High Top Suburban

rayra

Expedition Leader
shhhh, don't tell boll_rig



http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/142300-2003-Suburban-1500-Pop-Top-Conversion

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ClovisMan

Observer
Well his is more of a Westfalia-type tent and the ones advertised just raise the roof 15 to 19 inches. Boll-rig's is much cooler.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Well his is more of a Westfalia-type tent and the ones advertised just raise the roof 15 to 19 inches. Boll-rig's is much cooler.

Definitely. But all the work he went thru to build the custom top, I think finding a ready-made shell for $1500 is gonna make him shake his fist at the sky and shout some expletives. It would me.
 

MikeWeaver

New member
Looks like that's going to be a costly mode. Not sure the total cost of the modified suburban would be less than a modified Express van.
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
From the website:
Most of there raised roof tops will allow for a vcr and a tv up to 14" to fit in the passenger and driver over-head cabinet.
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VCR? How long has it been since they updated their site? :rolleyes:
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
In all seriousness, I often wondered the same thing but I think the issue is that while putting that kind of top on a van would give you stand-up room due to the high sides and low floor, you still wouldn't have stand-up room in a Suburban because the sides of the Suburban aren't nearly as high and the floor isn't nearly as low.
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I would also be concerned about issues like leakage around the seals and about weakening the body shell. Even though the 'Burb is body-on-frame, taking all that support out of the roof would make for a weaker body overall and I could see that leading to problems.
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I think the simple answer is that there is really not much demand for such a thing. Anybody who really needs that much headroom is likely going to just get a van. For that matter, the newer generation of Euro-style vans seem to have plenty of headroom from the factory.
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
Speaking of high-tops, I'll bet I'm not the only one who always thought a high-top Suburban or Travelall ambulance would make an awesome camper.
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1971-Chevy-Suburban-Ambulance.jpg
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Imagine this thing with 4wd and a modern engine....:drool:
 

boll_rig

Adventurer
ahhhh sht. i would have had to think twice before starting that project.

Good find though! 19" doesnt seem like much but then you add the almost half foot of space you gain without the headliner and cross supports.. 25" is a good deal of room. I would agree with you Martin about the body flexing if you were cutting out everything, but even just cutting out the back as I did, leaving the largest cross member in the middle intact and having a storage area above would be pretty convenient. No way you're standing fully but, hey better than crawling around on all fours.
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
ahhhh sht. i would have had to think twice before starting that project.
.
Good find though! 19" doesnt seem like much but then you add the almost half foot of space you gain without the headliner and cross supports.. 25" is a good deal of room. I would agree with you Martin about the body flexing if you were cutting out everything, but even just cutting out the back as I did, leaving the largest cross member in the middle intact and having a storage area above would be pretty convenient. No way you're standing fully but, hey better than crawling around on all fours.
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Besides the body flexing, another issue with modern day Suburbans is that they have so much AC ducting going through the ceiling, and you'd lose all that (or else have to relocate it.)
 

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