Poptop Idea

Webbaldo · Jan 6, 2018

How do,

I'm considering a poptop for my EB maybe in the next few year, but playing around with building my own.

Thoughts?

The only pop top I like is the Dormobile one, as I like the 'acordian' style and the fact its not too big. Im personally not a fan on the full roof ones and the turrets too small.

After seeing how much a battered old one is and the new ones fitted, I thought would it be feasible to make my own? Out of plywood and aluminium mainly? And fit a couple windows, similar to the original dormobile

Maybe a few metal struts to keep it straight. Kinda like a dormobile one but around 6 1/2ft in length and skinned in alu for the american look?

Thoughts? Did a similar method for my teardrop galley hatch and the weight was very light but quite rigid. Consisted of 18mm ply curved struts, skinned in 3mm ply then 1mm alu ontop. And ply skinned interior with electric light wiring etc hidden in the void, topped off with carpet or vinyl

I'd curve the edges so it didnt look too DIY. And fit a couple of windows as well.

Can anyone think of any good/bad reasons to do/not do this?

Cost is the main factor, I could build and fit one for under £500 and make the bellows myself, where even a crappy used dormobile would be that without anything else?

thejinx · Jan 6, 2018

You obviously have the skills. I would worry about weight. This could be interesting to see

ozziedog · Jan 7, 2018

You are coming from the same thought process as me. My next thought was to make it with mechanical sides as well which meant making it squareish and I thought that would be ace. Then at a show I spotted some mid eighties I think types of T25s with this squareish ‘Thing’ on the roof and I didn’t like the look of it one little bit. Looks very practical and a good use of space but looked a bit like a large cardboard box had blown onto the roof in the night, :shock: plus I had been put off the pop top I had because it looked a bit Dormy ish but bigger and sat in the gutters and helped cause massive roof rust issues and it looked like a beached turtle humping my bus :roll: . I looked at all the tops for a year or two and went for the later Devon in the end as it was the neatest of the large roofs IMHO :mrgreen: I like the idea of what you’re doing, and my only concern would be the ‘squareness’ of it. Getting a gentle curve on a teardrop or an American style trailer is an achievement in itself, but not sure how tight or small a curve you could get for a little pop top or a double curve without resorting to a rolled corner and then riveting it in. Secret ally welding it might be an answer but that’s out of my league and most D.I.Y.ers but if you could do the rest and get someone to weld the four corners in it would look ace. Then you’d have to keep it polished and dazzling everyone :lol: I’ll follow this if you have a pop 8)

Ozziedog,,,,, ,, I’m not big on polishing any dang thing :mrgreen:

Webbaldo · Jan 7, 2018

Cheers for the replies, all valid, had a good one on our local forum as well from a local lad lee, have to make sure it wont pop open at speed!

Need to make sure hinges and shutdown mech are good.

I was thinking against gas struts and making a more mechanical opening mech, with folding props that lock into place.

With what ozziedog said, he's right, a square one would look rubbish. I could make the side parts rounded with wood/ali but the front and back I'll have to have a good think about that one. Sides would just be a curved wood form with sheet ali stapled over it, then trim would hide everything. The radius of the sides would be ok, I could get a good curve of about 3/4 inch in height.

I think jinx has an important consideration as well, weight. The alu sheet isn't heavy, all in I think the weight would be comparable to a full dormobile roof with the windows etc.

No rush anyway, this would be next autumn/winters project so have 8 months to plan

Daisybay · Jan 7, 2018

I also built a teardrop, Galley Hatch. Covered it with the type of fabric used in big portable structures. Works very well. You could also use "Stits Fabric" I used it on a light Aircraft. Glue and stick.