FIRST FAMILY CAMPER - POP TOP, TIN TOP OR HIGH TOP?

[GARN3R]

Right...

My wife and I are looking into purchasing our first bus. I have had Beetles in the past (71, 69 and 64) and loved them all, however I especially loved my 64 as it had a 1641 twin carb, quick shift, etc.

Now when it comes to the bus, we may be trying to get too many boxes ticked (like those obnoxious people on those house buying programmes) but I wanted your input.

We need something to take away on the weekend and ideally sleep my wife, my two daughters (currently 18 months and 5 years old).
Ideally I would love a tin top with a decent size engine and a full size rock n roll bed. Pop up a couple of hammocks (not for the baby yet obviously) and throw an awning on the side.
But... Would this realistically be enough for the foreseeable future?

Am I just being crazy thinking this is feasible? My wife of course likes the pop tops and the high tops (Adventurewagen springs to mind) due to the extra space, but at the same time has put her trust in me to choose the bus.

The one thing we agree on is it has to be an early bay

 

[Guest]

a poptop is more manageable, getting into your garage? some carpark barriers etc.

If i was going for a poptop it would be a westy all day its much more practical.

 

[ozziedog]

Sounds like you have the right idea already. High top is easier to set up once you get there to the camp site, but can be a pig as in getting it in your garage and jacking it up in there too. I`ve never had an adventure wagon or high top at all but I can imagine them getting a tad hairy when it`s a little blustery and you got to remember it`s an older vehicle and not quite so nimble as modern vans, my pop top has it`s moments without the extra height, do a little search on here for Ozziedog goes topless. Tin top is cool as 8) but I think you are gonna need a little more space with the two little peeps and I`ll have a stab in the dark and say you want them all to sleep in the bus especially while they is little. So the awning on the side can really help with keeping stuff under cover if you got the van decked out for sleeping. A tin top could work but I reckon you`ll be after a little teardrop trailer or such like to spread the kipping arrangements about. And some of these awnings now are like little palaces with separate bedrooms and stuff especially the airbeam type. If you got the pop top you could run a full width rock and roller, and a bunk or two upstairs and a small bed or hammock in the front cab. I invented an idea for the rear of the van to find out it`s already been produced years and years ago and that is a little tent arrangement that fits on the rear with an open tailgate as your roof so the bed pokes out the back, and someone else is now making them on a smallish scale but they look pretty awesome. There are quite a few Early bay camp outs organised this year with it being fifty years since the first earlies rolled of the line, might be an idea to have a look at quite a few different versions and chat to the peeps that have them and have little guys too, just so you get a real comparison. I reckon pop top myself as it`s so flexible, what else you want to tack on is as long as a piece of string :roll: I reckon I would concentrate on getting the best van for my money more so than the exact thing because you are then limiting yourself. If you can find anything that hasn`t been restored is where my money would go now days, but hens and teeth springs to mind unless you are minted. The more work that needs doing especially bodywork and any type of welding, just adds so much on to the cost of a van. With bodywork, just get an estimate, double it and add a nought to the end and remember once you start welding yada yada yada. But good luck in the search, dry ones are available but mostly left hookers and they are a lot thinner on the ground too as they been pouring in over here from the likes of California etc for quite a few years. I to like the tin top but I don`t think you`ll get the space you need and as they grow you`ll need more. See what`s available and the condition is key. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, And welcome :mrgreen:

 

[Bluesnailman]

i'm not a fan of cooking or washing dishes, but if I have to do them its more comfortable doing it standing up. Pop top for me too

(also easier to put your undercrackers on in morning....)

 

[*Sam*]

I think a Westy Pop Top would be great for your requirements.
You can opt to upgrade the hammock in the roof for a continental bed allowing both kids to sleep in the roof when the baby is old enough, up until then there is the hammock over the cab.
I find the stock interior great and versatile for camping and day trips.
The other bonus is that there are a lot of westys around to choose from.



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[Pickles]

I think a Westy Pop Top would be great for your requirements.
You can opt to upgrade the hammock in the roof for a continental bed allowing both kids to sleep in the roof when the baby is old enough, up until then there is the hammock over the cab.
I find the stock interior great and versatile for camping and day trips.
The other bonus is that there are a lot of westys around to choose from.

Assuming of course you can find the elusive continental bed, unless someone else has started producing them they are no longer available. In my opinion you are much better buying a bus which already has one in it.

Not wanting to put you off an earlier bay but the later westfalia has a larger pop top and hence larger bed up top.

 

[Pickles]

And sometimes its handy being able to sleep everyone in the bus without relying on an awning ... like if you were to park on a mates drive or just a one night stop whilst travelling.

 

[ozziedog]

And sometimes its handy being able to sleep everyone in the bus without relying on an awning ... like if you were to park on a mates drive or just a one night stop whilst travelling.

That is a very valid point too. I think we all go off somewhere and it starts to rain and you keep thinking it`ll go off in a minute or it`ll go off by the time we get to pitch up,,, then it don`t :roll: Now if you have to rely on everyone in the bus that`s cool if there is enough space but not if you have enough kit to fill several removal trucks and a bit more just in case stuff and you can`t actually see the beds let alone have enough room to get the movement into the rock and roller to even look like you might consider putting it into action. All this with a couple of tired irritable screaming little uns :roll:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Sounds like paradise :lol:

 

[matty74]

We went from Tin Top to Pop Top by fitting ours with a vertical lift roof during restoration. Makes a massive difference regarding space and storage when you're parked up [emoji106][emoji106]


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[TakeLifeEasy]

We have had a westy pop top for the last 6 years and has been good for me, my wife, one daughter and a dog! We had the beds up top ripped out and put one double bed up there.

 

[GARN3R]

Nice one guys. So much to think about... Appreciate all the input!

 

[adamski]

I would go for a pop-top. I had a tin top for years, and having converted the roof to a pop-top (westy) it's amazing. It still fits in the garage, just and makes camping so much better.
Hi tops are good, although I find a lot of parking places and camping places by beaches become un accessible.


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[Marshy]

Love our adventure wagon, got loads of permanent storage but is a bit of a handful in windy weather, if you convert the upper front area to sleeping area not sure how big s kid you could get up there. Permanent headroom is nice too as I'm 6'3" and can stand up in there

 

[MisterListerSir]

Pop all day long, sneaking under barriers for a sleep on your favourite beach, getting it in your garage and better mpg ( unless its a wicked tail wind

 

[Webbaldo]

Had a High top T25 and tbh hated driving it.

Have a tintop at present (3 of us)

Will eventually swap to dormobile roof. Prettiest poptop IMO, has windows and doesn't look like an upside down boat like westys do :lol:

Pretty accordion style roof as well

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

oddly you'll find Westie owners prefering Westies and Dormobile owners preferring Dormies....

You're best off going to a show and looking at buses and talking to owners...

Being a Dormie owner I'd say the benefits of a Dormobile are glass windows in roof, making lighter interior, and having a cooker
built in under the passenger seat, it's a great feature just for it's own sake !

You might want to consider left hand drive or right hand drive - lots of comments on that on here

I think everyone would agree the most important consideration is condition, especially rust, and an original rust free bus will last much better than
a renovated one even if not as shiny....

 

[58paul]

Hi Guys its got to be a Westy all the way, I have 2 kids 7and10 and they both sleep in the continental roof bed that I bought from the Volksworld show last year,if the kiddys are up top then the cab cott bed over the seats takes all your stuff,if not used for storage the bed is perfect for little ones as they can't roll out of it,mine have both started in the front then one in roof hammock and now like I said both up top, I hope you find what you are looking for
and a happy show season. P.S I think Rusty Lee's make a Continental roof bed kit, if not look under Westfalia parts on Ebay as there's a company down west that have them.