Miata Mailing List: November 1994, Message #173
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   From: Jeff Maurer 
Subject: Re: Cargo net
   Date: Mon, 7 Nov 1994 11:28:26 -0500

> Jeff:  The cargo net that you set up in the trunk sounds very
> interesting.  Could you post the details to the net when you get a
> chance.
> 
> Thanks,  Herb Samuels
I got a few requests to summarize the installation of a cargo net in
the trunk of my Miata.  The description sounds painfully complex, but
it was very straightforward and I did it in 15-20 minutes.  You'll need
access to a sewing machine, and an outdoor store or fabric store that
carries webbing and Fastex fasteners.


I bought a cargo net made by "Grabowski" (I didn't make this up).  It's
33"x12".  I can get an address for you if you need it.  I think JC Whitney
sells the same ones.

The net comes with mounts that can be put on with either screws or double
stick tape.  I chose not to use them, because there aren't a lot of good,
accessible flat areas to locate them.  Instead, I used two 12" lengths
of 1" flat nylon webbing and 2 Fastex snap hooks.  I sewed the snap hooks 
onto one end of each of the webbing lengths.  I sewed a 3-4" loop on the
other end of the webbing.

Feeble ASCII rendering of the result - side view (snap hook on right):

                                                           ___-----\
[=============||=                             =||=====]/--/        ||
[=============||===============================||=====]\-----------/



If you look in the upper back corners of the trunk (above the taillight
housings), you'll see a little reinforcement box.  I fished the webbing
through the holes in this box and the put the snap hook through the
loop in the tail of the webbing - thus fastening the webbing to the trunk.
I snapped the upper edge of the cargo net to the snap hooks.

Next I cut two 6" sections of 1" webbing, folded each over onto itself
and used a soldering iron to "drill" a hole through the double thickness
of webbing.  I used this loop to fasten the lower corners of the cargo
net to existing bolts at the bottom of the taillight housing.

Finally, I took 3 sections of 1/2" grosgrain flat webbing, folded them
over on themselves, and again "drilled" a hole in each using the soldering
iron.  This hole is about 1/4" in diameter.  These loops were fastened
underneath the three "pop" fasteners that hold the carpet panel against
the back of the car (below the inside of the license plate).  This keeps
the bottom edge of the cargo net in place.


The cargo net cost around $14, the notions around $4.  Certainly a lot
of other configurations are possible for the Miata trunk.  My goal was to
have some safe storage space against the back wall.  It's worked quite
well.

regards,
Jeff

            _
            /        Jeff Maurer, Staff Analyst
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