Roof Box Cover doubles as a...

[DrJeff]

So I couldn't figure out why the roof box cover plate was such an odd shape...
Roof Box Closing Plate.jpg
Why the holes - there's no bolt holes or anything in the roof. Why the odd shape - the hole in the roof box is a straight forward rectangle.

But then I spotted this...
Engine Latch Cover Plate.jpg
Oh, so its a case of close enough fit!!! I mean why not use the plates from the Engine Cover Latch access in the roof box?

Is this a factory feature or perhaps something that was added later? I would have guessed that it might have been designed with some sort of giant grommet like plate. Of course it might not be stock as somewhere in the history of this car the roof box had been opened and all sort of strange magic applied to fix a leak.

[Josh]

My car was like this as well. I figured it was just a PO hack. I really hope cars did not come like this from the factory... wow.

[DMCMW Dave]

They all did. I suspect the correct part never made it to the production floor so the folks in the factory found something that fit. Probably some purchasing agent somewhere who never figured out why they used 2 times the number of that plate that they should have. . .

[vwdmc16]

So why does the NOS one cost $108 from DMCH? Are there only two left?

[WelmoedJ]

So why does the NOS one cost $108 from DMCH? Are there only two left?

If you need one, you don't have to buy a plate so easy to make yourself.
Will cost you only little money to get the material and time to shape it.

[vwdmc16]

Exactly. I made one from stainless for my rear fascia. Why so expensive for a simple nos part?

[Delorean Industries]

http://delorean.gostorego.com/origin...stainless.html


Much cheaper out of stainless from DPI of course.

[DeMopar]

So why does the NOS one cost $108 from DMCH? Are there only two left?

I thought you were joking so I looked up the price. That has to be a typo-there's no way a flat piece of tin can really cost that much...

[DrJeff]

I thought you were joking so I looked up the price. That has to be a typo-there's no way a flat piece of tin can really cost that much...

It might be one of those cases where if you're so particular about how you cover an access panel that you got to have the original one, then you must also be willing to pay the $100. The rest of us will... Go stainless with DPI, go with a home made solution, or go without.

As for the roof box access cover I think a cut metal cover RTV'd into place is the best solution.

[djdogbone]

Perhaps it arrives wrapped in a gift certificate for Morton's Steakhouse?