Anyone built an enclosed rooftop cargo carrier box sort of like the Thule Sonic?

[magentawave]

Has anyone built their own enclosed roof top cargo box yet? I'm thinking about building a custom aerodynamic lockable roof top box to put my surfboards, standup surfboards and other stuff in sort of like the Thule Sonic or Yakima Skybox pictured here and here but I don't want to spend that much so I'm hoping I can build something for a lot less.

Got any photos of one you built or ideas for how to make one light, aerodynamic, and lockable?

Thanks

 

[macro1]

This is just my humble opinion:

Just buy a used one. You wont be able to make it very aerodynamic without spending some serious time and money. If your on a budget, look at picking something up second hand. I really like the packasports and got the Pack-a-sport 90 for $180 for my wife's Touareg. They are 7.5' long, are fiberglass with gas struts and are lockable. New they are around 1k.

 

[k9lestat]

This is just my humble opinion:

Just buy a used one. You wont be able to make it very aerodynamic without spending some serious time and money. If your on a budget, look at picking something up second hand. I really like the packasports and got the Pack-a-sport 90 for $180 for my wife's Touareg. They are 7.5' long, are fiberglass with gas struts and are lockable. New they are around 1k.

what he said

 

[Stitebunny]

Yeah, what they said.
Deals are out there. Just have the money and be ready to go pick it up quick.

I got a Thule box with cross bars and roof mounts for 85. An unusually lucky deal for me!

 

[Haf-E]

Don't think any of those are big enough for a stand-up paddle board though...

Big boxes seem to be harder to find.

 

[magentawave]

I have looked into buying used and I watch Craigslist but its really hard to find the big ones and I need a big one to pack an 8'-6" big wave gun plus a 7'-8" standup surfboard, etc. People either don't buy the big ones much or if they do they don't cut loose with them. Thule's Sonic XXL http://www.amazon.com/Thule-636S-parent-636-Sonic-XXL/dp/B00CLLZ9UC is the biggest car top carrier available (I think) and its 99" x 37" x 17" on Amazon for $650 right now. The biggest Packasport http://www.packasport.com/product/packasport-system-115 is shorter at 91" x 44" x 14" and is $1100 at their site. I need to sit down and figure out what a 9'er would cost me to build and how much it would weigh using epoxy and the stitch and glue method with inexpensive exterior grade plywood. If I have it only open from the back then I'd like to mount solar panels on the top of it too.

 

[bdog1]

On RV's you sometimes see large square clam shell boxes. Perhaps 3x7..4x8. Not near as sexy but RV salvage? Maybe. Probably sexier than a home built. I'm also watching C/L for that illusive $100 deal!


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