Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:07:20 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: How easy is it to put a poptop into a standard vanagon?
In-Reply-To: <072720072057.20824.46AA5C33000532C5000051582212020784CECFCFCD9F9D0EBCB6@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
That is 'the right' way to do it, all right.
I have this vanagon and Subaru shop buddy....he hired a body shop to drill
out those spot welds and put it all back.................they said did it,
successfully, and they also said, 'never again.'
But that's the real right way all right.
Scott
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
John C...
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 1:57 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: How easy is it to put a poptop into a standard vanagon?
Way 4; replace just the top. Removing all 246 spot welds, & rewelding.
Not as hard as it seems, and you get the flat bunk space so you have more
room for the bunk.
JC
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
> 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
> >
> >
> >**************************************
> > Get a sneak peek of the all-new
> >AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
>
> _________________________________________________________________
>
http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migratio
n_HM
> _mini_pcmag_0507
|