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Westy PopTop Fit

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Blue str View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blue str Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Westy PopTop Fit
    Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 18:47
 
 
This is our 1990 2.1dj Bluestar.
 
 
With two small kids and them getting bigger we decided to fit a pop top roof.
I purchased a 2nd hand roof and brand new bed platform from Lance at www.vwelevation.com.
I then got Hayden from panelkraft to fit it for me. (www.panelkraft.co.ok)
The deal was he would paint it, cut the hole, fit the frame and swing the roof. I then would finish of the bed fit and all other little bits.
 
First the hole was cut.
 
 
Next the strenghtening frame was screwed in to place (riveted later on).
 
 
Next some strenghtening brackets were made, these are what the hinges bolt into under the roof skin. They slide in between the roof and the main body.
  
 
 
Then all new rubbers were fitted and all the hinges, catches bolted on to the painted roof with all new stainless steel bolts and screws.
Then 6 holes were drilled and the pop top was bolted up to the roof.
  
 
 
 
 
Then the luggage piece was bolted on to the front of the camper and the latch plate was fitted to the front of the strenghtening frame.
 
Then back to mine to start the bed fit.
First I trial fitted the bed platform and the fold out bed sections. Also I screwed in the alley strips that the canvas fixes under
 
 
 
When I was happy with the way the bed worked I removed it all to be powder coated and trimmed.
 
 
 
 
 
So far it all works very well.
 
Next I will trim the head linning and fit the canvas.Confused
More pics to follow.
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ragnarhairybreeks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 19:33
great stuff!

a few things I have been curious about the kit...
1. the opening frame, it is screwed or rivited to the top surface of the roof, but do the vertical faces attach to anything?
2. the vertical faces along the sides seem to have a ledge for mounting the pop top struts, they have to be lower than the roof height, as in the westy version,to provide correct tent tension. Am I correct?
3. with the fibreglass bed section in place... how little room is there when top down for mattress? i am guessing not much.

thanks

alistair

'86 syncro 7 passenger
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
http://shufti.wordpress.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kooldubs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 19:35
Clap very nice indeed...snap...we are doing the same..still on the look out for a bed tho`..
well done...
86 t3 doka & 2001 T4 2.5 TDI
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blue str Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 20:08
Hi Alistair
 
1. the opening frame, it is screwed or rivited to the top surface of the roof, but do the vertical faces attach to anything?
2. the vertical faces along the sides seem to have a ledge for mounting the pop top struts, they have to be lower than the roof height, as in the westy version,to provide correct tent tension. Am I correct?
3. with the fibreglass bed section in place... how little room is there when top down for mattress? i am guessing not much.

1. The opening frame was temporary screwed and is now riveted. The vertical faces screw into the main sections of the van just above the head lining.
2. Yes you are correct.
3. I just gone out and measured the distance between fibre glass bed and roof- 80mm.
 
If you want any close up pics I can post or email.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ragnarhairybreeks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 20:21
Blue str - thanks for the reply. I saw another thread here (http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/topic30479.html), chap doing same thing. Its very tempting, my old reliable '82 westy was hit by a front end loader (!) last winter, and I'd like to swap over the camping gear into my '86 syncro.

I really don't want to do the whole roof approach, and so this kit really appeals, except... cost of kit and shipping over here makes it a wee bit too dear.

The Mosaik concept seems fairly clear except the frame. I'm still a bit unclear on the attachment... is the frame "L" shaped (upside down L) fore and aft, with ledges welded on the sides, or is the frame "U" shaped to "cup" the roof cut?

I haven't cut into a van roof at that spot so I really don't know what there is to attach to apart from the horizontal roof.

More pics would be really appreciated, my email addy is albellatshaw.ca (sub @ for at)

cheers

alistair

PS 80 mm clearance... is that with the folded bits of bed open or closed? What kind of mattress are you thinking about? I wonder if a "Thermarest" type inflatble would be a good idea.
'86 syncro 7 passenger
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
http://shufti.wordpress.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ROB1N Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 21:00
Nice job ,It looks like you have lined the inside of the the poptop, if so how well did it stick to the original fury finish what material did you use cheers Rob
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blue str Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 21:03
Alistair.
 
The frame is a bit difficult to desribe. It's a dog leg shape at the top. One side of that section rivets to the roof, the other side forms the section the frame sits on, then it returns downwards to form somewhere for the head linning to fit. Then back to the dog leg fold there is a section spot welded on L shaped that attatches to the strong part of the body. Mine had a 6mm gap at that point so I cut an angled timber strip in there and screwed through it all with some super strong panel adhesive. 
 
The 80mm measurment is when the bed is flat. I have got some 25 mm foam matress material that will fit in there nice.
 
Just took these pics;
 
 
 
 
Hope this helps.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blue str Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 21:10
Hi Rob.
 
I scraped off the old furry material. It took a long time, I used an inch wood chisel then a wire brush. I used a material I got on Ebay and glued it with Evo-stick high temp contact adhesive. Megavanmats was the seller, it stretches into all the shapes. Works well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ROB1N Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 21:34
Cheers for that much appreciated .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jason k Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Feb 10 at 21:35
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ragnarhairybreeks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Feb 10 at 00:41
Blue str - understanding more now on the frame fitment. I forgot about the box section frame member where roof meets sides, I see now that's where the side of the frame can be attached.
On the transverse run or the frame, that shallow arc, are there any fasteners other than the roof rivets (vertical)?

Thanks for taking the time to post the pics and answer my questions

cheers

alistair


'86 syncro 7 passenger
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
http://shufti.wordpress.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blue str Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Feb 10 at 16:33
Alistair- Yes there are rivets along the front and back sections of the frame. About 15 in total each end. Once it was powder coated I riveted it on with some mastic. Very strong.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DGio Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 10 at 19:23
Very nice job!! I'm very interested in the way you will do the canvas job! I will be following this one.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Blue str Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Mar 10 at 21:07
I have been doing some more on the Bluestar over the past few weekends.
 
I started by trimming the head lining around the cut out frame. This was done by pulling the lining tight ans hammering on a small pinch moulding. Then I cut off the extra material.
 
 
 
 
Then I started with the canvas. I screwed the bottom to the roof using the alloy strips.
 
 
 
 
Then I stapled it to the top timber sections on the pop top.
 
 
 
Then I got some alloy lenghts and screwed them over the staples to sandwich the canvas to the pop top. I will trim the excess off later.
 
 
 
It looks like this.
 
 
 
 
Some random pics.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kooldubs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Mar 10 at 21:19
brilliant now i can see what mine will look like ....eventually..
well done ..
86 t3 doka & 2001 T4 2.5 TDI
07752280999...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ragnarhairybreeks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 10 at 06:20
I agree, great work!

alistair

'86 syncro 7 passenger
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
http://shufti.wordpress.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gunter8571 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 19 at 04:36
what do you mean by a dog leg bend, how does this look?
Do you a picture or a drawing from that bend?
Cheeeers
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