After much thinking and scribbling I came up with a way to use the normal universal type of cycle rack. The main problem in the instability of the 2CV boot due to the way the car is made.I over came this by making a 1/2" thick plywood panel with a shaped raised centre to support the boot at the point where the cycle rack fits against it.

The was cut to fit out side the body lip at the sides and hence behind the boot.The panel has cut outs for the lock and the boot stay.This panel is held in place by the locked boot,how ever I added to turn buckles to the top edge the hold it in place while I postion the strap hooks and the supports at the back of it.The panel is braced with a length of box section tube back into the boot and there slots into an alloy 'C' section rail, which abuts against the rear seat fixings. A like section of alloy rail is bolted to the back of the support panel. The two side rails being cut to a length that means as they are slid into position they wedge between the two rails.

I found that once in place there's no flex in the boot lid and I used two side straps each side one at the top the other the bottom,the hooks on these can be positioned either way as show in the photographs.There's two other straps from the bumper that lock the rack down onto the back of the car against the bottom edge of the car. This could go up against the reg plate if you prefer. You will see that I have a boot rack on my car which a ran a couple of other straps around. The whole thing was very stable without those anyway. I have road tested this set up with a fairly heavy mountain bike on including going over speed bumps, there was no movement at all.

I have not given any actual measurements as I feel that to get it right it's better to do that yourself as your set up might differ slightly. As for the materials I used stuff I had lying about, the box section a line prop, the alloy section from when we had out patio door replaced and the ply was an old black board. The raised support centre off cuts of laminate flooring..Re-cycling reigns




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DSCF4577 by 2steamhorses(Bob), on Flickr


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Looks sturdy!
I bought my van with the intention of carrying my bikes inside but didn't actually check the length of it, and unless I take out the passenger seat, I still have to take the front wheel off the bike I have a cycle rack for a towbar but I'm reluctant to fit one on the van - I may go for a roofrack set up instead.
When I had the Blue Celeste, I travelled all the way to Orkney with two bikes on a towbar-mounted carrier with just one extra red lamp attached; you really need a lighting board for that set-up, as your tail lights are obscured.

Re the lights it was a different cycle I road tested it with and that was clear of my lights,My bike shown in the picture was just popped on for the shot and not really positioned very well. I will mount it correctly and go down the trailer board route if there's an issue. Thanks for your comments.

Got a hatchback conversion on my car and I use the hatch poles to secure the halfords bike rack at the top and secure it under the car via the towing eyes on the galv. chassis. The bike has been to Scotland and France with that set-up and I've never had a fear of it coming lose (well maybe in the early days, but I've done many thousands of miles without incident).

I guess that makes your boot more stable than the normal wobbly affair,I thought about fitting a hatch back conversion. The price new I thought was to high also I would like the best of both worlds,where you can use it as a normal boot and hatch back at the same time,as fitted to one of the 2cv versions in the 1960's if I recall correct.

The hatch conversion will knacker up your roof eventually, at the point where it "hinges" above the rear window.

Which is the reason I wanted the fitting that enables you to use the boot lid as normal. I on the odd occasion need the extra height.Like when I collect our new Freezer over in France, so I can get the head room without laying the thing down,which they don't like.At the moment I slid out the boot and undo the 2 8mm bolts that hold the roof/boot lid hinge and lift the roof up to get access.Then slide the boot lid back in and lock it for the journey, the freezer being ratchet strapped to the passenger seat. Must remember to let the wife out first

So people say, but I've never had a problem in that area.

If the normal citroen hatch conversion is anything like mine, its a far flimsier affair than the conventional bootlid.

Nice writeup, BTW. Thanks.

I did this