Project Deli – On top of the world – the ultimate roof rack

I knew I would be putting a roof rack on the Delica the day I bought it at auction in Japan.

However, I couldn’t find anything, regardless of the price. Even the $2000 rack systems were lacking in the functionality I wanted.

Sometimes it is so hard to be GoatBoy. Yes, I was going to have to build it. Sigh.

I wanted something about 5 feet wide and 6 feet long. With modular side bars that could be changed to meet load requirements and even removed.

A comfortable platform I could easily and safely climb up to, where I could sit, walk, or lie back and watch the stars. Something I could install and remove by myself, and under 75 pounds.

Yeah, this will take some thought.

One of the key features that drew me to the van I eventually bought at auction was the very cool, detachable aftermarket Terzo liftgate ladder. Great style factor, but it can also provide safe and functional access to the roof. These ladders are impossible to find if they don’t come with your van.

 

So, first things first, I need to find the feet that will fit the rain gutters and clear the roof. I made about four attempts on Amazon, but all of them were returned.

After digging through numerous Delica forums, I came across a guy in Japan who has been using the Thule NR 952 Load Carrier Foot on his high-roof Space Gear for years. I found them on Amazon International, and they arrived from Europe (with free shipping!) in about two weeks. Perfect fit.

Once I sourced the crossbars, the next challenge was to place and level them. The van was designed for racks and features markers to indicate where the carrier feet should be placed, ensuring they are level.

However, I was mounting four (I had only wanted three, but they were sold in pairs). Spacing was critical for the load. I had to make shims that would fit behind the rain gutter molding.

For the rack material, I chose 3/4-inch EMT. Strong, structurally sound, and easy to work with. Plus, there is a company called Maker Pipe that produces high-quality, amazingly versatile connectors. I let my imagination run free

I roughed out a prototype that I incrementally tested and tweaked along the way. A lot of cutting and a lot of bending. This made for some tired arms and fingers over a couple of winter days in my garage. I’m glad I installed the natural gas heater during the pandemic.

After doing several fitment tests, the functional aspects started to come together. The cross members will hold 100kg per pair. So the rack could support 500 pounds. Not sure about the van. But enough to support my fat ass.

For the rack floor, I sourced 24 x 60 ABS grates used in poultry farming. Yep. Industrial flooring for chicken coops. The 1×1-inch grate holes allow the pass-through of freeway wind speeds, rain, and debris. While the 12″ on-center EMT gives ample non-flexing support.

It’s worth noting that I changed the upper side rail design later in the project. The minimum radius bend of 3/4 EMT was larger than I wanted. Although it still fit in the garage, they just came up too high for the aesthetics I wanted to present.

I wanted a rugged, durable, gritty kind of Mad Max finish. What better than truck bed liner paint? This stuff is very hard to work with. It took two coats and a lot of gloves. I will never get the drips off the garage floor.

I had to come up with some rock-solid attachment hardware to keep the entire thing from flying off on the freeway. Stainless steel U-bolts and lock nuts, along with some 1″ channel iron. Yep. It’s not going anywhere.

Many small pieces had to come together just right. The side rail re-design cost me some rework time and extra money, but I’m glad I took the additional effort to create what I really wanted. It was worth every minute and every penny in my book.

I finally figured out the math for the fold-up handrail. This took a couple of iterations before I settled on something simple, strong, and functional. It will make sense when you see me use it. Clever actually, if I wanted to humble brag.

The flooring fit perfectly. The best way to attach the three sections was simple: removable zip ties. I put them on and took them off several times. Cool.

With the final version complete (I think it was v3.4), the Delica now has a new cap! I drove it around for a few weeks and took some trips up to my parents’ house (150 miles round trip) to check out the wind noise and determine if I’d need any additional fitting or other modifications.

Those many road miles instilled confidence, and it is Glacier-ready. With a bit of luck, I won’t have so much stuff that I’ll need to tie things on top. The van is already like a brick rolling down the freeway. I certainly don’t need any more drag for that little 2.8 diesel to fight.

For general motoring, I like it with the side rails off. It gives a much cleaner look. I love having a multi-functional platform that I can use for almost anything. A blank canvas, if you will. But why did I go to all this trouble? All of this effort and expense? Why did I really build it? 

 Ah, turning imagination into reality can be magical. Now I know how Walt Disney felt.

 GoatBoy out (sans Micky Mouse ears)!