[Jeremy Parsons]

All

I have been working on a collaboration with HandyAndy on how to fit a OEM looking parcel shelf to my Ampera , I am quite pleased with the results and suspect others might be interested in doing the same.

We have teamed up to produce a detailed installation guide (link will be posted in the next thread) on how to achieve this (it adapts a specific model parcel shelf from an old Renault Megane , you will need a few things and these are detailed in the comprehensive guide.

HandyAndy will advertised on Ebay the 3d Printed Adapter kit that allows you to change the trampoline clips to allow you to mount the Parcel shelf without making any permanent modifications to the car. (when he's ready he will advise later in the thread) The shelf slots in at the rear and has string adapters to make it work with your existing Bootlid without any invasive modifications to your Ampera.

For those of you interested please see the finished article in my Vauxhall Ampera below.

Detailed instructions on on the link in the next thread. feedback and questions welcome but please read the guide first as its really comprehensive

 

[Jeremy Parsons]

Please see the link to the detailed instructions

AmpyShelf-ProjectRC2.pdf

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[KamilOslizlo]

Great job guys! I'm excited to check it out myself! Thanks for your effort and sharing it!!

 

[HandyAndy]

I must say, Jeremy's done a fantastic job driving this project ahead! He's the Organ Grinder, I'm just the Grease Monkey!
I have yet to try this kit in my own Ampera, as it's still awaiting collection after electrical repair at the dealer. So Jeremy has been the guinea pig for developing the 3D parts! Very trusting ...

Here's the link to the eBay ad I've just posted! Enjoy.
Ampera, Chevrolet Volt Mk1, AmpyShelf Clips and Hooks for Diy Parcel Shelf | eBay

 

[Garry TheBiz]

Thanks @HandyAndy whilst I'm not looking for the shelf, as I prefer the trampoline, your post has linked me through to your replacement cargo net clips, which I've bought.

 

[HandyAndy]

I do like the trampoline myself, tbh. I'm wondering if can "improve" these new clips by adding on a hook to each, so anyone having to remove the Shelf 'coz luggage is too bulky could still clip the trampoline back on for temporary use. Best of both worlds if I can do it.

I'll have to think about his, as printing overhanging things make it a trickier design job. But each clip is assembled from 3 parts separately printed, so maybe I can add another one in somehow. You can print overhangs by putting in temporary supports, but they waste plastic, take time to print, need removing & trimming to clean up after, so I like to avoid them whenever possible.

 

[Jeremy Parsons]

Another photo

 

[Spindrift]

Great work chaps. I've just ordered the kit and managed to get a shelf at a good price. Breakers will be wondering why there is a sudden interest in a rather unremarkable car 🤩
Does the paint make the hairy fabric go very stiff? I wondering you can get away with a light coating that preserves the feel?

 

[Jeremy Parsons]

Great work chaps. I've just ordered the kit and managed to get a shelf at a good price. Breakers will be wondering why there is a sudden interest in a rather unremarkable car 🤩
Does the paint make the hairy fabric go very stiff? I wondering you can get away with a light coating that preserves the feel?

No its does not as its not paint its fabric dye and so it does not have the same properties as I wanted it to look OEM so did quite a lot of research of how to do the colour change , will be very interested in how you get on , any questions on the install please post here

 

[HandyAndy]

Some of the shelves are black to start with, I found a decent one, so won't bother to paint mine!

I'm tracking down the original guy who found that this shelf fits wthe a tiny bit of work, will send him a set of clips as a thank-you when I do! He's in Romania or somewhere in Eastern Europe anyway.

One of the guys over there, rather than sanding down the edges, instead put a couple of strips of wood down them, and 3 ratchet-straps around. Then he's used that to compress the sides instead! Could be an easier & less messy way to slim it down. The Facebook auto-translation mentions "water" so whether that's how it's been encouraged to reflow, I don't know. Kettle steam job? Or maybe it needs a bit of serious heat from a paint-stripper hot-air gun? I just don't know what it's made of underneath the fuzzy stuff!

For fun I "watched" all the suitable shelves could see on eBay. 51 of them across Europe! I'd better get cracking making more kits...

 

[GJO]

This looks really good but, from the images, I cannot see exactly what part of the shelf requires removal by sanding or how much material needs to be removed. Also would the removal of this material weaken the shelf?

 

[Jeremy Parsons]

This looks really good but, from the images, I cannot see exactly what part of the shelf requires removal by sanding or how much material needs to be removed. Also would the removal of this material weaken the shelf?

Go and look at the pdf on the second post all is answered

 

[Spindrift]

Very excited - the donor parcel shelf, HandyAndy's brackets and the fabric stain all turned up today - woohoo.

I'm amazed at the parcel shelf - it could have been designed for the Ampera, save for the slight interference on the hatch opening trim - more on that in a moment. Firstly, let me congratulate @HandyAndy on the quality of the brackets and hooks - they are better in real life than in the pictures - really nice smooth glossy finish and they fit perfectly. I especially admire the hooks that have been designed so the Renault T-pieces on the end of the cords just clip in. With the quality of the components and the clear instructions you have both made it a piece of cake.

So - I was intrigued by the comment above about using ratchet straps to re-shape the parcel shelf edges. I thought that if it didn't work I could still use the sanding method. I didn't have three and I didn't bother with the blocks of wood. But I did find it was necessary to remove a small filet of material on the underneath of each side where the strengthening 'beam' is moulded in (where the rubber bungs are) - just a few mm is enough. In fact I cannot see how you could make the shelf narrower at this point without doing so. Then I just used the two ratchet straps very tight moving along about a 6 inch length where the interference occurs. The shelf seems to be made of two plastic mouldings (top and bottom) and is very tough but it does yield to the ratchet strap pressure and more importantly seems to stay in its new position. I left it in the sun for half an hour and the change of shape seems to be permanent. I may put a little plastic adhesive into the gaps where the fillets came from but there is hardly any point as the shelf is very strong anyway.

Just the cleaning and painting to do now. Being a Yorkshireman, I only ordered one can. But they are quite small so I can see that I might need two.

By the way - three of the original cloth cover clips came out fairly easily, but one was stubborn and I still managed to break it it. They are very difficult to manoeuvre. Looks like another job for my Locktite plastic glue. If you wanted to be able to use the cloth cover after the installation, I reckon it would be quite easy to drill a small hole through the centre of each of the new brackets, make a small wire hook to fix to the elastic loops on the cloth cover and poke the hook through the small hole.

Very satisfied customer - thanks chaps.

 

[HandyAndy]

Glad you like the kit! Am thinking about how to make these clips also hold the trampoline. I can see how to do it for the L-shaped supports at the back, plenty of space to incorporate this. The U-shaped ones at the front are trickier, but I think I can do something!

 

[Jeremy Parsons]

I am glad you liked the outcome I will be trialing the ratchet straps , I can tell you from experience one can won’t cut it and will look crap , I am pleased it all worked out for you and you have improved the shelf adjustments , I will likely be looking at this as an alternative option it appears soaking it in water with the straps on for a few days may also work.

 

[Jeremy Parsons]

The t shape hooks took some doing to get the exact measurements I think we went through 5 prototypes until we found the best set , it’s nice to have some good feedback , I was serious on using both cans fully to do the colour change use all of the dye for best results , pictures do not do it justice.

 

[rogerkayn]

Great job guys! I'm excited to check it out myself! Thanks for your effort and sharing it!


snaptube vidmate

 

[HandyAndy]

Hmm, I do like that idea of sawing away a very thin sliver of material from just inside the very edge, where the bung goes. I now have my Ampy back from the gge where it was in lockdown about 2 months, and have tried my shelf. It works as-is, the shelf rises & falls without getting wedged, but it definitely rubs hard about 1" above the bung, and maybe 2" below it. Only needs maybe 1mm taking off the width!

I've worked out how to incorporate a net-holding pin into the clip design, so Mk2 will be out soon with this added. I'll be sending the new version to the early-adopters as a thank-you, and I'll drop the price of the old-style ones a bit until I'm out of stock of them.

 

[RichS]

Just about to start fitting my ampyshelf!

 

[Spindrift]

Only needs maybe 1mm taking off the width!

Yes I agree - I probably took a little more out than was necessary for the fillets - it really is only 1mm or so each side that you need, but it may be that in order to get the necessary yield stress into the plastic (ie enough bend) you actually have to go further, otherwise it may just spring back again. I have since glued the edges of the cut back together and I can also confirm that after nearly a week and doing it my rather agricultural way the shelf has held its position and not relaxed back to interfere with the opening.