A chap at work has just bought a 2001 Focus Estate. He has just realised that it has no roof rails to secure his roof bars (and top box) to.
Whats the best option?
You folk must know!
We have considered buying 'Thule' type bars that clamp to the top of the door aperture but they look pants.
That leaves finding a set of rails to fit to the car. Either pattern or original Ford ones. New ones, I imagine will cost a squillion pounds so if we find some at the scrappy, whats involved in fitting them? Do we need to take the headling out or do they attach externally?
Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
Cheers.

They should attach externally with two bolts a side. They go where those little covers on the roof are. You've probably seen them and wondered what they do.

You take the small filler sections out of the seam cover and the bars clamp to the raised ridge where the roof panels are welded together. I've seen home made ones made in the locost style with two pieces of metal bolted together to make the clamp and a crossbar welded to them but they were on builders vans not cars.

Cheers folks.

I've bought Thule for my Omega as if I change car, all I need to change is the footpack.

Looking at the Thule website, some Focus Estates have strips some don't. Thule do footpacks for both

Go to www.thule.co.uk and have a look around.

Stephen

[edit] Doh! - just realised you wanted the rails themselves

[Edited on 13/3/06 by stevebubs]

Cheers all the same. We've just had a look around on the Thule site but it wants us to pay over £110 for the crappy door clampy things.

[Edited on 13/3/06 by owelly]