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micparsons
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2017
Posts: 28
Location: Los Angeles
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 Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:59 am Post subject: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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Been meaning to ask for sometime, what is the rationale for sitting on roof box above driver/passenger seat. I see it all the time in articles, #vanlife photos, etc. ... usually the person looks like the fell out of a Patagonia advertisement. Its not the easiest getting up there and god forbid my 5yr son sees me or someone else up there as there goes my windshield wipers and mirrors busted off! Only thing that kind of made sense was beach parking lot to get a better view of surf ... but I see photos in deserts, forest, night, etc. that don’t seem to have any purpose for climbing up there ... just wondering what I am missing out on?!
Mike
‘90 Westy |
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SCM
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3119
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:05 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| micparsons wrote: |
| but I see photos in deserts, forest, night, etc. that don’t seem to have any purpose |
That's #vanlife for you! 
_________________
'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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elizer 
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2016
Posts: 1469
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| Because half naked girls on the roof of cars gets likes. Remember when Fast and furious first came out and half naked girls would spread across the hood of civics. Same same but different. |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| micparsons wrote: |
| Been meaning to ask for sometime, what is the rationale |
There is none. Just for likes
Nice way to damage things though. |
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Vanagon Nut
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008
Posts: 10379
Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:32 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| micparsons wrote: |
| .... usually the person looks like the fell out of a Patagonia advertisement. |
You say it like it's a bad thing. LOL.
Images of people standing, sitting on the roof/poptop/luggage rack does potentially set a poor precedent. But then in my case, a Patagonia model will be at least 1/2 my weight. 
IIRC, the owners manual specs a load limit for the Westy luggage rack.
Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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raoul mitgong
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2009
Posts: 1338
Location: Denver, CO
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:41 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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Half naked, sitting in the luggage rack... depending on which half is naked, perhaps they think it's a toilet?
-d
_________________
84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim)) |
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Alaskaberrys
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2016
Posts: 1001
Location: SE Alaska
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:41 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| micparsons wrote: |
... just wondering what I am missing out on?!
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They’re plugging their drain holes to prep for filling with hot water. Were told makes a great (tho shallow) hot tub!
We just haven’t heard about it yet #vanlife is that far ahead of the curve 
_________________
'91 Westfalia, Bordeaux Red Pearl 2.1L 2wd Auto
'91 T3 Syncro Doka, Escorial Green 1.9L TD AAZ “Gremian” (to provoke, irritate, exasperate, vex...) |
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termuehlen
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012
Posts: 994
Location: Redwood City
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:57 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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When my kids were little they loved unzipping the screen and climbing out onto the roof in front. It gave them an elevated outdoor vantage point. Kind of like going out on the balcony of a house, but better. Have you tried it recently?
_________________
1988 Westfalia automatic Subaru OBD1
1986 syncro tintop wbx |
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 9940
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:58 am Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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Westies are the wrong VW model for a tub.
Much more fun with room for more than one.
Mark
| Alaskaberrys wrote: |
They’re plugging their drain holes to prep for filling with hot water. Were told makes a great (tho shallow) hot tub!
We just haven’t heard about it yet #vanlife is that far ahead of the curve |
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1949
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:13 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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In Texas we have feral hogs.
My brother and I took the van on a hog hunt on a ranch near the border with Mexico. Rough country.
These hogs are a menace and will destroy property, so they are open season throughout the year, and can even be taken with suppressed firearms. They reproduce faster than we can kill them. They make a good stew in the crock pot.
Anyway, you need to get the hog on the first shot, or else that animal will chase after you. Fair enough.
We hunted from the luggage rack of the van at one point, just to be safe.
Imagine a man with a Winchester .30 caliber scoped rifle, in the kneeling firing position in the luggage rack of a silver 91 Westy, with another man waiting in the doorway with a backup rifle. That's about as opposite of half naked models as I can think of. I think I was wearing some Patagonia, though. I am not a handsome man.
Should have taken a photo. We are going again in February--I'll followup later if I get a picture this time.
kourt |
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Vanagon Nut
Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008
Posts: 10379
Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:18 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| micparsons wrote: |
| ..... Only thing that kind of made sense was beach parking lot to get a better view of surf ... |
#blameWoodstock
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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izzydog
Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 665
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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If you want a real thrill, take your luggage rack off and have a look at the stuff that's stuck under there.
After you've finished laughing, glue up some 1/4" wire mesh under the drain holes. Bob will be your uncle. |
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bobbyblack
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4353
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:22 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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I once let my kids climb up in the luggage rack/tub .. Later, when I took it off to clean under it, I lost my grip and it slipped about 3 inches to fall on its' corner in the loamy grass in the summer. Well, lets say I was pretty upset when i was putting it back up on top and noticed that I had broken that corner in that tiny little accident.
The climbing up on that top will not happen again, for anyone who has had any similar situation occur or any other damage happen to their tops..
-bobby
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9620
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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A few of us old farts post photos of ourselves on the roof and I bet that fad would disappear quick. Also pics of the fire-truck rescue etc. 
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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Jeffrey Lee
Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2014
Posts: 1488
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:58 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| Sodo wrote: |
| A few of us old farts post photos of ourselves on the roof and I bet that fad would disappear quick. |
Maybe GoWesty would do a special edition calendar?
#eewww
Dad re-creates his teen daughter’s selfies – bare tummy, tattoo and all
https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article86414057.html
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Camp Westfalia
Camping Tips • Newsletter • Cool Campervan Apparel
www.CampWestfalia.com |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| kourt wrote: |
We hunted from the luggage rack of the van at one point, just to be safe.
kourt |
A sunroof van would be perfect for feral hog hunting.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:38 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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| termuehlen wrote: |
| When my kids were little they loved unzipping the screen and climbing out onto the roof in front. It gave them an elevated outdoor vantage point. Kind of like going out on the balcony of a house, but better. Have you tried it recently? |
Exactly! Kids love the feeling that an elevated vantage point offers - and the luggage rack's the perfect challenge.
_________________
'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:10 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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One word: central Wyoming campground cell phone antenna booster:
Oops...counted wrong... 
- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 6589
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:11 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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I like how the cosmic asterisks enhance the cell tower theme. (  )
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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raoul mitgong
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2009
Posts: 1338
Location: Denver, CO
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:35 pm Post subject: Re: Sitting on roof ... why? |
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About those feral hogs. On a 4 day kayak trip, a friend described this company called "Pork Choppers". I called bullshit for 3 days. I couldn't believe it until I googled it once I got home. Helicopters + machine guns +rednecks = hundreds of dead pigs. F'n crazy.
-d
_________________
84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim)) |
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