaining screw holes. There are some kits out there with filler items, or you can conjure your own thing to put in or over the holes, and of course the body work path finishing with new paint (partly done already on yours it seems :) )
 
Working on removing mine now.
266ptv6P41F8eEm1eTHWhgI2Dgxo2q_v4ILszo8W1EfipWHYlSNaT92Pi5p1wccKwTz7pwewv73b1l-SNn02brfnuXF4ZFS8J68-dEEA7uRuol1i8ul7Aoim7EXRnzcy-PpHOR3bMNXKQ6WXdU3kedPvA0mWfbsSTpXSwXWSjvTw90Ahs0ekJ7PaPTA29FMvLxW63f_apRsp2ukmflNzXRXFIEBH23lQRa70aPjILE58aOGQOgBoKTaBlt-vCjXyCZTpvDFwm6vY02PS_RVscUpq05fNg_Ypb15A4fec8bKCycDvsQSbhs5s81q0nJT1Mu_xq6kdRJxSvQkIeLPufVchH1LAfhP446te3TzJwrB19njGGkvLUjVASWdqSeXjmcfWLiyaMYYQrwgfXiYbywXq7twVnqf6j2rxe9NUNEZlPv1_DkFVSyvdEpLCSynODc7KOG2PlnjwNXnVwDMPeDMSVtypVhb6R0BUh86K1o4TEWYSZUQ1XG8IawHFt3gGdXkT8hnIc6ixwOtaT4ei--FGKb1F-cKla9bLFVAOMK1CGpFw0DrXSJaKLFzPGjMkY_9a6FG8c_t_Jhwez7d8N1y9a3pNMubSTLzZ97hlP_8fEAT_5P7JW89HRib1duwofsAT3rc_u-hO41Yxuyl8W0gU8l2G3N5tr5TBEDLoTwjL3VYJV7ICaeSiCpk22H71lBiuHVdqBAdoSNg1_0kKqRg2aXEp4KmDqL78BlhTHr9YG5Gk9dCgol4KOexeb7SX_RgN-GPj-g3UyBn12dm1fH9U6_suSpGSZ3hpLOTm_Nd75cG8lzfTGOfYrYXUy1WD3MlrLDQhoV0vXwO0GlwYjFLYWMANphUNxFZJrlaB7eGAd9YyTVn8dsM4MRusGfNkvvXtc_qfmExGHue7JhhnOD1TUzpUR_K52jnresRVGTQdCg=w1252-h939-s-no
 
It would be cool to see where the holes are on the inside view
I not taking the head liner down and I used a drill bit stop when I drilled out the rivnuts as to not poke holes in my headliner. 😝
If you look closely you can see I dimple the holes and cut little notches in with a cold chisel then I filled them with fiberglass impregnated Bondo and sanded them flush.
This way you don't have to worry about Rust starting on the inside I used the same method when I remove my flares and have not had any issues or any of them fall out simple and effective.
1t2ckx6N2zQVRDKnjBnEONy9l3t6g5b-JyCBhX9NeqkCrW6WfRJCXu8MvxDoG6u3GCM8szVIqFbhF7tSpMv0qZfPuycpCeZjzKQzbt9AS8CthqiWijAdXly7Yt3pjM49IPEmWYu2KIDDgQO9BFoR73muJvStMEty6sM6WThnLr1-MaXQ_ReHECbYVOd5xF6NFZhtPIUbOVrP8DUXpp1Roz9dzXLOoCruqHnKXRDEyj-xnipEI1bvRmpOS-62qXDVV6DKX0kwSSlXBX3bVtR6smaojxyc-FPeJoC8-TjH4bvL2F-VwRVeMHpvSfL8z1zNrc9CJSxeqERrspD4lmOiD481jQASK27XIpscV7bFEVVuS-3F0d0G-PG6sk4n-7Pw2gK4DW_ENGLZmDzC_pViuBdUMiSHDR7MxH5n7o19OZ9tqpB33Nr7FSqc8RwZ0wmEZYXC-INQ4Jzuom64z0BFdLadbpw99ewxHHZdbXThCe6SFY5AtZhOvEQfRQUhEenIPLXNf18rFCUNiTrPJgHbY__sGzQMo1EUrldvsMet5Vvz2_x8-9WXRP3UZJxv8FvvvkryrAw4Vjz-fWD8B5_rzDBhOW8pDTzl1Ep1HBdiTS6w_MSzix9KCs-odjtiHcWTH9W6CQs4pCQtNdrjFCjmWW57GT_XSfmEPtX9zhMC7e1EZTAmYugaQPfuyIWXEnzKrbanNEZCKAcYMBcbLa4OGPf0Djzhs3-z7l9i5KEjQqZUY8YjocMabPCONSy3s293CaGvANbpIUlylRySXZEg8euLnlzNHLRaOYIHg95wiXAn-6sDjV1ODlz-NzmK5wdkkFf0Xg0FU8lHjXCMq94IZJbNbtkgTbKGqtQsV2e0rd4nAfm883jxVd8qOcW8BF4qmCoV9hYd64ZRNMt24hpgnG6npLBCpKkOLCSlW7ujJ1DjMQ=w1252-h939-s-no
 
Last edited:
I’m going to be checking out this 80 soon if I can and from the photos there’s no roof rack, which I like, but I still see the plastic sliders along the roof. So I have a question as to whether it came that way from the factory or maybe the rack was deleted and then the holes filled. From the pictures it looks like it may have been repainted at some point too since it looks to be such a good condition although pics can be deceiving.

Also any guide on removing the slider sliders on top? I like the look of the roof without them

View attachment 3063780

View attachment 3063781

View attachment 3063782

View attachment 3063783
Was this for sale in San luis Obispo at a used car dealer ? Did you buy it.
If it's the one I thinking it is they were advertising it as a collector's edition but it's not.
 
Was this for sale in San luis Obispo at a used car dealer ? Did you buy it.
If it's the one I thinking it is they were advertising it as a collector's edition but it's not.
I didn't end up getting it. The weekend I was supposed to to go up there they sold it. It sold shockingly cheap too, under $9k and it looked like it was fully restored.
 
Get it out in the sun and use heavy test fishing line to "cut" them free.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom