Think of the head room this could create within the van, and a screened/windowed "tent" could easily be created to cover the opening the off-the-side sleeping platform when it is set up. Sam Conant Colchester, Vermont ----- Original Message ----- From: "craig cowan" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 11:39 AM Subject: Re: Standard Pop Up Alternative
Now there's a creative idea! This got me thinking, and recalling the pictures i've seen of the various pop tops, most noteably the "dormobile" (assuming thats the spelling). This design i believe was only used on the split windows (or maybe bay windows as well), and folded out to the drivers side revealing an acordian style tent. Your idea seems like it would require a very thick platform for sleeping on, which would also double as the roof when colapsed. Furthermore, i think support pipes would be in order which would have to have respective fittings on the body of the car (like some awnings do). As far as a tent goes, this had me thinking of the large flat surface of the Dormobile tent and the strangeness of the acordian style and i would think a pitched tent with a peak in the center (right over the passanger side of the car) would be pretty cool, especially if you could figure out a system of pipes that hinge and fold in simply and easily like the current westy tent does. Then someone could build a boat that fits the top perfectly so when you get to your campsite, now you have a boat. It's friday right? -craig '85GL On 10/26/07, David Wilhite <dlwilhite@comcast.net> wrote: With all the talk lately about roof top tents I figured I'd mention something that I always thought would be neat, which would be for the pop up to open along the side of the van perpinduclar to the way they currently open. The thought is that the roof would be hinged along the passenger side of the van. The roof could fold all the way over and become the floor for the sleeping quarters. In this setup, when the roof/floor is opened up, it would also provide a nice awning area I don't know if I'm clear enough or not, but basically, the upper sleeping area would be off to the side of the van and up in the air. It would be somewhat similar to the Overland tent in the link below. http://www.autohomeus.com/products/overland.php I just think it would be really slick, especially if it was the length of the whole roof, and not just the 3/4 or so that it is now. Of course, the difficulty would be in making the roof structure strong enough to be a floor and also in how to support it. The space currently taken up by the existing upper bunk and front cargo area could be left open for plenty of storage. David Wilhite 84' Westy This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm |
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