Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:05:42 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: How easy is it to put a poptop into a standard vanagon?
In-Reply-To: <7959ab2e0707271547t5ba3005ei94584139b1136645@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
The small hole approach is fine for most uses. I did my first one 13
years ago and still use that van for camping a lot, like this week in
Baja, last week near Tahoe, the week before near Yosemite.... I have
done a few more tops since and a big hole one as well. I also have a
stock Westy we use quite a bit and my wife much prefers the small hole
van for the added headroom downstairs as well as the wider bed with the
closet not installed. It has the full Westy kitchen and lower bed but
not the closet. The higher arched passenger ceiling makes living
downstairs more pleasant for us.
I think age plays a role but most Westy owners I have spoken to seldom
sleep upstairs. Mostly the top is popped for standing room and
ventilation. Also you can quickly move stuff off the bed up into the
rear top area for the night.
Mark
Lee Peterson wrote:
> I've done all the archive searching I could handle since I wrote that post
> last week. I've decided to go for way #1, small hole in the roof. Maybe go
> with big hole later. I still haven't seen the custom upper bunk Chris spoke
> about. I have a pretty good idea how I'll do it, worst case is that I have
> to remove half or all of the upper bed when I put the top down. I can live
> with that, I still get the headroom and ventilation without a bed up
> there.
>
> I'm not good at welding and I hate body work so ways 3 and 4 are out.
>
> Now I just have to find a donor in the South Puget Sound area...........
>
> anyone got one for me?
>
> Lee
> 89' hardtop Syncro
>
>
> On 7/27/07, John C... <Trvlr2001@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>Way 4 just sez 'more' room for bunk?
>>JC...
>>
>>-------------- Original message --------------
>>From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
>>
>>
>>>In a message dated 7/20/07 9:39:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>iridewheelies@GMAIL.COM writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>I've been thinking about doing a swap like this for years. That was
>>
>>a
>>
>>>>>great link Chris but it's only worth it to me if the bed is fully
>>>>>functional. All the welding involved in doing it right seems like
>>
>>too
>>
>>>>much
>>>>
>>>>>risk for me. About five years ago I found a wrecked van in a junk
>>
>>yard
>>
>>>>with
>>>>
>>>>>the CHC top on it. Unfortunatly, it wasn't in my buget at the time
>>
>>so I
>>
>>>>had
>>>>
>>>>>to let it go. It seems like finding a CHC or ASI top to transplant
>>
>>would
>>
>>>>be
>>>>
>>>>>much easier because they are designed to go on a regular vanagon
>>
>>roof, not
>>
>>>>>the westy roof with bed rails. I suspect there would be less road
>>
>>noise
>>
>>>>and
>>>>
>>>>>body flex with the smaller hole in the roof as well. I would love to
>>
>>hear
>>
>>>>>from someone who has transplanted one of the non-westy tops. Lately,
>>
>>I've
>>
>>>>>been on a search for an ASI top. I like the full length look a
>>
>>little
>>
>>>>>better than the 3/4 length CHC top.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>My search would intensify if I could hear some positive feedback about
>>
>>the
>>
>>>>transplant process. I'd love to hear some thoughts about the ASI top
>>
>>too.
>>
>>>>I'm not planning on installing any of the camping gear, I have a carat
>>>>interior that suits me just fine.
>>>>
>>>>Lee '89 syncro hardtop
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>ummm you can put a bed up there too.. who said you couldnt? search the
>>>archives . we bitch about this topic at least once every 2 months
>>>
>>>chris
>>>
>>>
>>>**************************************
>>>Get a sneak peek of the all-new
>>>AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
>>
>
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