Vandalf Build Thread and Rambling Thoughts

[SCP_Austin]

Greetings!

Been awhile since I have had the bandwidth to do some posting! But I wanted to share my van and the "re-do" build I am starting to head down the road on...

https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/IJ91IdzbYBacOjkuxwnN7lKDBpBf9YD0P9GUmHh1Mh4

Here is what I have and where I have been:

I purchased the van from an engineer who did his own subie conversion...mistake #1. Never buy a home-brew conversion. I ended up paying for the wiring harness to be professionally rebuilt. However...I have now have a fantastic 2.5L drive by wire subie that gives me more pop than I could have ever imagined. Here is a quick run-down on the van:

2.5L Subaru drive by wire (rebuilt motor)
Rebuilt Tranny (taller 4th gear)
Adjustable Fox Shocks
~2 inch lift
2-knob syncro
rebuilt front end (lower control arm bushing on passenger side is clunking again though...)
A few dents and dings here and there...no real rust
Fuel lines replaced
Gowesty dual battery setup
SA Grill and lights (lows on the left went out on my trip...)
And a hightop added a few years back.

So where am I now? I have a syncro camper with an unfinished interior and a hightop that makes me 9ft tall. It is very comfortable to drive over distance and I just did 2200 miles in it last week going through Yellowstone, the Badlands, MSP, back to our new home in Chicago. I told you guys I just moved from Seattle to Chicago right? (I love a promotion...but I already miss the mountains).

I want to remove the hightop and start over...am I crazy?
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[Paulbeard]

So the options are:
Get rid of the hightop
Get rid of the hightop and the van
Get rid of the hightop

I don't see the one where you make the best of the hightop.
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[Ahwahnee]

I am not clear (and I did read it twice) why you want to be rid of the hightop.

You say it is comfortable to drive (including across WY which has some of the most unrelenting crosswinds I have ever driven in). Is it to improve your parking options in Chicago?

If you remove it would you replace it with a pop-top?

I suppose my answer would be 'why not' if that's what you want.

[MsTaboo]

I guess I'm in the Why? camp. If you don't like hightops why did you buy it? Is it because it's too tall or because it's unfinished?
If you really want to make the change try to find someone who is looking to change their poptop for a hightop and trade (although most conversions are from tintops).
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Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

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[Terry Kay]

<<<I guess I'm in the Why? camp. >>>

Why not?
Ever drive around here?
Ever knock a load off of a trailer,.or kiss off your 6" chrome exhaust pipes on a low clearance overpass?

A buddy of mine put 3 7-up machines into flight and landed on a hood of a Benz.
Saw it live.

I don't know where this bubbletop van is located, but if it's in Cook County, it could be hazardous to the vans health, or somebody behind him.

Low Bridge, vans too high.

Remove it, put another hardtop roof on it.
Lot's of drilling & spot welding.

No Dorothy, this isn't high top OZ.
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T.K.

[SCP_Austin]

Wow...a flurry of questions. Here are my reasons for wanting to remove it. Keep in mind--I paid for it with the NA Hightops production run. I love the idea...but the practicality is lacking. There will be no "making the best of it..." I won't drive a car with regrets and this thing is full of regret!

-HORRID to drive above 60 mph. Read above--I have extended 4th gear and ability to drive well above 70 mph.
-Not practical in any city for daily driving...ended up purchasing another car to drive...want to make a vanagon my daily driver again.
-Not practical for my lifestyle. I can't carry my rowing shell on the roof and it limits all roof storage capabilities.


I get the pros...great for snow camping, standing while camping, great interior storage, etc.

I had a 4th option on the poll to 'put a westy top on' and it didn't come through...are polls editable?
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[kamzcab86]

[SCP_Austin]

THANKS!!
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[Christopher Schimke]

Obviously this is just my opinion from my side of the fence, but if your van is well sorted mechanically and body wise, I would be inclined to remove the roof in any way possible and keep the current van. In my experience, having a mechanically well sorted van is one of the big keys to enjoying them. I'm not sure that you could remove the roof without at least losing the bottom couple of inches of fiberglass, but once the roof is gone, removing the remaining fiberglass that is bonded to the metal wouldn't be a terrible chore and you could simply have the top repainted. As for the hole in the roof, you could add a Reimo mushroom top to fill the hole.

There are obviously other ways to go about this, but if it were me trying to keep the van, I would:

1 - Do my best to preserve the high top, but be okay with having to cut a couple inches off the bottom to get it off. Somebody may be interested in purchasing the cut-off high top for a bargain since the bottom edge could be replaced with a little work.

2a - Resign myself to the fact that I was going to have to have the remains of the high top removed and have the roof repainted and either install a sliding rag top or install a Reimo mushroom top.

2b - If the options mentioned above to rectumfry the hole in the roof are not acceptable, I would resign myself to the fact that the entire roof skin will need to cut off and replaced. Yes, that's a lot of work and money, but probably less money than sorting out a completely new van.
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[SCP_Austin]

Thanks for the thoughts Chris...obviously I really respect your work!

I have a lot of tools and mechanical know-how and I believe with the right approach I can limit fiberglass attritionto less than a inch. I think it actually might be possible, if completely slowly and methodically, to remove the top with less than a 1 cm of fiberglass loss.

I was driving the beast across the country and had the same realization...I am where I want to be mechanically with minimal rust, but I just don't like the hightop anymore. I honestly loved it when I first got it. The honeymoon didn't last when I couldn't figure out a simple way to carry my rowing shell or park it at work.

I gave it my best shot and just not liking it as much as I liked my previous 2wd Westy. Never considered a mushroom top...
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[RoryGirl]

I'll trade you my uninstalled pop-top and thule rack for your high top...lol
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1991 Double door pop top conversion

[SCP_Austin]

Interesting idea...
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#leftlanelife

[r39o]

So Ute you are stating the top does not meet your needs.

Everybody has an opinion.......

We do not know what sort of hole is under that top, so we do not know how bad / rusty / what ever you will find if you take it off.

Weigh the trade-offs between fixing your roof line to something you can live with or get rid of the van and seek one you can live with. You have a car to drive for now. Be realistic.

Do NOT NOT NOT be in a rush or you may likely regret your next move too.

I will not to interject my personal van desires here and it IS hard not to!

Think about it!
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[SCP_Austin]

The hole under the top was professionally cut when I had the top installed and I can see the entirety of the cut. This is not an issue.

I want to make a Vanagon a modern daily driver...
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#leftlanelife

[MsTaboo]

Not knowing your situation money-wise, but I would really think hard about the idea of making a Syncro Vanagon a daily driver. A separate, cheaper car that can take the daily beating of a commute might work out better in the long run.

As for the rowing shell-well that's a different story, and if you feel the hightop is not working for you well, it's your van. Make it the way you want!
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
Help the fight against Truth Decay.
Defend democracy, support Ukraine.

[bluebus86]

weigh the costs in time and money for the options, that is probably how i would figure it. of course what if you change your mind and want a high top after you get a non high top....do you buy another high top, or add one to the standard top van????

By the way, Vanagons make excellent commuter vehicles.


good luck in your choice
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[jimf909]

[61Scout]

[Terry Kay]

<<By the way, Vanagons make excellent commuter vehicles.>>

BTW , FYI, & DYK, that syncro drive lines are BIG $$$$ to maintain, and hell to work on when they break ?

2WD's are a pain to keep running when used as a commuter ride.
Been there, seen it and done it.

The fuel economy isn't that great & parts aren't at every corner.
Little pricey too.

He could do better here with a Civic or something like that for a daily driver.
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T.K.

[bluebus86]