Volvo 440 1994 roof rack question

[Jez]

Hi,

I have an old Volvo 440 and I need to carry a chest of drawers for a couple
of hundred miles on Tuesday. It's a soloon without a roof rack or bars, and
I'm told the chest of drawers would fit inside an average UK hatchback, so
it can't be too big. My kids climb all over the car, so I'm not concerned
about cosmetic damage.

So, would it be legal and sensible simply to strap the chest of drawers
(drawers removed) directly onto the roof of the car?

Many thanks for any advice,

Jez

 

[Richard Cole]

Hi,

I have an old Volvo 440 and I need to carry a chest of drawers for a couple
of hundred miles on Tuesday. It's a soloon without a roof rack or bars, and
I'm told the chest of drawers would fit inside an average UK hatchback, so
it can't be too big. My kids climb all over the car, so I'm not concerned
about cosmetic damage.

So, would it be legal and sensible simply to strap the chest of drawers
(drawers removed) directly onto the roof of the car?

Jez

Almost certainly not legal (Dangerous load, insecure load, etc, take your
pick) and certainly not sensible.

If the 440 has gutters, get a £20 roof rack from Halfords, but even on a
roof rack, a chest of drawers has the aerodynamics of a brick and will
limit your speed (as you're going ~200 miles in the UK I assume some
motorway / dual carriageways driving be involved).
You could get the dimensions, make sure it will fit through the door and if
need be, be prepared to remove the front passenger seat and carry it
alongside you, with it suitably strap down in there or better still offer a
mate with a hatchback / estate / van / trailer, his fuel and a generous
supply of beer tokens to get it for you, with you as passenger and lifter
for loading / unloading.

Alternately, if it fits in the boot, with the lid open, but ties securely
down, that might be do-able.

Richard
Web pages: http://www.caravanningnow.co.uk/ for caravanning,
http://www.rcole.org/ for my personal web site and
http://www.homeindorset.co.uk because I love the email address.

 

[Jez]

Thanks very much for your advice Richard, I'll take your guidance on
legality / sensibleness of my proposition. Halfords appears not to be an
option (I called), but it might just be possible to fit the thing inside.
Unfortunately I can't get the dimensions, but removing the seat crossed my
mind, and I think I'll do it in the hope it will help (there's also a rug
involved).

Jez