Van Base - High Roof

[wildebus]

I am looking for a new base vehicle for a specific layout (which I will not reveal yet).
I am tempted by the Renault Masters as I believe they are one of the best van bases and good value as well.
Just browsing around eBay to get an idea of prices, I saw this one.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-...617151?hash=item2616766cff:g:IZMAAOSwP9dcgmx3

That roof is not the prettiest thing I have ever seen. Looks like a Fibreglass cap? Is this a normal High-Roof Master, or is it an Extra-High Roof Master (VW & MB did an Extra-High Roof Crafter/Sprinter with a plastic cap on top of the normal roof but theirs was Super-Super-Ugly. At least the Renault is just a little ugly)

I am quite keen on having a higher roof than the usual High-Roof Vans due to my planned layout, hence my interest in this

PS. I had a older (2010) Shape Master MM (MWB, Med Roof) and I found I could stand up in that between the ribs (no ceiling panels) so a High Roof would be fine and a EXTRA-High Roof even better!

 

[voyager]

That is the normal high roof Master. I like the way the Master drives but the conversion is more complicated. A bit hard to describe but the upright ribs in middle of van tend to stick out quite a bit more than the other ribs and it is hard to level it all out so that you have straight walls.

 

[Millie Master]

£6,900 for that looks to be quite a good deal and with very few knocks and scrapes to deal with.

I love my 'Millie' and yes I have to agree with @voyager that the tumble home of the side walls does make the fitting out a bit more difficult than it is with a Sevel made van, the other thing is the width not being quite wide enough to allow a DVLA complying transverse bed, but then the driving experience is, in my opinion one of the nicest of the big vans, I also find that they are also very economical as well.

My van is the standard or medium H2 roof and alog with a 25mm insulated floor + a 12mm marine ply floor I can still stand fully upright (5'10") and I have a friend who is 6' and he can just stand fully upright, so the H3 (or high roof) will have masses of head room............. hang it all, a lot of these are converted into horse boxes, or should I say pony boxes, because my beloved 'Jimmy', the 17hh heavy horse could never have stood upright in one!

Is the high roof part glassfibre? I think it is which will make the fitting of roof lights and solar panels somewhat easier.

Nice van.

Phil

 

[wildebus]

Prettry sure it is a fibreglass moulding on top.
At least they made an attempt to integrate it somewhat - the extra-high Sprinter cap is inward a few inches each side and looks hiorrible (IMO).

The sevel vans do have the advantage of being wider for extra space. But they also have the disadvantage of being wider (so trickier to drive around for anyone who is much more used to a car - this is a key factor).
It is a shame other vans don't have the squarer sides of the Sevels, but for the layout I have in mind it is not such a factor.

I am also considering a (standard) high roof MWB Sprinter or Crafter - they are similar dimensions to the LWB Master. Will have to get a measure out.

PS. the price of the one above is +VAT