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Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top?
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Zeitgeist 13
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

I wouldn't gloss over what a pita it is to swap over a camper interior into a tintop.
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rmcd
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

Zeitgeist 13 wrote:
I wouldn't gloss over what a pita it is to swap over a camper interior into a tintop.


Drill some hole and bam!

Seriously tho. Installing the poptop and installing the cabinets were some of the most straightforward things I did.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


What folks tend to miss is all the other fdup things you need to fix before you attempt the absolute last step of installing cabinets.

Motor. Transmission. Suspension. Steering. Brakes. Wheels and tires. Lights and actuators. Wiring and more wiring. Heaters. Coolers. Windows, gaskets, door functions.

Then the interior stuff.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
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0cean
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:46 am    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

If you do do a graph here are a couple things to watch out for.

1. Don't cut the rear section all the way back past the fold down. Cut it on the top of the van near the pop top bracket.
2. Cut above the front a pillers brazen welds. They are next to impossible to cleanly remove or cut through.
3. Make sure your pop top brackets are streight and not to low when to top is placed on. If they are to low, then the top will bend when bolting down the hinge.
4.Drill through all the spot welds and then weld the hole shut. Spot weld remover is a wast of time and money.; just drill, its faster.

There is some picts in my build thread below.
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I'm not a mechanic, I just play one on the internet

Cluster Rebuild:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569920&highlight=

Left for Dead the Resurrection Story Build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=613669
(Number of Different Donor VW Vans Body Parts Used: 12)
(Number of completely different vehicles parts used: 3)
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0cean
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:47 am    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

If you do do a graph here are a couple things to watch out for.

1. Don't cut the rear section all the way back past the fold down. Cut it on the top of the van near the pop top bracket.
2. Cut above the front a pillers brazen welds. They are next to impossible to cleanly remove or cut through.
3. Make sure your pop top brackets are streight and not to low when to top is placed on. If they are to low, then the top will bend when bolting down the hinge.
4.Drill through all the spot welds and then weld the hole shut. Spot weld remover is a wast of time and money.; just drill, its faster.

There is some picts in my build thread below.
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I'm not a mechanic, I just play one on the internet

Cluster Rebuild:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569920&highlight=

Left for Dead the Resurrection Story Build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=613669
(Number of Different Donor VW Vans Body Parts Used: 12)
(Number of completely different vehicles parts used: 3)
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0cean
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Joined: February 29, 2012
Posts: 1149
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:47 am    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

If you do do a graph here are a couple things to watch out for.

1. Don't cut the rear section all the way back past the fold down. Cut it on the top of the van near the pop top bracket.
2. Cut above the front a pillers brazen welds. They are next to impossible to cleanly remove or cut through.
3. Make sure your pop top brackets are streight and not to low when to top is placed on. If they are to low, then the top will bend when bolting down the hinge.
4.Drill through all the spot welds and then weld the hole shut. Spot weld remover is a wast of time and money.; just drill, its faster.

There is some picts in my build thread below.
_________________
I'm not a mechanic, I just play one on the internet

Cluster Rebuild:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569920&highlight=

Left for Dead the Resurrection Story Build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=613669
(Number of Different Donor VW Vans Body Parts Used: 12)
(Number of completely different vehicles parts used: 3)
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0cean
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Joined: February 29, 2012
Posts: 1149
Location: California
0cean is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:47 am    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

If you do do a graph here are a couple things to watch out for.

1. Don't cut the rear section all the way back past the fold down. Cut it on the top of the van near the pop top bracket.
2. Cut above the front a pillers brazen welds. They are next to impossible to cleanly remove or cut through.
3. Make sure your pop top brackets are streight and not to low when to top is placed on. If they are to low, then the top will bend when bolting down the hinge.
4.Drill through all the spot welds and then weld the hole shut. Spot weld remover is a wast of time and money.; just drill, its faster.

There is some picts in my build thread below.
_________________
I'm not a mechanic, I just play one on the internet

Cluster Rebuild:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569920&highlight=

Left for Dead the Resurrection Story Build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=613669
(Number of Different Donor VW Vans Body Parts Used: 12)
(Number of completely different vehicles parts used: 3)
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DLJ
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Joined: August 05, 2008
Posts: 554
Location: North California
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:40 am    Post subject: Re: Has anyone turned a NON-pop top into a pop top? Reply with quote

Only my friends believe me but I have converted 12 tin tops to full westfalias.
My first one took 120 hours! After that things got a little less time consuming.
everyone is right, its the spot welds that take time and patients, but!!
Keep in mind that I did it such a manner that you really have to know wests to see the difference. You can PM me if you need personal advice.
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