[Build] Rebuilding a fiberglass high top

[DAV!D]

I guess I haven't updated in a few days..I decided to change the thread title so it's easier to search at a later point as was suggested.

I ended up cutting out the window holes and did a test fit..

I also glued in a bunch of wood strips to give the top a bit of additional strength, but more importantly to give me a way to hold up the insulation & headliner.

The last few days I've been working on it, trying to get it ready to paint. I'm way over my self imposed timeline for this but what else is new.. I'm hoping sometime this week it will finally be mounted.. crosses fingers.

 

[DAV!D]

Ok, it's painted and just installed the windows. I'm hoping to mount it Friday, but will depend on some van roof repairs I'm doing. My van had a bit of paint peel & rust starting in the drip rail channel. It wasn't anything serious but I took the grinder to it, used some navy jelly and treated it with POR19. I'm hoping to cut the roof hole tomorrow & repaint the roof, but it depends how long the POR19 takes to cure..

 

[Timjim]

That's real nice!!

 

[philos]

Yeah buddy!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bbasso]

Impressive results.

 

[DAV!D]

Thanks all, it's not perfect by any means. I could of easily spent another day or two fixing little things here or there but I really need to get this thing done, so it's good enough for me.. lol

 

[villageidiot327]

looking great.

and I'm sure the sweat equity feels better than laying out the cash to buy a new one.

 

[ClubWagon]

That turned out awesome! Can't wait to see it installed on your van.

 

[DAV!D]

looking great.

and I'm sure the sweat equity feels better than laying out the cash to buy a new one.

Yeah, I spent a bit more than expected between starting with the 1st top then switching to the 2nd, but overall I suspect it was about $400 including the 1st top. If not for starting with the 1st top then switching I'd likely knock a $150 or so off that price tag. In the end much cheaper than buying one that was ready to go, but I did spend a lot longer than I planned labor wise. (luckily my time is cheap I guess lol) Regardless, I gained experience. I now have a better understanding of fiberglass and having to paint something doesn't seem like such a big deal as it once was to me, so definitely worth the time invested.

As luck would have it, I had to run out to get some silicone and I was going to prep & paint the roof. However they are building a house down the street and a tractor trailer got stuck and blocked the street. Meaning I can't get my van back into the garage.. Now I probably wont get everything done to mount the roof tomorrow so I'll now be delayed until Sunday it appears.

 

[Corneilius]

Good work, one thing that just occurred to me is that a lot of those slider windows are directional and will leak if installed upside down. There are usually little drains in the window frame that indicate the bottom. Cant wait to see it mounted.

 

[DAV!D]

Good work, one thing that just occurred to me is that a lot of those slider windows are directional and will leak if installed upside down. There are usually little drains in the window frame that indicate the bottom. Cant wait to see it mounted.

Yep, you are 100% correct. I realized as I was mounting these, they had drains in the "new" top side. I filled them with some clear silicone which should stop any leakage. I figure if water builds up in the rails after testing I can drill a few holes in the bottoms.

 

[Corneilius]

Yep, you are 100% correct. I realized as I was mounting these, they had drains in the "new" top side. I filled them with some clear silicone which should stop any leakage. I figure if water builds up in the rails after testing I can drill a few holes in the bottoms.

Cool, I only figured that out after chasing a leak for weeks in a high top, dealer had sent me two lefts instead of left and right, their shapes were the same.

 

[DAV!D]

Cool, I only figured that out after chasing a leak for weeks in a high top, dealer had sent me two lefts instead of left and right, their shapes were the same.

ha, yea I might of been doing the same if I didn't notice the holes when I was installing it.

 

[DAV!D]

Not quite finished, but the top is on!!!

 

[Treenail]

Looks great!

Have you given it the hose test yet?