ZX Parcel shelf cords - the definitive answer

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 24 Apr 2004, 21:45

Jon, maybe you would like to put this in the tints and hips department?
Right: Repair to your local haberdasher and procure a metre of shearing (sp?) elastic for the princely sum of 15p or so. Cut two 44 cm lengths.
Prise out the two guides from the parcel shelf 'tube' and separate the two halves of each.
Remove traces of old elastic from each cord, and attach new pieces by binding with thread and blobbing some PVA glue to make sure they do not come off. Leave to harden.
Make a loop in the other end of each elastic, and push a piece of wire through the tube, using this to pull the first elastic back, holding the end of the cord with a clothespeg so it does not pull through. The loop goes on a projection inside the half-guide - feed the other cord through in the same way, and clip the guide halves together so the elastic emerges through one hole, the cord through the other. Repeat for other cord.

Jimech · Post by **Jimech** » 25 Apr 2004, 01:18

That does sound distinctly more professional than my bodge, pity I couldn't resist fiddling. The cars new to me so I was excitedly tweeking with it!

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 25 Apr 2004, 02:15

NO NO NO NO NO!
Just do what I did ...
Two pieces of long string, 2 x 1 inch nuts tied to the ends, loops at t'other end, holes in parcels shelf, string passed through thereof.
Then attach to boot lid. when you close boot lid the nuts will pull string tight so it won't get caught in the door! Very cheap fix and worked brilliantly.

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 25 Apr 2004, 13:53

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">NO NO NO NO NO!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
But, Stuart, why ever not? The vehicle's designers thought it was OK, and I would never be so vain as to think I knew better than a team of professionals - what do I know?

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 25 Apr 2004, 22:41

Only joking. I just found that after messing about with bit's of this and that it's better to just grab the bull by the horns and drill some holes in the parcel shelf. No harm intended with my reply.

rabenson · Post by **rabenson** » 25 Apr 2004, 23:36

Excellent Mike!
I'm gonna give it a go - my "Temporary" repair has failed again....
Ron

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 26 Apr 2004, 13:14

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Only joking. I just found that after messing about with bit's of this and that it's better to just grab the bull by the horns and drill some holes in the parcel shelf. No harm intended with my reply.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
No probs, Stuart [:)] I don't do aggression, forum rage, annoyance or short fuse stuff - waste of adrenalin. As the founder member and president of the ILB* I just copied the original set up. Maybe a lifetime of running classic, and the occasional vintage, cars gives me a sort of originality instinct
ILB = Institute of Lazy Buggers [;)]

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 26 Apr 2004, 14:52

The problem with Stuart's fix is that it relies on there being nothing in the way of the nuts . . . so when you've got a boot load of shopping . . .
//NiSk

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 26 Apr 2004, 21:56

Oh if knicker elastic was made of the same stuff......

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 26 Apr 2004, 22:29

It does crack me up that every zx I see has the cords hanging out the back including mine. Citroen quoted me about £16 for a new one before so I lol'd and left

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 27 Apr 2004, 00:33

All I can say is that the cheap nasty repair never and I mean never let me down. The weight of the nuts always pulled the string in to the car. As for when the boot was full I took the parcel shelf out see. But I still see ZX's with various bits of rope, string, elastic hanging just over the rear lights, makes me smile every time.