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Date:         Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:27:16 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: Adding a tall top to a non-westie ?
Comments: To: mcneely4@COX.NET
In-Reply-To:  <20110910204907.3HMUX.1652126.imail@eastrmwml30>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Yes, I did it this summer. It was a chore, the next one would be easier and faster if I ever do it again. I diddled around a lot, nervous and perhaps too cautious in my approach. I read somewhere that clipping the top from a donor westy (the top roof skin is unique), or even drilling out the spot rivets from same, is faster than cutting a sunroof sized hole in the tin top and dealing with the curved roof and the complications arising from that. I initially thought that was wrong, but after doing the latter, I am not so sure :)

I think if you had a welder and didn't mind a repaint, then putting on a clipped top is the way to go.

The hole and the bed support is the thing, the actual roof, wether westy pop top or a high top, is relatively easy and fast to install.

And there are quite a few little things in the inside, the cabinet securing etc that eat up a lot of time (if you are intent on slavishly copying the westy, which is what I tried to do).

I don't like the look of high tops, I understand the advantages of them, but I have to admit I think most look awkward and ungainly. The nicest ones I think are the "stepped at the front" high top Joker or the Dehler "Profi".

In any case, cutting a hole in the tin top roof, where the sunroof would go, does not (I believe) compromise the body structure. The hole is between cross braces and so doesn't affect them, one could make a case that the removal of a bit of roof skin might make the box less rigid, but I don't think it does.

alistair

On 2011-09-10, at 5:49 PM, Dave Mcneely wrote:

> don, some folks have put a "Westy" top on non-camper VW vans. Sounds like a similar endeavor. Surely some of those folks will speak up. Alistair? mcneely > > ---- 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 > > -- > David McNeely


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