The Pop Top Story Part II

But first, before doing any cutting I had to dis-assemble the old top from the donor van.

I set the top upright on a rolling stand, then popped the top. I wanted to keep the bed functioning so I carefully removed the vinyl covered plywood by drilling out the rivets, and popping off the glue. I set the bed pad and plywood aside. I then focused on removing the fifty screws that held the bottom track to the canvas. It was still stuck pretty well with butyl tape. I used a reciprocating blade to separate the track from the sheet metal. Taking the ten bolts out that bolt the brackets to the sheet metal was the easy part. I then flipped it over and removed the top track. This was just screwed to the top, without any butyl. I removed the old canvas, hinges and bracket and set them aside. I then went after the inner reinforcements of the donor roof. There were two side brackets that held the bed front to rear, a rear bracket that reinforced the rear roof bow side to side, and a front bracket that reinforced the front roof bow. That bracket looked the most important because it held the latch. It also held the nutserts to bolt the front pop top folding bracket. With that all disassembled it was time to set the pop top on the van to see what I needed to trim. I used a chain hoist and some ratchet straps so just my girlfriend and I could manage the process. And a process it was. On and off, trim a little, on and off, trim a little...... the back of it didn't sit at all flush with the roof. Doing it with your eyes closed didn't help either.... Okay now the front has a big gap, have to trim the front down.

We finally got it where it looked even around the whole outside. Up next ... painting.

First up is to paint the underside. It was a gray vinyl. The interior is tan, so gray wasn't going to work. I used a paint specifically for plastic, beige in color. It worked well even on the front folding bracket. Sorry for the iPhone pic.

Now on to sanding & priming the top.

Finally base coated and clear coated.

Up next: The canvas The old canvas was rotten and worn, and gray. I ordered a beige canvas top to match the interior.

Now is the time to install it, at least to the pop top and lower retainer. Much easier than trying to do it up. Fastening it to the pop top was the easiest part, just a matter of screwing the retainer to the fiberglass sandwiching the canvas in between.

Getting the canvas, and gasket installed in the lower retainer was nearly impossible. I had to use a nylon type of paint stick to force the gasket into the retainer. The bottom of the canvas had a rope around it, with that and the gasket it installed like a window screen, except one inch at a time. It took several hours to get it done. Also note the bottom retainer has a bunch of sticky butyl tape stuck to it. I used masking tape to protect the top from the black sticky stuff. I didn't use a wide enough tape so it didn't protect the top well enough. So I got a bit of the black stuff on the top. If I had to do it again, I'd use a thick, wide packing tape. With the canvas installed the top is ready to go. No more beating around the bush, it's time to start cutting the hole.... :l1:

Jupiter- The Pop Top story

Finally after months of mechanical repairs I can take it safely on a road trip. About this time I had been scouring the internet on myriad ways to spend money on outfitting the van. I knew I wanted a poptop.  We loved the poptop in the Vw, and we loved sleeping up there. The cost of taking the van to California and having SMB install a top was more than half of what I paid for the van. Plus I knew I could install it myself for less. I also had considered getting a top from Colorado Camper vans. But, remember, I'm cheap.  I had seen build threads that had old conversion van high tops customized to pop.  I had also seen where Spurious of this forum had installed a Eurovan pop top.  His didn't have sleeping up there, it was mostly for headroom. I knew I wanted to be able to sleep up there, so I started making calls, and searches.  There's not much here in Flagstaff as far as recycling yards, and not one Vw Eurovan with a top in the state. I found one in California, but it was sold.  There was another one outside of Denver, but they won't ship!   They sent me pictures.  It was the one piece Westfalia conversion with a bed! (I think it was called the Weekender)   The two piece Winnebago for the full camper conversion I didn't think was going to work.  Perfect. Erie Colorado....Road trip!  So the plan was to take the dog, drive through Moab, up over Vail pass, and down into Denver,  pick up a Uhaul trailer, go to the junk yard, pick up the top, and drive back home through Albuquerque.

I grabbed this pic from Moab. I didn't do much off roading, but  the van rode really well, and handled nicely going through a snow storm over Vail pass.  When I got to Erie, Google sent me on a wild goose chase trying to find the wrecking yard for two hours.  Here's what I found when I got to Blake's Auto Salvage. The ideal Bat-campmobile! 

No no not what I came for...... but it's sooo coool.

This is what I came for:

[url=http://agassizimaging.smugmug.com/Other/Personal-Vehicles/n-nRXBJ/i-nWNJQnf/A][img]http://agassizimaging.smugmug.com/photos/i-nWNJQnf/0/M/i-nWNJQnf-M.jpg[/img][/url]


A poptop off a 93 VW Eurovan Weekender. I rummaged around to see if there was anything else I could salvage from the van. It was pretty junked. 

Here they're just about to cut the roof off at the pillars.  It took us three guys, but we were able to stuff it in Jupiter with the passenger front seat out. Roof, bed, sheet metal and all. I didn't need the trailer! Good saved me another $300 bucks!  Super nice people there at Blakes.  I got it home after 2 days of driving and used an engine hoist to pick it out of the van.

Up next....  slicing & dicing the roof....

Meet Jupiter- a Camper van Build

Then there was that ad on Craigslist. As soon as I saw it I called the guy.
"Hey wanna go look at a van?" She was in.
I met the guy by the Museum on Northern Arizona and took it for a ride. The four wheel drive works, but he couldn't identify the conversion company. The brakes were a little wonky, and it leaked fluids from every seal. He wanted $8500.
 "I dunno. It needs about three grand in repairs. Hows about $8000?"
"Hows about 8200?"
"Sold." She says. 
I wasn't done haggling, but whats a couple a hundred bucks, when I'll be spending all my discretionary income to a hapless project with out ever any hope of remuneration for years to come...... or eternity!

Here she was:

There we have it A 95 Ford Econoline E150, 4wd, Dana 60s from a 3/4 ton, 5.8l gas engine. 187k on the clock. It was a conversion van done by Waldoch. It has two Flexsteel captains chairs. No back seats, but a cheesy bed frame made by the previous, previous owner. Rear Pro Air AC/Heat. CD player with Aux input, groovy flashing LED lights that pulse with the music (first to go). Those standard CRLawrence windows with shades. The brakes and the AC were both weak. Oh, and some hippy funk. It lived up in Durango, and made someone a really nice ski van. The salt on the road there wreaked havoc with the body and they Rhino lined the rockers to cover it up.

I'm not afraid to roll up my sleeves, and am pretty handy with a paint gun. I kinda detest heavy mechanical work though. So the first stop for the van was the mechanic. The first order of business was to fix all the leaks. Radiator, hoses, belts, oil pan gaskets, valve cover gaskets, tune up, and distributor. The manifolds were both rusted out and the EGR tube. Those were replaced. There runs purrrfect now. ($2000) "Well I don't know about the tranny, the fluid looks clean but it shifts hard 1,2 and slips 3,4." "Yeah the previous owner just had the fluid changed." "I wish I knew if there were metal shavings in the pan." "Is it going to leave me stranded?" "Maybe." Well that's not what I wanted to hear. I didn't think it shifted all that bad, but true, there were no service records except the last oil and transmission fluid change and alignment. That was done within the last year. Hmm hem and haw hem and haw. "If it aint broke don't fix it." She says "Maybe." He says Then I think back... that time we got stuck in the sand in the Vw Bus at Lone Rock. She freaked out and almost needed a valium. At least there my cell phone worked and could call a tow truck.... (long story). "Okay put a tranny in it." "We only use Jasper Transmissions." Cha ching. $3600

Here we go.......