Expert: Brandon Sievers - 11/10/2006

Question
I happen to have so loved my '98 Escort wagon that when I drove it to death I bought a used duplicate (in the vast So'Cal. aftermarket) far less used--in fact, still quite cherry.  The one I enjoyed for years had a roof rack, and it now sits undrivable in my back yard.  The "younger" one is now my primary personal transportation, but it lacks a roof rack.  How possible, how costly would it be to cannibalize the roof rack from the old one that I'm going to junk?  Would I have problems or high expenses with the interior headliner installing it onto my fresher duplicate model that lacks original equipping with roof rack?

Answer
this should not require any modifications to the interior headliner. The old one bolts into the car roof with clips that are installed under the headliner and then bolted thru. This is a very diffcult job in that the holes have to be perfectly drilled in the right spot or it will not line up.