Roof Rack, Cargo Basket , and Cargo Bag that Will Fit on a 1985 Chevy El Camino

Question:

Looking for box easiest to mount hopefully in black and in the approximate size of the yakima rocketbox pro 14,is there a better choice for example with thule.etc

asked by: paul H

Expert Reply:

The first step is to install a roof rack if you do not already have one on your 1985 Chevy El Camino. The roof rack system we have for your vehicle is by Yakima. But there is a slight problem. The RocketBox Pro 14, # Y07192, fits crossbar spreads between 24 inches and 36 inches. The maximum bar spacing for a roof rack on your vehicle is 14 inches; much too narrow for cargo boxes.

But you could put on the Yakima BasketCase Roof Rack Cargo Carrier, # Y07012, and use a smaller cargo bag like the Roof Rack Cargo Bag, Weather Resistant, 13 cubic feet, # CG-13.

If you still want or need a roof rack, I can tell you what you will need. You will need Yakima 1A Raingutter Towers (QTY 4), # Y00101, and Round 58 inch CrossBars for Yakima Roof Rack System (QTY 2), # Y00409.

The main difference between the RocketBox 15s and the comparable Thule box, is how they mount to the roof rack. The RocketBox mounts via a clamping mechanism where as the Thule box uses straps to secure it to the rack. Otherwise, they are very similar in design and function.

expert reply by: Michael H