What's it worth??? Pop-top, no van!

[SteelheadJones]

I've called and emailed GTRV three times. Only reached them once. They recently sold to a new owner. He was going to get back to me but hasn't yet. That was two weeks ago. I guess he isn't that motivated to deal with a product they don't sell anymore. He told me all the E-series tops were done out of BC anyway. Not sure if that's correct?

The indentation at the front seems like it could complicate things. Is it my imagination, or would some body work would be necessary?

[SteelheadJones]

Finally heard back from GTRV.

Sierra, that indentation isn't actually an indentation. It's the opposite: a raised fiberglass cowl that's both bolted and glued (with construction adhesive) to the top of your van. If you remove the headliner above your front seats, you'll be able to see how it's bolted in. GTRV says it's not designed to be removed and the adhesive will probably make it extremely difficult to do so.

On the upside, if you are able to remove it, they told me they only made one length top, so yours will fit both RB and EB vans.

[Vanimal]

Originally Posted by SteelheadJones

Finally heard back from GTRV.

Sierra, that indentation isn't actually an indentation. It's the opposite: a raised fiberglass cowl that's both bolted and glued (with construction adhesive) to the top of your van. If you remove the headliner above your front seats, you'll be able to see how it's bolted in. GTRV says it's not designed to be removed and the adhesive will probably make it extremely difficult to do so.

On the upside, if you are able to remove it, they told me they only made one length top, so yours will fit both RB and EB vans.

I figured it was a hat seat, in other words a flange to help waterproof the front cut with a place to attach the canvas directly to it. I am not familiar with how CCV or SMB fasten the canvas part of their tops, so I cannot say. My assumption is that a frame with a flange (L shape) is built and caulked and secured to the roof. The canvas is attached directly by either A)folding it up under a trim piece B) via a piping trim like old CJ Jeep tops or C) screwed straight on with sealant. My assumption is that the raised part of the flange where the canvas is attached serves two purpose. 1) It creates a water barrier/dam so to speak to divert the water to the sides 2) an area to attach the canvas. If anyone has knowledge on this it would be appreciated.

[sierraoneill]

I'm going to have to look closer at that because I could swear it's metal and not fiberglass. Thanks for doing some leg work there SteelHeadJones!

[regis101]

If your still going high top, then this T-Top will be coming off.

You can start by removing the all of perimeter inside trim and front headliner to see how and where this things is bolted , glued, taped dahn to the existing metal roof.
Might have to get creative with using a guitar string or something to cut through whatever type of sealant is used that secures that fiberglass skin, hat, brim, flange, thingy to what's left of the OE roof metal. One guy on the inside , one guy on the outside. Sort of like using a piece of wire to slice through cheese or remove glued on windshields.
Its gonna take some work.
I'd bet dollars to donuts that if you have the high top company remove it, you won't be happy. I can picture them using air chisels.

[sierraoneill]

Well damn... closer look and the entire perimeter is Fiberglass... that's certainly going to complicate things and probably result in the pop-top being un-sell-able. Also not sure if there;s going to be enough meat under there to put a hard top on there.

[regis101]

Don't give up hope. There are choices. Some easy some hard.

Plane A, easiest, imo, is to sell it. Plan B, second easiest is to hack off just enuff of that roof skin and let the new buyer retrofit and reflash to their fancy. Plan C, hardest, is to carefully remove to save as much fiberglass as possible.

I would question how much existing OE roof metal is still there. Prolly enough to have a high top installed except for maybe the front seat area. I want to think the hole cut into the roof is just inside the horizontal structure.
Thus leaving ~4-6 " of perimeter sheet metal. Should be sufficient. Hopefully the front roof sheet metal is intact to above the front seats and enough of the rear metal to come up to the factory rear crossmember.
Why am I talking.

[SteelheadJones]

Originally Posted by sierraoneill

Thanks for doing some leg work there SteelHeadJones!

No problem. I wish the answer had been different. I love the low(er) profile of GTRV’s.

[SteelheadJones]

PS it turns out the previous owner of GTRV was the reason for the delayed response. He was on vacation. The new owner, Mark, has been very helpful in clarifying things for me.

PPS Mark is not sure an EB T-top will fit an RB van after all. On Sierra’s EB as well as RB GTRV’s with the V-top (like the Westy clamshell style), the leading edge of the top is roughly in line with the B-pillar. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find an image of an RB T-top yet to see where its leading edge is.

[Vanimal]

It sure looks like the front attachment area was cut long and shaped down then fiberglassed over. The van roof side appears to have only about an inch of attachable room. You can put a Fiberine top on still because the front goes past your cut out, however the sides will be tricky. Quite honestly Fiberine may not even want the job because of the side complications. You can still put one on but you will have to probably do it yourself. The Fiberine tops have the 4" to 6" base flange that they screw in to and this is the primary area they do the sealing/glueing/caulking. You may need to weld in in a flat 1/8 or 3/16 flange to the van body or use a crap load of glue! Do not be discouraged it is possible but require more work! Oh and I still have tops!