Anyone (DIY) install a high top ? - Page 2

marcus · 03-21-2010, 09:08 AM

Bones
Where in anch can you find a new top? Do you know of any more used ones? I have an eb e-350 quigley that i want a raised roof on and i live in the valley.
Oh,and I love the plow,I think thats the first quigley i have seen with one.
thanks
Marcus

Bones_GSXR · 03-21-2010, 01:05 PM

Trailercraft will bring one up but they only order a couple of times a year. They wanted like 2800.00 and thet did not include the install. Mine was at Knik Towing but was the only one I had found anywhere.

The plow was a project. for some reason no one makes a plow mount for a van.

Bigduke6 · 07-21-2010, 09:07 PM

Yeah I swapped one over from one chevy to another in a friends carport once. Pretty simple really especially since I had the older van to use as a donor/template. Put it on like it was on the donor. Stainless sheet metal screws through the aluminum strip into the roof above the rain gutter. Never had any problem with flex but never rolled it either. Got real scared once on about a 15 degree sidehill though. Used 3M 5200 to seal the top on- never had a problem with leaks. Had some pics of process at one time but can't find them now. Did it in a 2 car carport with rafters about 12 ft high. Cut roof out of new van, lifted roof from old van on pulleys pulled old van out of the way, put new van under roof, and lowered into place. Done over a weekend and had a great time doing it too. Standing room roof really makes the van useful for windsurfing/ camping because there's no load up. If it blows, stop and sail, if it sucks turn the key and go camping.

Just got an E350 EB 1995 looking to find a top for it. Hoping to find one in a u pull it yard in Texas. If anybody sees or hears of one let me know.

teeots · 07-22-2010, 04:21 AM

I did my install a couple months ago and didn't think to crosslink it here.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4659&start=15

TroySmith80 · 12-06-2010, 12:35 AM

Good info.

Discountvantruck seems like a good place to get new tops. They don't show clearly what the difference is between regular or reverse flange. Does anyone have a picture of that or clear description of the difference and pros/cons?

How about removing tops in junkyards? Are they always just bolted on? Or if they are attached with an adhesive, can they be removed without destroying them?

Any tips on finding used tops?

dhally · 12-06-2010, 01:11 AM

There is a 1-ton Ford van on craigslist in Albany/Corvallis, OR that already has a high top on it. Also one on Portland, OR craigslist with high top and V10! both less than 50,000 miles and reasonable prices.

From what I can see the main difference in the tops is the flange type top looks better because it doesn't have the trim strip, and as mentioned above it is probably more securely fastened. Maybe more water tight too. OTOH if it has a 6" flange the roof opening will be a few inches less than the "standard" top with the trim strip.

TroySmith80 · 12-06-2010, 08:04 AM

I thought both styles had flanges, but one style was reversed flange (the other being standard flange). That's the impression i get from here: http://www.discountvantruck.com/vantops ... antops.htm

teeots · 12-11-2010, 06:46 PM

Hi Troy,

I would say that the standard flange top does not really have a flange at all. It just sits on/above the raingutter of the original van roof. The reverse flange I have never seen but I understand that there is no exterior trim strip needed which tells me that it has an interior flange which screws down through the roof of the van from inside. Someone may correct me on that?

according to the fellow at dvt, the reverse flange is more available on the west coast, while the east coast has yet to redo their molds to get a reverse flange. I wanted to go the reverse flange route, but shipping from the west was too much to justify.

TroySmith80 · 12-11-2010, 10:04 PM

Hmm, ok. Thanks for the info. I think i'm getting a mental image, but it's surprising they don't have pictures of what these 2 options actually look like, and what the functional differences (if any) are.

dsw4x4 · 12-12-2010, 10:24 AM

You guys are pretty dead on about your ideas of the flanges. The advantage of a reverse flange is no exterior screws/trim to hide, better seal to the van and an overall stronger structure. (because it is glued and screwed with good mating surface area). If your going to get a junkyard top and it has a reverse flange there is a good chance you will rip apart the fiberglass where it is glued to the van. The glue they use is stronger than the fiberglass. Not a big deal just means you will have some glass repair to do if it does tear apart. Also removing a glued reverse flange top is not an easy task. It can be done though. That glue grips so tightly you have to use a jack to jack the roof up while you try to get in between the body and the roof with a knife to cut it free, not only that these tops are heavy you will need at least two strong bodies to remove one (four preferable). So if you are wanting a fixed top I would lean towards a reverse flange no doubt about it. As far east and west suppliers go they both sell reverse flanges. Most people do not post where they are from so I do not really know where it is you are try to find a van top. If you are on the west coast go to Fiberine.com they will sell to the public and they do make a couple 24 inch camper tops like smbs. If you are out east www.summitfiberglass.com are the people to talk to I do not know if they sell to the public or not but they will put you in touch with someone close to you that does. They are very nice and helpful and they are the makers of the tall "whale" top someone mentioned earlier.
Fiberine will ship their tops but only to a commercial loading dock address.
If you in or around colorado you can contact me of course I use both companies so you can just pick a top and go from there.
Hope this helps.
Derek