anyone ever installed a Westy poptop on a regular vanagon?

[steve van pelt]

I'm wondering what's involved... seems I can get a decent van at a decent price, and wondered if it's too much trouble to install a poptop on a regular van.

thanks, Steve

[WM971252]

Yes Jim Philips did, well had it done. You need to have someone with the right tools and skills to do it as it is a major structural part of your bus. His was done by a pro who had done many "clips".

[nomadik]

from what I found out when I wanted to do it, there is different stuff going on the vans, so it sort of hard. I wonder if you could find a hard top and that might be easier/cheaper. You will find a good deal on a westy in the winter.

[Captain Pike]

my gallery page 3
you need a doner westy and some welding skills
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
....Bad Sneakers....

[dljphoenix]

Ive done it four times! About to do it again. You will need a doner van, lots of saw blades and patience. But it can be done. Dave

[singlewc]

[redcanoe]

For what it is worth..........I emailed GoWesty about that idea some time ago. They explained that it was not a good thing to do as the structural integrity of the Vanagon roof would be compromised. Better to find a multivan or westy it you want the poptop was what they said.

[?Waldo?]

Yup, and I bet they told you they had a really nice one for $85,000 too...

FWIW the ASI campers were ordinary 7-passenger vans when delivered to the conversion company...

Andrew
_________________
I am a high-functioning autistic into VW diesels and Vanagons along with other things that are unrelated to this site.

[jjgray]

I stumbled upon a fantastic site that showed, step-by-step, exactly how the author did it. He did it right, and did a bang-up job by all appearances, cutting the hole in the Vanagon, cutting off the donor Westy top, and welding it all together.

I've been looking all over for it but can't seem to stumble upon it on purpose. But I'll keep looking and post it here if I find it.
_________________
"If I'd had more time, I'd have written less."
-------------------------------------------
1991 Carat "Caca Fuego"
smoked & tinted
Converted to 1.9TD running 100% Biodiesel

[Christopher Schimke]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jetstar5224/sets/ ?

...which I posted on this similar thread

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249751
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"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)

*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
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[jjgray]

That's it. Thanks Loogy.
_________________
"If I'd had more time, I'd have written less."
-------------------------------------------
1991 Carat "Caca Fuego"
smoked & tinted
Converted to 1.9TD running 100% Biodiesel

[mightyart]

Just remember to tell your insurance agent that the structure of your van has been messed with and hope you don't get in any major accidents.

[?Waldo?]

[singlewc]

[Captain Pike]

http://homepage.mac.com/mwsnow/PhotoAlbum5.html
very close to mine, however, I replaced the bowed crossbar with the westy straight one(welded). I recently scored a 85 passsenger buffalo I intend to cut up. I'll show the chop stage and how to prepare the old cross beam to accept the westy cross member. Part 2 is up to you.
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
....Bad Sneakers....

[Surfalia]

After researching doing the same, I chose to do my top swap the way jetstar did his and love it. Loved doing it and I would do it again in a hearbeat. Actually I am keeping my eyes open for the next vehicle(91 Syncro) to convert. Structurally I think its just as strong as the original as the rear top support taken out was replaced with the flat bedrail that attatched pretty much in the same place as the original support bar, so I do see how the structural integrity has been messed with. And what the insurance agents don't know won't hurt them. They're going to do their best to avoid paying out to you regardless of what they know, don't know or think they know. I think as far as they are concerned every driver is partially at fault for any accident they are in........just because we chose to be driving the car we are partially at fault. Nice train of thought there. Go figure.

[bucko]

In reading this thread with interest, I have just one question: Would it not be easier to just take the "doner Westy" and restore it? Seeing as how most folks that have done this modification state that you need a donor Westy to do the work right, just keep it, and transfer any parts from the non Westy to the Westy (I.E. engine, transaxle, etc.)

I'm assuming that the above threads had "beyond repair" rusted Westy bodys, and transfering the pop top assembly to a non rusted, non Westy body? In that case, the restoration of the rusty Westy may be too expensive. If you have the tools and know how, then anything is possible and feasibly cheap to do.
_________________
Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

[mightyart]

[Surfalia]

Uh, I get it...
Whoa, don't take it personally, but I think they gotcha. A little brainwashing from your the day of your birth goes a long ways.
We are talking structural integrity here, got it? I don't want my life or any friend or families life in jeapordy riding in my vehicle and I know about VIN #'s and all that. I'll repeat 'what they don't know won't hurt them' The "mods' are not noticible when it looks original and if you never told them it wasn't original they would most likely think it was. Yeah, the VIN number and all that, yeah, yeah. The psychology of it all plays into it but I hear what you are saying. You don't happen to work for an insurance agency do you because you sound like you do. Are you worried about the structural integrity? Do you think it is any less structurally sound with the bed support than the arch support. I know that VW put the bed support in so it is original in that sense so it passed some test or they wouldn't use it.

[kayakwesty]