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Date:         Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:11:55 -0700
Reply-To:     Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Westfakia, Poptop, Access, Design
Comments: To: craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <d1ea9acf0904201652m37ea646coc4354cf06d87fd0b@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi Craig,

I'm unsure what you mean by "Who knew there was a reduction of hdrm in a sr van" Please elaborate.

I've read here over and over that tho' simply cutting a hole doesn't leave the same integrity as a factory version, I've never read any problems with it. I did consider cutting a 1/2 size hole in a Vanagon roof last year. (1/2 size = same width but .5 x the factory opening's length). My reasoning was that later I could double the hole to the factory size if it proved too small AND it would drastically simply the PT install AND it would elim the hinged loft issue, albeit at a sacrifice of the kitchen headroom.

Would someone please send me the opening dimensions of a Vanagon Sunroof opening?

Unless I'm missing something the load bearing issue is N/A with my 'design'. The buckboard I envision would be totally supported by wood runners along the roof at the edges and cross 'beams' over the roof just ahead of each pillar, which would not touch the roof. This would leave the roof simply as it is with the exception of the access hole. The one aspect I've not measured/determined is whether a 2x6 would be strong enough in the center to support the buckboard, without fracturing. Does anyone have any idea how narrow (top to bottom) I can manage to make the 2x6 in the centerline of the roof before it is risking a fracture? IINM, the high point of the roof is about 3" above the edges and if the 2x6 is cut so it doesn't touch the metal that would only leave a couple inches. I need a mechanical engineer's input and/or a carpenter's knowledge on this point. I suppose an alternate design would be to use metal. This could be lighter too. Just weld a platform for the buckboard to sit on and use, as you say, 1" angle iron for the beams. The minimal sag could be mitigated by having a beam every two feet or so.

One aspect you didn't comment on was my desire to rotate the access hole 90 deg so it allows me to stand in the kitchen area and also allows a real ladder to be used to climb upstairs. Does this pose any problems I'm unaware of?

Please/Thanks! On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 4:52 PM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote:

> Keep in mind that the sunroof vanagons were not by any means simply a "hole > in the roof". They seem to have reinforced the entire hole fairly well not > to mention the whole thing is quite different (Who knew there was a > reduction of headroom in a sunroof van!?). > Simply put, you 'risk' the structural problems that Westfalia recognized > and comabatted properly, if you were to just cut a hole the size of the > stock vanagon sunroof in there. With that said, plenty of people have done > it and not died. Plenty of people have also used a slightly smaller hole, > allowing for them to keep the strengthening rib you are concerned about. > Plenty of people have even swapped an entire roof section from a Westfalia > and welded that on. And lastly, i have seen some very creative fixes to the > problem come out of britain, where they remove the rib but reinforce the > structure with welded in sections of angle-iron and flat stock, essentially > building their own Westfalia flat roof line to the current vanagon (quite > ingenious really). The point is, people have done this. There is a ton of > documentation, and you can figure out the faults with each system. > Even though the weight of those sleeping is going to be distributed on a > load bearing board, this is exactly like a westfalia! You still cannot cut a > giant hole and expect that a sheet of plywood made it strong again. > > Just my thoughts. > : ) > > -Craig > '85GL turned WESTY > > > > On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 7:28 PM, Neil2 <vidublu@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hey volks, >> >> I'm planning to install a poptop on a '91 Vanagon. Haven't bought the >> poptop yet. Want to do it quick and dirty by simply installing a >> buckboard >> on the roof (and using a hinged access door which would open toward the >> port >> side of the van instead of rearward). >> >> I'm toying with the idea of cutting my access hole lengthwise, down the >> van >> roof, instead of across. This may allow me to work in the kitchen area >> with >> Max Headroom :-), and double as a stairway to heaven :-). My concerns are >> whether I will be able to cut the rectangular access hole the same size, >> only rotated 90 deg. And, whether cutting through the roof indentation at >> the middle pillar poses problems, long term. Since the weight of those >> entering/exiting/sleeping in the pt would be borne by the buckboard I >> think >> not. >> >> Any ideas/suggestions/opposition? >> >> Would someone please send me the opening dimensions of a Vanagon Sunroof >> opening? >> >> I'll search the archives as well. >> >> Please and Thanks! >> >> -- >> Neil2 >> '82 Diesel Westfalia (USS Tinosa) >> '86 Vanagon/Westfalia Wannabe (SaVannah) >> Nunquam Pendite Divendium >> > >

-- Neil2 '82 Diesel Westfalia (USS Tinosa) '86 Vanagon/Westfalia Wannabe (SaVannah) Nunquam Pendite Divendium


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