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Old 10-25-2016, 05:19 PM   #1
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Junkyard EB50 Penthouse refurbishment help

Hey yall, Im in the process of building a DIY sportmobile. I was at the junkyard scavenging windows when I found an EB50 in what I thought was good shape. I bought the penthouse for $50 on a whim. Ive decided to go for it and make the install on my 2006 E250.
The donor van was a 1994 and it shows some age. Im getting a new canvas made and raptor lining the roof. but my major concern at this point is the cross bars. They looks sad, very sad. In the photo is a straight-ish Pvc pipe for reference. The front end up the topper dips down about 3 inches from the back when popped up.
Im wondering what your crossbars look like and if I should fabricate some new ones or make an improvement else ware with new hardware or strut bars of some sort. Some one on this forum mentions gooseberry hardware but I couldnt find any information on it. Let me know what you guys think. Any help is appreciated
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Old 10-25-2016, 05:33 PM   #2
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Nice find!

Flip em.

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Old 10-25-2016, 05:40 PM   #3
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Boywonder put chromemolly tubes inside the cross bars. You can read about it in his build thread, http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...-10808-15.html
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Old 10-25-2016, 05:50 PM   #4
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Nice deal! That beats my old $140 junkyard penthouse find!

Straighten and sleeve the tubes and slap it back together. You can also buy new canvas from SMB, although they can be reluctant to sell them.
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Old 10-25-2016, 06:53 PM   #5
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So if I'm understand it correctly based on wonder boys tread they are supposed to be straight. I guess that would explain the dip in the front end. I Like the idea of straightening and sleeving them. Definitely have to make that happen. Thanks for the help!
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Old 10-25-2016, 07:38 PM   #6
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$50? I think you have the outdoor record for cheapest top!!!

I paid $2K and had to remove the top from the donor van......

Where are you located? You can get cro-mo tubing from mcmaster carr or at your local metal supply house. I used DOM seamless tubing....forgot the wall thickness...probably in my build thread.
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Old 10-25-2016, 08:45 PM   #7
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$50? I think you have the outdoor record for cheapest top!!!

I paid $2K and had to remove the top from the donor van......

Where are you located? You can get cro-mo tubing from mcmaster carr or at your local metal supply house. I used DOM seamless tubing....forgot the wall thickness...probably in my build thread.
Yea I couldn't believe the price when the guy at the yard told me. He thought it was some homemade contraption.

I am located near tampa Florida and already have account setup at a metal dealer. I saw in your thread the tubes you used were 0.75 OD and 0.65 ID.

I already ordered a new seal and taillight from sports mobile. Got a quote from a marine upholster around here and it only going to cost me about $1100 to get a new tent made. Good news is I get to pick the color. I figure by the time I raptor it and replace all the hardware I'll be in it about $1600. I'm taking the whole Van from Florida to Alaska (FL to AK hence the name flakwagon) after the new year so extra Insuilation is a must.
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Old 10-25-2016, 08:56 PM   #8
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Nice! Are you doing insulated canvas? CCV (colorado camper vans) offers insulated canvas as an option (won't fit SMB tops...just for their tops); I think it has a layer of reflectix (or something else) between two layers of canvas. If someone finds an upholsterer that can make canvas, there will be folks with SMB tops lining up.
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Old 10-25-2016, 09:11 PM   #9
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Congrats on a great deal! Looking forward to seeing the progress.
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Old 10-25-2016, 09:24 PM   #10
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Florida is a hot market for canvas shops because of all the yachting around here. Still going through the process with them about which material we are going to use. Deciding between sunbrella supreme and seamark. I believe seamark is what SMB uses. I've actually starting working through the process of having my upholstery shop use my old canvas as a template to start selling them to SMB users. I know there has to be a market for. I even spoke to a SMB rep at an RV show down here an he seemed all but uninterested in making a new canvas for me. From what I've read it will cost $2500 to get a canvas from SMB if you can convince them. I'll keep you guys updated in the coming weeks.
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