What room to get :-\

[jacks906]

Hi all

been thinking of changing my pop top for something different thing is not sure what :-s

Currently a devon pop that doesn't leak etc but just wondering whether change to a hitop :O or another roof like a viking or summat....

So what's everyone got an what do you think of them

Cheer dave

 

[THE LAST PANZER]

If it aint broke......

 

[gvee]

What's prompted the desire to change?

 

[jacks906]

Its coming to the point were it needs new bellows and the alloy top is misshapen...... and the cap itself i think is breaking up inside

 

[KevH]

Hi Dave

Why do you want to change? Perhaps because the pop top leaks, it no longer meets your needs or it just looks wrong/devalues the van. You say it ain't too broke, not beyond repair by sounds of things, so there might be another reason to change? By asking on earlybay it sounds like the third option is most important...what it looks like and what others think. Surely what counts is what you think, you have to live with it after all. And I have experience of a high top so I'll share it.

I am going the other way, high top to Devon pop top. Why? Because I want a classic original look. Full stop. But I am also giving up a lot in return, not least the fact that the hightop is leak proof, is always up so no messing around, and it provides bags and bags of storage space. Did I mention the storage space? Bags of it... It does catch the cross wind on motorways though.

If you want a used high top, I might have just the thing for you at a good price! :roll:

 

[jacks906]

Hi
cheers for the reply.... the roof doesn't leak but the frame work requires work to straighten out the top section although im not sure if the will sort it :-\
That's the easy fix the harder are the bellows :-$ mainly down to price and every screw being rusty as.... then my other problem is the 5 screw either side that screw directly threw the roof into the cap that are at the bottom of the roof mechanism are all loose so going have to take everything apart to see what's going on there too :-/

Although looking at the state of your roof after the pop top was removed kinda worries me a little .... I guess its years of condensation that's gathered there that's caused that rot

Dave

 

[john the horse]

slammed hi top please!

john the horse

 

[ozziedog]

From a roofers perspective, I find it very hard to work out why they made a lot of the differing styles of pop top. Most of the designs hold water which will eventually leak, and if there is no curvature and / or / strengthening, then the flat top ones are just waiting to leak, ie, the early devon ones and their associated rivets and a little age related sag :shock: etc. Some of them are so wide, they actually sit in the gutters and therefore block the water flow. After a good look around, the best one that didn`t look like a turtle humping the bus :shock: imho, is the late bay Devon one. Got mine off Rusty, it`s very neat, looks classic, don`t leak as it has a curvature plus strength, dosen`t block the gutters, and the mechanics make it so simple to pull up and down. PLUS it just looks neat. It`s a virtual straight swap with the early devon roof, just needed to trim the vertical upstand in the roof panel and a better rear crossmember to bolt to. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Just need to finish bolting it down :mrgreen:

 

[KevH]

Hi Dave

Ah, you seen my slight rust problem then :shock: I'd like to say it looks worse than it is, but that would be telling porkies. However the cause was not condensation but the method of attaching the hightop; some dork ground off the roof paint and applied a water-based adhesive, then left the metal bare inside. A little bit of carpet over the bus edge and it rotted out of sight. :evil: Don't let that put you off a high top though, but do fit it using non-water based fixing.

Ozziedog...good points, thanks, and I have just bought an early Devon pop top too. Out of the frying pan............ :roll: I just love that every bus is different.

 

[jacks906]

john the horse.... thats what am thinking

ossiedog some pics would be cool of your roof swap or do you have a build thread

gutted for you delilhtoo ive seen sooooooooo many PO disasters nothing comes as a surprise anymore :|

the only high top ive seen that i like is

nice and high some little windows are a bonus and it just looks nice and fugly which is cool too :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
there are some other varients which are nice will just have too see what turns up uk bound

dave

 

[71dormy]

just rebuilt a devon pop top with new bellows and new aluminium for the cap and all the seals.took 2days and was an absolute ......well yeh it want fun mate!what about the adventurewagen high top?its the best looking of any earlybay hi tops available?might just mean hours of searching the interweb :lol:

 

[dubscum]

Hi top dude

 

[ozziedog]

Right then,, third attempt, fingers crossed :shock:

Old pop top sat in the gutters

Side view with new windows

The other side still converto panelish

So that one is new ish late bay Devon pop top. All them photos are with the new donor roof panel off a 72 and the windows as well. Get to work on the other side this winter after the Santa Cruz :mrgreen: Just the rest of the body work then. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,Still got me fingers crossed (and toes) :lol: :roll:

 

[john the horse]

Right then,, third attempt, fingers crossed :shock:

Old pop top sat in the gutters

Side view with new windows

The other side still converto panelish

So that one is new ish late bay Devon pop top. All them photos are with the new donor roof panel off a 72 and the windows as well. Get to work on the other side this winter after the Santa Cruz :mrgreen: Just the rest of the body work then. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,Still got me fingers crossed (and toes) :lol: :roll:

man i thought i was the only one to use 100mph tape to fix everything. i have since moved on due to pressure from others. glad you still keepin the ductape real ozzie.

itll also stop all leaks in the roof if you ram it in the holes i bet.

for larger holes stuff old stella cans and pack em out with tape :lol:

john the horse

 

[ozziedog]

Not only that J.H. , you have now seen my bus in microbus format (note: extra deckchairs) and that is my god daughter ` the Bride' in the shades looking as cool as :mrgreen: E :mrgreen: End of the weekend , note the Stella Sag on Ozziedog`s belly and the slightly furrowed brow :roll:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, Wedding busses to the Gentry and Stella heads :lol: 8) :lol:

 

[gvee]

I love the duck-tape on my bus too but one word of warning... The "waterproofness" doesn't last forever... I am now on my second pieces in 9 months :lol:

 

[blogdroed]

Is she coming anywhere near here any time soon gvee?

 

[71dormy]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hightop-roof-VW-Bay-T2-camper-van-Sheldon-High-top-/150687688971?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item2315afa90b#ht_500wt_1198" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[jacks906]

Hmmmmmmm may have found the answer just a long way away ebay item number 290629621893

 

[dubscum]

time for earlybay to unite and play the biggest game of pass the parcel ! calling all shandy drinkers calling all shandy drinker this might not be helping :msn4: