Cheapo Poptop shelf

[Captjon1959]

Here's something I made with scrape wood and a few cheap fixtures from Walmart.

I've tried to do the shelf that connects using "U" bolts and that stays in place but I could never get it to behave properly and it was wearing the fuzzy stuff off the ceiling. So what do you do when something doesn't work... try to perfect it? No, throw it out and try another hair-brained idea.

So that's what I did. As you can see I routed out the shape of the cross bar and cut out where the elbow of the poptop assemble is.

This causes the shelf (3/4" plywood) to sit down into the cross bar and the elbow structure keeps it laying flat.

I guess the negative is that you have to remove it when you aren't using it, but that's fine with me. I plan to hang towels and utensils from it.
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1984 Westfalia Wolfsburg Edition
Former 1.9 L now Bostig Ford Zetec

[dhaavers]

Looks good! Practical, functional AND cheap...perfect!

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[Chainsaw]

Nice! I might have to try this.
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89 Westy. 2wd. Manual.

[canvas guy]

I am the inventor/seller/donator of the BZ Shelf, the original non "Cheapo Poptop Shelf".
When this shelf was originally designed, I posted a full drawing on the Vanagon Wiki website for Volks that wanted to make their own, as I had no intention of selling these. Since I am a professional designer, aka an Architect, this was easy.

I had numerous requests to make them from Volks that did not have the capability/desire/skills to make one & so I agreed to make a batch of 16 for sale.
Now, 0ver 9 years & 200+ Shelves later, & several improvements/options, I still make these, but more importantly, donate about 1/3 of them to VW Campout Prizes/Raffles, etc every year. Mine are made w/ 3/4" T. Baltic Birch Hardwood Core Veneer Plywood, CNC-ed on a large computer driven router table for exact & near perfect construction, then sanded & finished by moi in 3 different finishes or none depending on your year of Westy. I have kept the price lower than GW would sell these for, to keep them from poaching the Patent pending design, but I will send drawings to budget challenged Volks to make their own, as long as they don't make them to sell. YMMV! Pay it forward Volks!

[vanagonjr]

[Captjon1959]

Canvas Guy... that is an amazing and generous offer. Personally I just like the challenge of making stuff myself and making my own "improvements." It is not the quality of a true craftsmen such as yourself (see my terrible hand routed slot) but I feel good about it and enjoy the satisfaction when one of my projects actually works. Thank you for being so considerate.
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1984 Westfalia Wolfsburg Edition
Former 1.9 L now Bostig Ford Zetec

[burnsie81]

Canvas guy, any way I could get a copy of those plans? Also, where do you source the total bars from?