Fitting a high top to a T4

[jacks906]

Hi all

Has anyone fitted there own high top to a vw T4 or fitted a high top in general? I'm just wondering what people have done about putting stregtheners back in to the roof once you've cut the section out. I've read various people haven't bothered some have and some have just used boards to re stregthen the body.

Cheers for any help
Dave

 

[Rob H]

Hi Dave,

I own a T4 van, and a self conversion T5.1 that has had a SCA elevating canvas roof professionally fitted. So, much the same size aperture that you are planning, The SCA roof comes from the factory with a rectangular pre welded box section tempered (not mild steel) steel tubing strengthener, roughly from memory 50mm square, that is riveted and bonded to the remaining T5 steel roof that now ends midway between the windscreen and the B pillars, once the aperture has been cut out.

In my self build I wanted nothing fitted by me to detach and come and join me and the Mrs in the front, in the event of a survivable accident, nor in a roll over for the roof to collapse so this TUV approved strengthening gives me some confidence.

Hope this helps your design process.

Rgrds,

Rob H.

 

[jacks906]

Cheers for the reply rob
I was thinking of making something similar and having cross pieces at the back and inlaying boarding into them to hide them once carpeted but keeping the stregth in the roof.
The kits for poptops i have looked at just have sheet steel folded for the sides and a brace front and back.
On the other side there are alot of folk out there that don't fit anything back in ??

Dave