TheSamba.com :: View topic - Can you put a Westy top on a Country Homes Vanagon?

Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:38 am

Can you put a Westy top on a camper homes 1984 Vanagon?

My top is broken and I'm thinking it would be easier to put a Westy top on it?

Would the roof be cut out differently?

Jon,

Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:10 pm

The roof is definitely cut differently and reinforced differently. CHC campers were converted here in the US from passenger vans.

Here is a link from an old post showing the "right way" to do the Westy poptop transplant:
http://members.shaw.ca/stuartblack/vwprojec.htm

Samba member syncroincity may have information / access to new CHC tops which would be a much easier fix.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:36 pm

You can definitely install a westy top on a country homes camper.

There is no "right way" of doing it, just a factory way or a custom job. A properly done custom install with structural reinforcements can actually be stronger than a factory setup.

What is broken on your top?

Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:32 pm

for reference, here is a hole cut out for a Country Homes Roof.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:47 pm

the underside.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:53 pm

Canasync is on the mark. There is no right way or wrong way to do this.
Its your call. I can tell you after installing about 20 CHs tops Its easy. No cutting, just use the existing hole already there from from the original install.
You will need to reinforce the roof where the lift bar of the Westy top attaches to your van. Also you will need to do a small modification where the rear hinges attach to the roof. Its done all the time. Piece of cake.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:53 pm

Canasync is on the mark. There is no right way or wrong way to do this.
Its your call. I can tell you after installing about 20 CHs tops Its easy. No cutting, just use the existing hole already there from from the original install.
You will need to reinforce the roof where the lift bar of the Westy top attaches to your van. Also you will need to do a small modification where the rear hinges attach to the roof. Its done all the time. Piece of cake.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:10 pm

Getting a Westy poptop bolted on is the easy part. Making a functional bed up top is a bit more of a challenge with the rounded profile of the passenger van roof. Many people I know who have done the Westy top on a passenger van give up on the bed idea and just use the upstairs for storage. I have done two Westy bolt on transplants as well as a couple Riviera installs (one Baywindow, one Vanagon) I can definitely vouch for the simplicity of that transplant. The Riviera top sits higher than a Westy top in part to allow for a simple bed platform to work with the passenger van roofline.

The OP's van had a tree fall on the top. The van is currently listed in the classifieds.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:05 pm

Here is an example of what one of my friends that converted his hard top to a pop top. I don't have any pictures of the completed reinforcement or completed project but the fabricator that did the welding added very substantial cross braces. My buddy wanted a thicker mattress than the factory westy one but still wanted to be able to keep all the bedding, cushions included on the bed while the top is down. To achieve this, the cross braces were welded in a few inches below where the westy would have them.

It's not a factory install but the end result turned out awesome.

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Sat Sep 15, 2012 7:59 am

Hey thanks for all the info :)

I'm going to consider everything and try to decide whats best to do for my situation?

Luckily I have a buddy that pretty good at modifying stuff?

Wish us luck!

Jon

Sat Sep 15, 2012 10:06 am

Also now is a good time to consider a high top or some such change. :D

Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:05 pm

here is a sneak-peak at what I have been up to with the CHC roofs....

Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:28 pm

Dukebmx wrote: Hey thanks for all the info :)

I'm going to consider everything and try to decide whats best to do for my situation?
Luckily I have a buddy that pretty good at modifying stuff?

Is your lift hardware from the CHC in good shape? What about just using a Westy top, and lifting with the CHC hardware.
I've often thought about how I prefer the CHC straight lift so much better than the Westies.
If I had the hardware on hand...I would glass the westy pieces together, and make a single roof that lifted straight up
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=maggiolina+airtop&a...s:12,i:148