Hey Grizzly 7.3 you're more than welcome to get a hold of me and we can talk about what I did. I'm super stoked on how the top turn out. I've used it a ton and it's great. I live in SW Colorado so the Cali connection isn't gonna work yet I bet we could figure out a good way to communicate. These days facetime, google meets, zoom are the standard means of virtually connecting
JustGoSurfing I didn't save the dimensions of the cut out. I set up the poptop on horses and squared up the sides. Then measured the dimensions across the channels where the struts sit at various widths taking into account thickness of the metal. I also measured the width of the bed to get an idea of what the opening would look like with a +/- tolerance of 1/4". I also measure the length of the struts. This gave me a good idea of what the rectangular cut would look like. I measured the length and wide of the fiberglass top at several locations and then began to template it on top of my van with a sharpie. I must have drawn this template up there over a dozen times trying to make sure I had the correct layout. I gotta tell I was pretty damn nervous when it came time to make the cut!!!! Cutting a rectangular hole that big in the roof of a perfectly fine van is rowdy. Once we laid the top in there I was so stoked to see if fit perfectly.
Next came the metal fab work for the cross supports and then tying it all together.
DFarkas, thanks for the reply back. I will reach out when I actually get the pop top in hand. I own a welding shop so I feel good about the fab part. But, I would have to agree that cutting a giant rectangle out of the van is going to takes some gut! No turning back at that point...lol
Cheers,
Reminder: Radius your corners to eliminate stress points. The body structure on these vans flexes a lot even when it *hasn't* had a hole cut in it, and you can end up with fatigue cracks after a while.
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N8SRE
1990 E-250 Sportsmobile w/ penthouse top, converted when new by SMB Texas.
DFarkas - Did you have to do anything to the front of the poptop top match the contour of the vans roof? Mine fits pretty good but I'll need to come with something to make it a better fit to reduce wind catch.
I spent this last weekend mounting mine to my van. So far so good. I also did a EB penthouse to a RB van.
DFarkas - Did you have to do anything to the front of the poptop top match the contour of the vans roof? Mine fits pretty good but I'll need to come with something to make it a better fit to reduce wind catch.
I spent this last weekend mounting mine to my van. So far so good. I also did a EB penthouse to a RB van.
Hey grizzly, I’m hoping to finally get mine on this summer. Do you have any pics of what you did regarding shortening the frame rails etc?
As for the overhang I’m planning to add some fiberglass to the front lip of the top so it sits down on the roof with the gasket. …I think.
Justgosurfin, So I ended up saving the B pillar factory cross support (or the one right behind the driver/pass seats) and repurposed it at the front of my cut out. It actually fits really well. Putting this cross support there stiffened it up more than I though it would. I do plan this weekend to make more supporting brackets or gussets that will weld to were I cut each cross support and to the penthouse frame adding more rigidity. May not need it but I want it as rigid as I can. For the rear I had to create my own support cross member. Your top might of came with one. Mine did not.
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CSC TT250 + homebuilt trailer
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