Pop the top 2002 Chevy

[Tstege83]

Hello all,

I’ve been scouring all these forums reading as much as I can about adding a pop top. We bought 2002 activity bus, and I just purchased a pop top here off the forums. Picking it up next month. Our bus is only 66” inside, which I prefer because it’s more mobile and gets 13/14 mpg with the 350 motor. Only has 65,000 miles on it. So far I’ve stripped the rear AC, removed windows and skinned it, removed interior, and all unnecessary wiring. Next is spray foam, custom door, rear bumper extension, and then pop-top. Hoping I can do it with a little help in a few weekends. The cool thing is are walls are flat, it has high ground clearance, is 80” wide, and was pretty cheap compared to the vans we looked at.

The wife and I are both wildland firefighters so the purpose is a winter travel rig for us and the pups. Plan is baja again and then over to the Florida keys and up the east coast in the early spring.

The top I bought appears to be in like new condition, so hoping a slight sanding job front and back will allow it to fit the curve better. (Any tips appreciated) last photo is the top, for a ford.

Any links to DIY pop top conversions would be appreciated. Kind of hard to find them.

[Tstege83]

Just want to ask everyone’s opinion here, especially those that have done it. I purchased a really good condition pop top that looks in like new condition. I found a guy who use to work for Sportsmobile down in Austin that can install it a pretty hefty price like $2200. But with all of the cutting, fact I don’t have a garage or shade, and the fact he’s done a bunch, I was thinking it might be worth it. Thoughts? Just wondering what CCV and SMB charge normally, and they won’t touch mine because it’s not a van model.

[Grampswrx]

Tough to say what they charge for install, because they only install new tops as a complete package. $11.5k for CCV and $9k for SMB (non-power).

The really tricky part for you is that you are essentially custom fitting it. I would want a skilled fabricator helping me as I went because you are going to encounter issues that no one has dealt with.

I know CCV will do a custom top, but you are looking at $15k for that at least. I think it would be worth your money to have the guy help you, but only if he is an experienced welder/fabricator also. Installing a top on a stock van is a lot of work, but its not necessarily very technical. You measure several times, cut and install the hardware. You are going to have to make sure that it will even work before you cut that hole and you may not be 100% sure that it will work until you have gone past the point of no return.

I would certainly want to detach just the fiberglass top and lay it on your roof first to determine where the top touches and doesn't touch. Then you will know better if it's going to work or not.

[Tstege83]

That was kind of my thought on the whole thing. Seems simple until I’m in my yard trying to do it by self and it starts raining or I mess my cuts up. Thanks for the input.