Date:         Thu, 5 Apr 2001 22:39:33 -0500
Reply-To:     Marshall Ruskin <mjruskin@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Marshall Ruskin <mjruskin@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: poptop installation (shudder)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

A local listee in Winnipeg (Scott Stothers) explained to me this really
clever way of making a Westfakia (and he's done it):

On future camper vehicle, remove the goop from the rain gutters to expose
the roof panel spot welds - which you cut out with a spot weld cutter.

Remove roof panel. Remove headliner.

On donor roof, do the same thing - except here you'll remove the entire
poptop and the associated roof panel in one piece, as a single assembly.

Caryy this over to future camper, place it carefully, and reweld. Do any
bodywork required

Fill in rain gutter with goo. Modify headliner in Westfakia.

The advantage in this method is that there is no cutting of body parts, and
all the hardware (latches, hinges etc) and canvas are good to go from the
start.

Like I said before, I've never done this project, but it makes more sense to
me than cutting up the roof of the future camper, and weakening it, aligning
hinges, fixing canvas.....

The only thing I'd do differently than in the above method, is to use the
proper formulation of panel adhesive instead of doing the welding.

Imagine, being able to make a Westy, (potentially) with a powerdrill as your
only tool!

Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy


----- Original Message -----
From: "radish150" <radish150@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 9:44 PM
Subject: poptop installation (shudder)


> > ---------------------------
> >
> > Date:    Thu, 5 Apr 2001 17:22:09 -0400
> > From:    Ed Shultz
> > Subject: Has anyone installed a Westy pop-up?
> >
> > Hi there,
> >
> > Has anyone converted a type 3 passenger Vanagon to a pseudo camper by
> > installing a Westy pop-up and luggage holder? It looks straight forward
if
> > someone had the pop-up and all of the canvas. And, also very skillful
with
> > a saw.
> >
> > I have a sweet syncro I would love to convert into a camper.
> >
> > Just curious, Thanks...
> > Ed Shultz
> > 1987 Syncro GL
> > Photos: http://homepage.mac.com/eshultz/PhotoAlbum.html
> >
> >
> Ed, I did this once on a bus, did a complete conversion. Now it's possible
that I did it the hard
> way, it might have been easier to take the glass out and cut and weld at
the pillars but what I
> did was to section in the new top right above the gutters and fill in the
imperfections with
> bondo. It looked good when I was done, but I kid you not, that was the
hardest automotive job I've
> ever done in my life, and believe me I've done a ton of very hard jobs on
cars and trucks, I would
> NEVER EVER do that again. Personaly if I were you I'd just install the
kitchen gear (not too bad
> of a job) and then stick one of those add on rooftop tents that we saw on
the list the other day.
> Unless your an autobody warrior and can weld, use a plasma cutter, grind,
fill, sand, paint and
> and and and and (ad neaseum), save yourself a huge headache and just
don't. That is of course,
> unless your all primed for a good headache, everyone needs one once in a
while I suppose.
>
> I'd be interested in hearing other opinions from those who have done this
very nasty task.
>
> mark...
>