Date:         Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:19:38 +0000
Reply-To:     Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: How easy is it to put a poptop into a standard vanagon?
In-Reply-To:  <cca.14b29eb2.33d225c3@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

That's why I put IMO.  I wouldn't want to scare anyone away from adding a
poptop, especially to a syncro where you would easily get your money back
and more.

So for anyone considering doing this I think the 3 main ways of doing this
are:

Small Hole  (documented on a few websites)
Big Hole (haven't seen this documented anywhere but it should be)
Cut and weld from window pillars up (documented on a website)

Probably other ways too (besides all the other conversion types, CH,
high-top, etc)

The big hole is what I am recommending.  All your cuts are be underneath
where the top sits, so repainting the van is not needed.  The
fitting/welding needed is not that bad (having seen this done-but not done
myself) and you wind up with a much more stock looking conversion b/c you
can use the interior westy trim parts instead of trying to make your own.

The big hold method is just that, cutting all the way the rear so you can
get rid of the arch. (some people like the arch b/c of more headroom down
below).

Doing the small hole is easiest and fine. (that's what I did-but I would do
it differently next time).  Trimming it out for the upper bunk you have to
come up with your own ideas to make it level for a bed.  Including nicely
finished trim, the work to make a big hole isn't much more, but if you can
get the roof arch out of there, finishing the upper bunk is easier.

You could do the small hole, save all the parts from the donor, and do the
big hole approach later (but you won't).

Dave in Denver
Syncru 2.5 Westfakia

>From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
>Reply-To: JordanVw@AOL.COM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: How easy is it to put a poptop into a standard vanagon?
>Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 10:50:43 EDT
>
>In a message dated 7/20/07 10:42:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
>
>
> > .  Cutting out the roofline all under where the new
> > poptop will sit isn't too bad and is the best trade off for work/result
>IMO.
> >    Have a bodyshop weld it for you after you get it in place.  Then you
>can
> > use all the stock camper trim and it goes back together better.  (Also a
> > stock looking job is worth more than a non stock look).
> >
> > Get a stock westy donor and use that top
>
>welding the westy roof metal on is a waste of time and money and overkill.
>like i said before this is a NO WELDING job.     the only tools you need to
>put a westy poptop on your hardtop van is a drill and a jigsaw w/ metal
>blade.
>  the custom upper bunk lays on the apex of the hardtop's roof and the foam
>pad will even store up there with the poptop closed.
>
>i just love it how people try to scare off the newbies from taking on this
>project by insisting that you must weld the oem roof clip on..
>
>chris
>
>
>**************************************
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