Pop-up top modifications?

[pskhaat]

You know how the VW van's (why am I forgetting their names now?) have that pop-up campter atop their roof? Is it even called a pop-up top? My post here http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10568#post10568 got me thinking, are there companies that do this on a custom basis?

Is there somewhere I could go and get the top cut off a wagon and a matched pop-up installed? Am I going to do this to any of my vehicles with my current salary? no :(, but I'm curious to know.

[Scott Brady]

Westfalia (sp?)

You could do it yourself. Build the form and lay the fiberglass. You only cut a portion of the roof off anyways (like aft of the b pilar). I bet you could do it...

[Scott Brady]

Here is a Syncro Westfalia conversion. 4wd, diff locks and SWEET accomodations
http://www.expeditionswest.com/adventures/2004/Sierra_Pinacate/images/Sonora_02-04%20067_jpg.jpg

He lives in Prescott and BajaTaco knows him.

[hoser]

That is all these guys do. Get some ideas. Too bad they are in Germany.
http://www.innovation-campers.com/d_main.html

This would be nice:
http://www.geocities.com/landcruiser75/special/ic03.jpg

[njtaco]

Winnebago made/makes the Westfalia (Sp?) conversions for Volkswagen, here and abroad, I believe. Also the Rialta line starts out as a VW Van, considered a "Class C" conversion. This is because they are technically a "cut-away" of the origional, as opposed to a Class B van conversion. On the same lines, has anyone driven the OEM 4x4 VW bus? I saw one the other day on the road, and it got me thinkin'... Nah!

(***edit*** LeSharo wasn't a VW, it was a Renault)

[BMAN]

Scotty,

We need to spend more time together chatting at the Sonic meets. I've had this idea kicking around in the back of my head for a couple of months now. I've tracked down a couple of used Westies around own for decent prices too. Before getting into wheeling and Cruisers I built VW's for about 15years. I've got a couple of friends who are still very active in the VW scene looking for a CHEAP Westy for me with a good roof. There are about 4 companies that repro all of the canvas and weatherstripping for the tops so really all you would need "used" is the glass top itself.

[CLynn85]

This is a very interesting topic to me, simply for the fact that I've been working on a similar idea for my Jeep. I've been looking more along the lines of the innovation campers setups though.

I figured the way I can get the most usability out of my jeep for expedition usage, without making permanent mods to the vehicle itself, is to make a drop-in camper unit. I've had several ideas, from enclosing the cab and putting a tray on the back, to a longer wheelbase and a roof tent, to building up a trailer, but this however seems to be the most feasible, usable, and non-permanent modification.

The idea is to make the rear part of the cage removable, come in, take off the top, take off the tailgate, and drop in the camper box. Much of my thoughts are derived from the hmmwv shelters I was working with this summer.

Here's the only quick-e-sketch I have on my comp:
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/cslynn/webstuff/Misc/campersetupsketch1%20(Medium).jpg


Unfortunately being here at school I don't have the convenience to go out to the garage and start mocking up ideas out of scrap and taking measurements, so that'll wait til spring break I suppose.

I'll have to get a few screen shots of my solid models and post sometime.

[durango_60]

You know how the VW van's (why am I forgetting their names now?) have that pop-up campter atop their roof? Is it even called a pop-up top? My post here http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10568#post10568 got me thinking, are there companies that do this on a custom basis?

Is there somewhere I could go and get the top cut off a wagon and a matched pop-up installed? Am I going to do this to any of my vehicles with my current salary? no :(, but I'm curious to know.


Scott, I know where you are going with this, and you may as well give up, your wife is not going to become a camper...:camping:

[pskhaat]

I know I must eventually concede, but not quite yet! When she was young her parents used to take her out camping constantly. She figures very close to 60 days+ per summer they were camping.

In our eyes that seems AWESOME, but in a young girl's eyes that was hell and she vowed never again. But with me knocking her up with boys she'll have to give in!

[BMAN]

Carl,

How about a rig similar to the one here. Can't remember the guys name, but it's a Clamshell tent that opens up over the cab of his Taco. Totally sweet deal.

Truck on right in this pic http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/daktaried/detail?.dir=6fbf&.dnm=4297.jpg&.src=ph

[BMAN]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mcvickoffroad/detail?.dir=/c656&.dnm=bbc4.jpg&.src=ph


Here she is!

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Scott, I know where you are going with this, and you may as well give up, your wife is not going to become a camper...:camping:

If a woman I may be interested in tells me she is not a camper.............I just simply say.......NEXT!~~~>:suning:


Carl.........I like your drawing. I've often wondered if something like that could be made for my 1st gen. 4Runner. But I would feel bad about losing my sunroof.
.
.

[BMAN]

If a woman I may be interested in tells me she is not a camper.............I just simply say.......NEXT!~~~>:suning:


Carl.........I like your drawing. I've often wondered if something like that could be made for my 1st gen. 4Runner. But I would feel bad about losing my sunroof.
.
.

Just put one in the new top.

I once told a colleague that there was no way in hell I wanted to go spend a day out in the desert driving around looking at cactus. Hell I can see that crap in my front yard. All it took was once. Sometimes people just need a little work.

[CLynn85]

BMAN, the foward opening setup is kind of cool, I'll take that into consideration. It may take a bit more work from my seamstress though to get a whole tent rather than a piece to just fill a gap. The other thing I liked about the innovation campers setup is that you can pop the top for headroom to standup without setting up your sleeping quarters.

SWR, I know, it'll be hard giving up the open-top feeling, but it'll only be on for long trips, the whole point being it'll be a 4th option I have for "tops" :ylsmoke:

[CLynn85]

Here's an "artist's rendering" lol of my design, this is what happens when I start procrastinating on hw...

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/cslynn/webstuff/Misc/campersetuprender1.JPG

[BMAN]

Carl,

Total dimension from w/s frame to back of popup?

[CLynn85]

Carl,

Total dimension from w/s frame to back of popup?

BMAN (what's your name anyways?), right now it's at 80", I figured I'm 5'10 (and the g/f's the same) and I fit fine in a standard doorway which is 80", so it seemed like a nice number. I originally was hoping to have an opening when the camper floor was folded out so I could crawl through, but given that I'm pushing length as it is I think the better alternative would be to have a hinged panel that I'd crawl up throuh and then close to stretch out fully.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Forget that!........I found the solution!......Now it just needs a lift!:shakin:

and just think of the gas mileage!..........hehe

...........JUST KIDDING!

CL..............Thats a very Kewl drawing!.............now can you do one for my 4Runner?:cool:

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/medium/1030799.jpg


http://images.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/medium/1030800.jpg


http://images.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/medium/1030801.jpg

[BMAN]

Unfortunately those tents are no longer available new. Are you a VW junkie too or just scooped the pics from the Samba with an image search?

And the name's Branden... but BMAN is just fine by me and it's easier to type.

80" would seem real tight for me at 6-0. remember that the front side is very short. A stubbed toe in the middle of the night could make for a grumpy morning. Add 2" up high and you got something.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I've always loved V~Dubs!

I've had two 1969 bugs..........and a 1972 VW Van.

In fact....my first car was a used, baby blue, 1969 Beetle (only two years old when I got it) with just 18,000 miles on it. The guy was asking $1,350. I told him I only have $1,100 cash in my pocket and I need a car for school and work. I drove home with it! The guy took such good care of it, there was not a scratch on it! I was in V~Dub Heaven! I waxed that thing every Sat......!:victory:


....oh......Yes I found the pics at Samba while doing a search for Westfalia Syncro's tonight.

[kcowyo]

I'll second how awesome Vince's Flipac is. I've had a chance to crawl all over it and I think it is a great system. All of the bed storage of a regular truck with a huge tent packed tightly into the closed lid. It's my favorite of all of the trick white Tacos out there. Unfortunately they don't make them for Wranglers.

I'm not sure, even at 5'10 how you would stand in the rear of a Wrangler, with a pop top tent. Seems like there wouldn't be very much headroom or foot room to move around. I like the Innovation-style campers too, but maybe there is a better solution to camping out of a Wrangler? If you're going solo, you could make a sleeping and storage deck like I made in my '84 CJ-7. (http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2529)However, for two people, you'll need another solution.

And now completely random, semi-hijack comment and pics. I was checking the local DOT web cams this weekend and I happened to notice an old school looking, pop top on a truck. It was open and I saved the pic. I hit refresh and it was closed, looking like any old truck topper. From these snowy and grainy photos, can anyone tell what type of topper this might be? These were taken on Teton Pass, which connects Jackson Hole, WY to Victor and Driggs, ID. One of the hairiest roads in the state.

[CLynn85]

It's killing me not having SolidWorks on this computer to play with and post exact dimensions and fitment. I read your post on your trip in the CJ a while back, found it very interesting and a creative solution, but I need space for two to ride/sleep. The idea with the popup is that when the panels where you sleep are folded foward, you can stand in the rear (easily) fo access the sink and stovetop, which would be at about the hight of the hardtop as it sits currently, on the right side. Is it a tight fit? YES Is it feasible? Yes Will I try it, at least with a wooden mockup to test size/feasibility? Yes. It's not intended to be a living space in the back, just a place to put the panels in to sleep and possibly a cooktop area below (eventually) and cram as much storage of spare parts, tools, clothes, etc in.

Sorry for completely hijacking the V-dub post. I saw a 4wd one from maine at the post office on the way back from class today, looked very similar to the one posted by scott.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Thats OK...........I often talk to myself here..........very therapeutic!......LOL:ylsmoke:

[BMAN]

Carl,
Why not use a roof top tent over a stock Jeep hardtop? You'd get twice the sleeping room as the popup and if you add a lower tent surround (assuming a hannibal style clamshell tent) you could use that as the kitchen/changing area. Rig up a fold down window on the DS rear 1/4 window with stove attached to it. Something similar to Chuck's (Ursidae) fold-up windows on his Taco topper. The 1/4 would fold down and you could fab a support leg that would rest on the tire to support the table top. DOes that make sense? I suggest using the DS 1/4 because it is the one you need to see out of the least when driving.

[CLynn85]

That's one of the options I've considered, and I'm not set right now on the whole interior setup, if I did do it that'd be a long ways off, that's more of a pipe dream right now. I kind of like the ide of the fold up side windows, or the fold down side/shelf idea if it was done into the side of the camper. The thing I was hoping to avoid was being outside in the cold/wet trying to cook under a tarp on a stove. If I lived in the west I'd be far less concerned, but my hopes is that this will be used on camping trips across the country, around here in the mountains, the lake, wherever, and the weather's not always going to be sunny and nice out. This is kind of why I wanted provisions for a possible interior space later down the road.

Finding a roof rack capable of supporting the tent and two people is rather daunting. There are two rated at 400lbs but I've heard tales of both cracking under the weight of two people in a roof-top tent. The hard top will definately not support the weight, I'm affraid just to stand on the thing let alone sleep up there.

Another concern was cost. Most roof-top tents are in the neighborhood of $1000. For a college student that's a very large initial investment. The camper is something I can build in the garage in my spare time, a little along as slush funds permit. Rough cost of aluminum I added up to be around $150, plus paneling and hardware. Not that it wouldn't end up costing a significant amount more down the road, but less of an initial investment.

I also want to do something that no one's done before. Something a bit different. If it turns out to be a bad idea, I know what not to do next time, I'd like it to be something that can evolve and I can modify and pick at at make changes on. I'm still a firm believer that real trucks are built not bought, and I admire others' creativity, and it inspires me to try some different things on my own.


I do appreciate the comments and suggestions though! It's flexible, and it's a looong ways off.


Edit - Just caught your lower tent idea. That would be nice if I went with a rooftop tent setup, but again we're back into the $$$ lol

[BMAN]

How about a dormobile type of setup?
http://www.williammaloney.com/LandRover/MidAtlantic1995/images/62Doormobile.jpg

Add another panel the same size as the door that folds out to parallel w/ the ground out over the passenger side and you've got a "hardtop patio". Add some canvas hanging sides and then you have a nice private cabana.

Search google images for dormobile and check out all the VW's and other manufacturers. The doormobile setup adds a little more length to the area you can "stand".

[Nullifier]

Great Idea for a Jeep. I would say it would work really well on an unlimited since it would give you more length for sleeping. I would also not do a hinged design but rather fully raisable top like a sportsvan. This would be an awesome project sicne you cold probably build it into a factory hard top and it would be removable.

[BMAN]

Problem is... he doesn't own an unlimited. I really like the idea of a completely raised roof too. My only concern with that design would be racking of the top in windy conditions. I'd take a close look at a Maggiolina RTT before commiting to this design. They seem to have it figured out. You could borrow some design cues from them.

[Mike S]

I like the idea. We have had a number of people who talked of grafting a AutoHome pop up to their vehicle. No one that I know of has done it.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/372845.jpg

[Mike S]

Shameless commercialism - Here is Gary Kardum (Mudrak) with his Columbus on his FJ45. Nice truck...

http://www.hunt101.com/img/372852.jpg

[Scott Brady]

Great looking 45. The Columbus is my favorite Autohome model. Slick, simple solution IMO :beer:

[Mike S]

Yeah, Scott. Light, simple and fast to open, and comfortable. We sell more of these than any other type of tent.

Gary's FJ45 is a really nice trayback that never seems to be 'finished'. He has it at many of the West Coast runs. He is an exceptional driver, and always has some Reggae tunes going on. Whenever I see his truck, I am sorry I sold my old FJ40.

M

[kcowyo]

Mudrak's 45 is one of the sickest trail rigs I've seen. I have several pics of his outfit running the Rubicon saved on my computer.

I understand he has quite a collection at home too, almost a 'Cruiser museum. That is one outfit I would love to see in person and ride shotgun in over some trails - :bowdown:

[BMAN]

Carl,

That's the ticket right there. Cut the bottom out of a Columbus and mold it into the stock hardtop. Make a 3 piece platform/mattress that stowes over the driver compartment while driving or cooking then slides out to provide sleeping arrangements. W/ a 3 piece design you could pull down the #2 shelf and stack #3 on top then climbup top and slide #3 into place for a nice nights rest. You would also have the normal side entry door of the tent.

See just give us a little time and before ya know it we got all your mod money spent in one session.:eatchicke

[CLynn85]

Wow that's one slick looking FJ45!!!

I know, if I had an unlimited it'd be gravy, the top length is perfect for a sleeper (you should've seen the look on the salesman's face at the dealership when I climbed up on the roof and stretched ot... :elkgrin: )

But that also got me thinking, possibly pick up an unlimited top, and build a section to fill in the bottom section where it overhangs the rear of the vehicle... and re-inforce the roof to support a sleeper.

As for the pop-up, that's one reason I was leaning towards the hinged over a pop up, was the fact that one end being hinged solid should be inherently more capable of supporting a lateral force on the roof.

Now if there was only an autohome distributor that sold them for less than 1700, there wouldn't be anymore problems...

[Mike S]

...Now if there was only an autohome distributor that sold them for less than 1700, there wouldn't be anymore problems...

We OCCASIONALLY have used or demo tents, or tents damaged in shipping that we repair. We do not sell these as new tents - they are typically sold at 25% off list. Let me know if you're interested and I will put you on the waiting list.

[colvere]

Dormobile, has been around for many years and makes a clam shell and interior cabinettes that are usualy installed on LR110 or VW vans. You can order the unit and install it on enything thats long enough like a campershell, 110, 109, or trailer. http://www.dormobile.co.uk

[BMAN]

Dormobile, has been around for many years and makes a clam shell and interior cabinettes that are usualy installed on LR110 or VW vans. You can order the unit and install it on enything thats long enough like a campershell, 110, 109, or trailer. http://www.dormobile.co.uk


That right there is GOOD info. All of my looking around for Dormobile stuff and I missed the manufacturer's website. Thanks Colvere.

[Desertdude]

found these pages while surfing around

http://www.brian894x4.com/Expedition4X4s.html

[Boston Mangler]

Shameless commercialism - Here is Gary Kardum (Mudrak) with his Columbus on his FJ45. Nice truck...

http://www.hunt101.com/img/372852.jpg

That truck is Beautiful!!!!!

However that tent looks VERY small!

:bowdown:

[Corey]

Sorry to bring back such an old thread, but a moderator over on my forum posted some pics from the Rubicon that he was on just recently, and of course he had a picture of Gary's rig.

Does Gary have a thread on a forum somewhere with more info?
I know he is in an issue of TLCA, but I have to sign up again to get it.

http://www.tlca.org/trails/2008/0604/Moab.shtml

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z186/NKAWTG/IMG_3003.jpg

[4Rescue]

That is all these guys do. Get some ideas. Too bad they are in Germany.
http://www.innovation-campers.com/d_main.html

This would be nice:
http://www.geocities.com/landcruiser75/special/ic03.jpg
Dream truck alert...

[erod]

thats me and my good buddy ryan skiing the pass...its an old camper, spent many nights in it...its on a t100. the name of the company escapes me but i'll look into it. its fully popped in that pic, i.e. only one side pops up...like the old school wildernests. queen size bed, lots of storage...camp stove and water supply...really nice. i like these too because you have quite a bit of room when not popped...there was actually one for sale in my area not to long ago for like $1300...ryan's is made for a taco, but on the t100 he can close the tailgate and has some nice extra storage around the wheel wells...

small world, sick ski day...4 mi from my yurt!





I'll second how awesome Vince's Flipac is. I've had a chance to crawl all over it and I think it is a great system. All of the bed storage of a regular truck with a huge tent packed tightly into the closed lid. It's my favorite of all of the trick white Tacos out there. Unfortunately they don't make them for Wranglers.

I'm not sure, even at 5'10 how you would stand in the rear of a Wrangler, with a pop top tent. Seems like there wouldn't be very much headroom or foot room to move around. I like the Innovation-style campers too, but maybe there is a better solution to camping out of a Wrangler? If you're going solo, you could make a sleeping and storage deck like I made in my '84 CJ-7. (http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2529)However, for two people, you'll need another solution.

And now completely random, semi-hijack comment and pics. I was checking the local DOT web cams this weekend and I happened to notice an old school looking, pop top on a truck. It was open and I saved the pic. I hit refresh and it was closed, looking like any old truck topper. From these snowy and grainy photos, can anyone tell what type of topper this might be? These were taken on Teton Pass, which connects Jackson Hole, WY to Victor and Driggs, ID. One of the hairiest roads in the state.