Retrofit a westy top to a steel top? Anyone done it?

[adamski]

Now we are a family of four we were considering our sleeping options when camping as the boy is getting bigger (nearly 2).
We have a full width bed and a bed over the steering wheel.
A westy pop top would be cool but I can imagine it would cost a fortune to retrofit one?
Does anyone know if this has been done?

 

[68_early_bay]

Technically all westys were tintops originally before the tops were fitted so it's definately doable, the hardest part is sourcing a complete usable roof, I'm sure there was one for sale on here not long ago :mrgreen:

 

[Tofufi]

Technically all westys were tintops originally before the tops were fitted so it's definately doable, the hardest part is sourcing a complete usable roof, I'm sure there was one for sale on here not long ago :mrgreen:

I thought all Westies were built on Sunroof shells?

Tintops are desirable in their own right - there's a thread on VZi just today where someone wants to go from a hightop to a tintop.

Just buy a decent awning - then you've somewhere to keep everything when you leave the campsite for the day

 

[adamski]

Yeah, I think it is a bit long winded way of solving a problem. It's more for when we just make one night stops.

 

[norm]

Hello
We are also a family of four and have the same problem
On longer stays we use an awning but for one night we have one bunk over the front seats and I have made some brackets that fit on the rear door pillers and some that fit over the rear seat belt mounts and have adapted a bunk to fit over the rock n roll bed ( meaning we have to sleep with our feet at the rear door )
It works well but is only a temp solution as my boy will soon out grow it !!
I can send you some photos if you think it would help
Norm

 

[Lee C]

That sounds interesting!!!
We are now a family of 3, I'm hoping I can build a little bed behind the cab seats, we have a Berlin interior tintop.
My boy is just over 1 but he's a big un!!!
He should manage in a cab bunk next year??
But I'd like to see a pic of your rear hammock idea?!?

 

[adamski]

Photos of that would be awesome. When we had our interior redone we thought of a rear bunk, but it didn't work out.

 

[midlandpaintwerks]

Check out Leon's thread http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6993&hilit=leon&start=160" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It's quite striaght forward if you use the roof panel from a westfalia 73 - on .
http://www.midlandpaintwerks.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[norm]

I will get some photos taken and will send them over if someone pm s there email address as I don't have a photo bucket account
Norm

 

[Graham L]

We've had a couple of buses in from the states that have turned out not to be true westies but to honest they have been done really well and as already pointed out Leon has already done this to his bus.

As long as the hole in the roof is cut the size of the westy hole so its between the roof ribs and strengthening is added around the hole then its not a huge job. Graham at FBI usually has Westy Roofs in for sale at anywhere between £500-£750 but thats still a lot cheaper than swapping your bus.

 

[adamski]

Awesome, I think I'm going to seriously consider this for next 'season'

 

[bluebay]

I've done this transplant to my van,not everybody's gonna be in favour of it but you do want you wanna do to your bus.Cost me £150 for pop top another couple of hundred for canvas and my time (no charge).have a look at my thread in gallery,pm me if you want any more info.
Phil.

 

[adamski]

I've done this transplant to my van,not everybody's gonna be in favour of it but you do want you wanna do to your bus.Cost me £150 for pop top another couple of hundred for canvas and my time (no charge).have a look at my thread in gallery,pm me if you want any more info.
Phil.

Wow! What a great job you have done! Congrats.
I think I'm going to start sourcing an Early top for mine. Was it an early top you put on? I've heard late's are better, although I prefer the idea of an early.

 

[adamski]

I forgot to add, I chatted with Mark at Autotechniks this morning and he said he could probably take on this for me in the winter! Sadly I don't currently have space to do this (my van fits in the garage by a whisker and I haven't welded since college.

 

[bluebay]

Cheers, think it was off a 73 you can tell by the hinges later ones are flat bar opposed to tube. Other than that I don't think there's much difference.
Good luck with yours and keep us posted on how you get on.
Phil.

 

[adamski]

So discussing it with the missus, and some more investigation we think it will be a go. Especially as we can get a bed to go in the top. The big question is how much height it will add, as we have to park the bus in a garage. Anyone know?

 

[adamski]

I've been told of a company called Space roofs and they seem quite good. It's a late roof although it might be the best option for us. I have seen one person on here with one. Anyone heard anything?

 

[Geeze]

I'd stick with using a westy one, proven design and parts support will be around forever

 

[Graham L]

You also need to be careful if you use a late bay westy roof as the design of the actual roof itself (ie the metal bit) was completely different to an early bay, it incorporated a flat section at the back to create more space for the continental roof bed so you need to check a few measurements before going the late bay westy route.

 

[adamski]

So I have found this company:

http://www.poptoproofs.co.uk/shop/product-info.php?prodname=Volkswagen-T2---Rear-Elevator&id=30374" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They have new pop-tops which are gas assisted as well with helps, although isn't too important.

I want to go for the right year roof (i.e. hinge at the front).

Anyone heard of them or brought from them?