tin top to pop top conversion is it posible

veedubman71

hello i just bought my first car a 72 bus its a tin top and im in the proceses of making my own camper interior and i was wondering if it is posible to put a pop top on it my buddys got a parts bus with a pop top that i might buy if it is posible thanks zach

towd · Samba Member Joined: June 20, 2005 Posts: 2458

it was posible for the 100's of companys doing it, using 60's style tooling.

If you can cut a hole, and screw a screw ,, Then you just maybe able

maximan1 · Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 10:59 am Post subject:

It's not worth it to cut up a perfectly good tin top bus. Especially if it's solid.
Just buy a pop top or a sunroof bus, and convert it to pop top. Or do a tin top camper.

Edit: As well as it being just unpractical and unethical in the bus community, it's not worth it to buy the pieces you'll need to make it safe enough to use practically.

And towd, westies (at least early westies) were not made from tin top busses, they were made from sunroof busses. Westfalia never cut holes into the top of tin top busses.
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1978 Transporter, 2.0L FI

vwbusbusvw · Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 3:30 pm Post subject:

busdaddy · Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 5:32 pm Post subject:

chazz79 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:41 am Post subject:

There's this link in my sig that will show you what needs to be done to do a poptop conversion. Not for the faint of heart or poorly skilled. I did mine and researched all options. You can use an early westy top but those suck. Forget about late westy stuff...too much fabrication.........look for a sportsmobile, adventurewagon, or riviera top as those were all tin top based.
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Lionhart94010 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 10:12 am Post subject:

Just an FYI,

From 68 to 71Wesfalia used a Sunroof bus because they had reinforced openings in he top and the added reinforcements that made the body structurally more sound(welded steal plates under the bus to make up for the lose of structural integrity due to the hole in the roof)…

If you cut up the roof in your 72(I would just add a roof rack and side tent instead) I would research if it needed any structural reinforcement underneath…
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Current VWs 71 T2 Westy SO-72/6(Miami), 71 Crew Cab, 2015 GSW TDI
Other owned VW’s 59, 68 1500s, 69 & 71 Bug’s; 72 & 73 S-Bug’s; 67 Westy, 67 Deluxe, Other 71 DC, 72 KG GT that now lives in Australia, 12 JSW TDI, 2015 GSW TDI, 2023 Tiguan
VW technical information sights
thesamba - www.ratwell.com - www.shoptalkforums.com/ - www.vw-resource.com - http://www.type2.com/
http://bobhooversblog.blogspot.com/ - www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/resource/articles.htm

chazz79 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 3:34 pm Post subject:

There are plenty of westy's without belly pans these years. It has been proven by vw that they weren't needed when they started building the later westy's with no roof from the cab back. The reinforcement wasn't necessary and was omitted. If body flex were an issue then there'd be a ton of busses out there with wrinkled roofs. There's a b and c roof brace don't cut those and you'll be fine. Belly pans = superfluous
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One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

Lionhart94010 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 4:55 pm Post subject:

Interesting info chazz79, I haven’t read anything about that, but I’ve seen flipped/rolled campers, and I’d rather me and my family be in as solid a vehicle as possible…
_________________
Current VWs 71 T2 Westy SO-72/6(Miami), 71 Crew Cab, 2015 GSW TDI
Other owned VW’s 59, 68 1500s, 69 & 71 Bug’s; 72 & 73 S-Bug’s; 67 Westy, 67 Deluxe, Other 71 DC, 72 KG GT that now lives in Australia, 12 JSW TDI, 2015 GSW TDI, 2023 Tiguan
VW technical information sights
thesamba - www.ratwell.com - www.shoptalkforums.com/ - www.vw-resource.com - http://www.type2.com/
http://bobhooversblog.blogspot.com/ - www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/resource/articles.htm

veedubman71 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:22 pm Post subject:

i found a riviera parts bus near me that has a perfect pop top that the guy said he would sell me for 300 (for just the pop top) i was wondering if that would be a good deal thanks zach

chazz79 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 8:33 pm Post subject:

Good deal on the best top available. Pull that top off and you'll see what a conversion company top cut out looks like. I detailed the cut in my thread but not all that hard. The riviera top is the most spacious and easily adapted of all pop tops. Cut a hole and stab@20sheet metal screws on and your done.
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One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

shiningstar76 · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject:

Ditto on the roof rack and tent. I have always wanted a late style pop top but the roof rack is so useful. And for me I entertain camping in my head way more than life allows for actual camping right now.
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KK4NTP
96 Tacoma
86 4Runner
My bus caught on fire and is now on the other coast with someone who gave me money for it.

towd · Samba Member Joined: June 20, 2005 Posts: 2458

at no point in the op's post did he even say a word about making a westy. holy shit fire ,, do you think a westy was the only camper ever made ,,,

Guy's I'm 62 years old , I was working in a dealership as what was then known as a heavy duty mech, the word tech had never been used, I've seen one or two VW's in my days,, no I don't have or need a bentely, I have all my service school manuals plus a Chilton LOLOLOLOL... oh dam a computer...

This body structure stuff is all internet horse shit... you would know if you had been there, few even have a clue of the farm and military vehicles VW made based on a Bus chassies.

as far as cutting up such a rare tin top . ha ha, wanta buy a few bus bodys, crap hard to build a camper, I hope no one thinking this ever try's to do any home wiring or plumbing and what the hell to you call a carpenter any time you need a nail or screw driven
yes some are VW challenged

so ego's go about as far as a yugo with me..

vwbusbusvw · Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 1:38 pm Post subject:

Collie · Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:03 pm Post subject:

This is how Greg did it.....

http://pottsfamily.ca/westfakia/index.html


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