Car top carrier

A car top carrier comprising

• a box having opposing lateral sides, a top, a bottom, a front end, and a rear end, the bottom having a floor, the floor having an inner surface and an outer surface, the top and the bottom being connected via hinge mechanisms along the opposing lateral sides of the box, the hinge mechanisms being capable of unlatching allowing the box to be alternately opened on opposing lateral sides of the box,
• strut members connecting the top to the bottom on the front and rear ends of the box to assist in holding the box open,
• a plurality of preassembled clamp devices mounted to the floor configured to secure the box to a pair of crossbars on top of a vehicle, each clamp device including a jaw assembly extending from the outer surface of the floor and a corresponding tightening mechanism inside the box, the tightening mechanism being operable to move the jaw assembly between open and closed positions so that a clamp device may be secured to a crossbar without any manipulation of the clamp device outside of the box.