Project 2
Cargo Bay Organizer Installation
Applicable Years: C4, C5
Skill Level: 1 Wrench
Tools Required: Drill, 5/64-inch bit, No. 1 Phillips screwdriver
Time Required: 1/2-hour
Parts Source: Mid America Motorworks
This is the C5 Cargo Bay Organizer....
This is the C5 Cargo Bay Organizer. It's made of a nice, durable Naughayde-like material with three roomy compartments that use Velcro to keep their flaps closed. The organizer mounts using snaps so it can be detached easily and quickly. The small packet contains the snaps and mounting hardware.
The four snaps can be mounted...
The four snaps can be mounted using either the supplied nuts, flat washers, and bolts or screws. I opted to use the screws. A 5/64-inch drill bit will be required for boring starter holes.
After carefully measuring...
After carefully measuring the side-to-side distance and then marking the positions of the holes for the snap-mounting screws, the drill is used to make the starter holes. As with everything, measure twice, drill once.
I keep a lot of small, miscellaneous stuff in the trunk of our C5 -CDs, a baseball cap, extra sunglasses, a pack of Kleenex, maps, and so on, and this stuff tends to bounce around the trunk while I'm driving. It also creates an unsightly clutter when the trunk is open.
I decided to do something about it, so I procured a C5 Cargo Bay Organizer from Mid America Motorworks (MAM), without realizing at the time that it was meant to be installed in C5 coupes, not convertibles like mine. So when it arrived, I did some quick thinking "outside the box" and realized that by mounting it on the transverse aluminum upper deck support it would not only work just fine, but would also serve as a "separator" to hide (for the most part) the ragtop when it was in the down position (which it is for the entire winter, since we have an auxiliary hardtop that stays on for the colder months).
Use a No. 1 Phillips screwdriver...
Use a No. 1 Phillips screwdriver to secure the snaps to the aluminum upper deck support on a convertible, or to the rear window bulkhead on a coupe.
Here's the finished installation...
Here's the finished installation of the Cargo Bay Organizer ready to be stuffed with the items that usually clutter my trunk. Now all I have to do is give the trunk a good vacuuming.
The installation we're showing here is basically the same as it would be for a coupe, except the organizer would mount to the rear bulkhead beneath the rear window on a coupe. MAM also supplies bolts, nuts, and washers should you decide to fasten the mounting snaps with these items rather than the supplied screws. Be advised, however, that it may be necessary to remove the panel you are mounting it to should you decide to use the nuts-and-bolts mounting method.
This is another easy project to do, but be sure to measure and mark exactly where you want the snap-mounting holes to be before you drill.