Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:10:31 -0700
Reply-To: Aristotle Sagan <killer.jupiter@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Aristotle Sagan <killer.jupiter@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Adding a tall top to a non-westie ?
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEuLHfXVM+MX+84ZndfWEhNkbhgBajDz3cx54SpruGRgH8w@mail.gmail.com>
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As long as you don't cut the cross braces, it shouldn't be much of a
problem. The Westies have more metal up there, more cross bracing to
compensate for the lack of sheet steel. If I remember correctly, on the
regular van there is a cross brace right behind the drivers seat, then one
just in front of where the back part of the door is. That's the one that
will get in your way. But it can be done and you might like the results.
I certainly like the raised roof Westies I see in Europe. Just getting them
over here is a PITB. And yes, I lust after an Adventure wagon.
tim in san jose
On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 5:06 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
> I know there are "adventure wagons" with pretty tall hard-shell tops, and
> that people seem to like these a whole lot.
>
> Well, I was just trekking about in our field, looking at what needs to be
> done before this winter and I saw my old Dodge Van...a camper van I used
> with pleasure before fuel got really pricey. So I was thinking about the
> ad
> I saw..." will remove your junkers and give you $300 for them" I have that
> in mind for the Dodge. I've tried to sell it but nobody wants these
> anymore.... Then I looked at the fiberglass aftermarket top on it and
> began
> measuring stuff.....With some careful scribing, I could put that top over
> onto my 84 tin top van....It would fit. That thing has lasted for 20yrs
> so
> far...Why send that to the crusher?
>
> That particular top, it tapers toward the front...it has a low section over
> the driver's area that sticks up maybe 6" (enough for some storage shelves)
> then at about the C-pillar, it takes a turn upwards, has a couple of fixed
> plexiglass windows across the width and then it continues back to the
> hatch, rising all the while at a gentle slope, where it adds 19" in the
> center of the width of the van. Has a funky little kicker at the
> back...Looks like the "A-Team Van".... In the Dodge, we had the bed cross
> wise across the back with that extra height above used as storage....The
> 'walk around area' (my van has most of the westie interior...sink stove
> fridge water, etc) in the Dodge...there was almost full standing headroom
> with this top, and you could see out those windows...
>
> So if I saw off the top of my GL and simply pop-rivet or screw this thing
> on in it's place....is my van going to turn into a 'slinky-toy' and get all
> flexible because the roof is gone? Do factory Westies have more body
> structure to make up for no real structural roof? Ya think if I go for it
> I
> should have some tubes bent to tie the sides together, cross wise and maybe
> bridge the slider somehow? I guess I could integrate the plastic roof into
> the structure by bonding it tightly and adding some carbon fiber to carry
> some of the chassis loads....
>
> just thinking out loud here..anyone want to comment?
>
> Don Hanson
>
--
Where ever you are, there you be. Unless you're driving my van, in which
case, you ain't got there yet.
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