pop-top (raised roof) vehicle conversion?

[julianf]

Anyone have any evperience of these?

I have a vehicle with a flat roof, which you can't stand up inside. My partner is always on about raising the roof, and, I admit, it would be nice...

There are firms that do them, but the numbers seemed to approach £2k so, if its to happen, it'll be diy.

Making the lid and cutting the hole is no big deal, but its the sealing and support that I'm unsure of.

 

[MattF]

No experience or ideas personally, but it'll be good to see how this progresses if you give it a go.

 

[julianf]

This is the subject -

This is the roof -

And this is the (current) internals (will be refitted) -
(it looks nicer with the soft furnishings, but its always basic and cramped)

Ill post some more photos in a moment of my plans...

 

[julianf]

These are all just photos off the internet, for ideas (and none of them are covering roves either!)

I think that, removing the rear doors, and extending the back by 12 to 18 inches would make some difference. Eg -

I probably wouldnt extend as far as that one though. The overhang looks a bit much -

Here is another -

(wrong angle, imho)

And another -

and one more, with a much smaller extension (but you cant really see it in this photo) -

 

[julianf]

Roves -

A £2k defender extension -

Another 101 -

 

[julianf]

...and a couple of youtube photo album things, if anyone is that keen?

This video shows the details of the vehical well, and he does a roof extension -

This is just a load of glossy shots of one with a smaller back extension -

 

[Shedendman]

Awwwwww,memories of the old 1 tonne

 

[julianf]

Other option is a hard roof extension, like this chap has done -

 

[CRB]

I wish you luck and a long thread for us to read.

The outside shower is an excellent use of non-space. I have seen one recently on an LT. Open the back doors and a stiffener across the tops.....bingo.

The Karmann AutoVilla has a fold-out balcony, brilliant idea.

Regarding the roof. I would go for one which opens parallel to the existing roofline rather than a tapering one. It would do my head in having to adjust my height depending on what I was doing.
Your last picture would be my choice, if I did not have to stoop anywhere in mine

 

[CRB]

You could have a look at the T5 Doubleback.

 

[The Devils Reject]

This guy might be worth contacting Low on pictures but it looks like he's made a reasonable DIY job of things.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Why not raise the whole roof by the required amount to give you the standing headroom, you could angle it back from the front giving you some over cab storage.

 

[julianf]

Why not raise the whole roof by the required amount to give you the standing headroom, you could angle it back from the front giving you some over cab storage.

There was one like that on ebay years ago, but it just looked all wrong. It looked more like a rag&bone van than a landrover.

Much as id like to claim not to be interested in looks, sadly, for this one, i probably am! : )


Ive actually owned the truck since, possibly, last century - its got no brakes at the moment, but, considering its been parked up for a few years now, and only started up once in a while, i was impressed that it started on the first pulse of the key - but then the solar panel does keep the batteries on float when its parked up long term.



I know the thread started with pop-tops, but i suspect the rear extension and side door may well come first.

After the brakes, of course...

...I think that the seals in the master cylinder have gone, but also the servo has rusted through. Its possible to fit a S3 master, and a defender servo with some adaptation, so not so bad.

 

[CRB]

Our LT is an ex-ambulance so has nothing but rear doors. There are times when a side door would be appreciated. DoKa variants would be useable, fitting the body profile, but since ours is a long wheelbase we do not have the correct panel size to make it an easy swap.

Apart from the fact that DoKas were not that popular in the UK, continental ones open on the wrong side.

 

[mowersman]

A friend of mine built a 101 to go travelling in, raising the roof and extending the back, which worked quite well.
Not sure if you'll be able to see this link, if you can scroll back through their pictures to see what it looked like before the accident. I believe he is now building another.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adventurenotdementia/1428025417445958?sk=timeline
Andrew

 

[CRB]

'Two old farts stumbling around the world in a red metal box on wheels'

 

[RonA]

Anyone have any evperience of these?

I have a vehicle with a flat roof, which you can't stand up inside. My partner is always on about raising the roof, and, I admit, it would be nice...

There are firms that do them, but the numbers seemed to approach £2k so, if its to happen, it'll be diy.

Making the lid and cutting the hole is no big deal, but its the sealing and support that I'm unsure of.

The French caravan company Rapido used to (& possibly still do) made a caravan with a lifting roof. The four corners were raised by screw jacks & then four flaps came down from the roof to fill the spaces & complete the caravan sides albeit taller.
RonA

 

[starlet kp]

Would something like this work?http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sprite-GT...550?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d3262ec0e
the support system seems very basic sometimes it pays not to over-complicate i suppose. ill admit its not this years colours but it would probably save tons of hours fabrication work and you get a free door and frame. And a free trailer

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Another option is a solid sided roof. Much easier to DIY make than fabric sided.
Simple example of mechanism is the same as a folding storage crate Think of the bottom of the crate as the top of the roof. The sides that fold in half are the ones attached to the vehicle roof opening.

 

[julianf]

...i think that is spot on how the truck below (and above) is done -

The yellow one earlier in the thread was, i suspect, done by the same person. The design is almost the same, but i cant work out the gas struts on either of them -

I am also tempted by the idea of a small, fixed, section. Its only in the planning stages at the moment though. I think that #1 task will be the side door, then the extension at the rear, and then ill know much better exactly where i want the roof raised.

I know its possible to do it all on paper, but there is a real value to having something in front of you and working out where youre going to bang your head!