Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 15:10:30 -0400
Reply-To: David M Luddy <dluddy@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David M Luddy <dluddy@HOME.COM>
Subject: Re: putting a poptop on a vanagon
In-Reply-To: <200108071451.KAA16343@www21.ureach.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
Brian,
I'm in the process of doing this now to one of my machines. I'm taking
the slow, easy does it, in stages, approach.
1. obtain donor top
2. inspect, measure, repair (clean, sew, weld, paint)
3. install luggage rack, ( this gives you the exhilaration of wind drag!
remember that seal, or use black duct tape across the front)
4. increase access to the roof. I started with an after-market sunroof. 16"
x 32" $30 from Big Guys auto recycling.
this gives me the opportunity to bail out. it also shows me how weak
the roof of an un-westy can be. I think I want to add extra cross supports
at front and rear of this now rather flimsy porthole into my roof. This is
where I'm at now, awaiting my new seals from New Jersey and my guaranteed,
double-walled hallucination generating Amber skylight from Canada.
I don't know if you're aware that the westy roof is made of plywood and
sits 4" or so closer to the inside of the cabin. Soooo, its angle aluminium
and screws and alot bigger hole in your roof if you want to maintain the
stock sleeping height, or its thinner foam and plywood risers if you want
to maintain the integrity of you roof. Either way, you've got to make some
holes.
The single most needed item to actually mount to big tub on top,
is..... Drum Roll......
a 1/8" thick 1" wide piece of cold-rolled steel, with 3 1/4" or so holes
in it, spaced 140mm apart, and 6mm nuts brazed over the holes. This 12"
steel bar mates with the rear hinges and will really ease the fastening of
the bugger down.
Ideally, if you didn't want to make any standing room in your machine,
the only reason for cutting any holes in the roof is to just get at the
latch to prop it all up, I'm pretty sure you could get into the little tent
up above from the luggage rack thru the tent window. ( I plan on heaving my
8 year old up there, along with any other rascals he finds!)
Other item of use so far...
3/16" pop-rivits
silicone sealer
purple paint and rollers
Hose repair tape
old bicycle inner tubes (you can never have enough )
8' x 10' heavy canvas tarp, fully grommeted ( makes the most versatile
awning/tent/holder-togetherer available. $25 at Le Home Depot ( you can
make a really good awning mount and poles from a salvaged 10' oak palette ,
find them at sheet metal shops, out back, this side of the burn barrel ;-)
I'll send you some pix if you want...
David Luddy
www.bilenky.com/rumors.html
At 10:51 AM 08/07/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>I have been told both that it can and can't be done... I have
>82 vanagon and want to install a westfalia poptop (vw oem) I
>was also told there was a site showing this procedure... help?
>
>Brian Scotto
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