Need Help - Brainstorm Ideas for a DIY Top

[tonga]

Hey everyone! Wanted to see if there was interest in discussing ideas on how to make a DIY hightop? No fancy curves. The base of the top would follow the contour of the van. Spray with bed liner for a finish.

Used high tops for fords are hard to come by around here and a new one is pretty much out of the question cost wise for me.

My idea is to start with a steel frame to get the basic shape, maybe 0.75 diameter tubing 0.125 thick? Then cover with 1/4 ply and reinforce the areas as needed (fan, solar, attachment points to pop top linkage, roof racks, etc). This next step might be absolutely stupid but I was thinking covering the entire thing with a stretchy fabric and then stiffening with resin. That should make the top water proof? I don't see the need for fibreglass since the structure is the steel frame? Also would provide a relatively uniform surface that wouldn't need too much effort to prep before spraying with bed liner.

I thought about laminating foam and ply but haven't figured the details out yet.

There is a high top for a chevy express (with reverse flange) at the junk yard but I'm not sure of the difference in the roof contours/length between the vans and how hard it would be to make it fit.

Thanks everyone!

 

[canuker]

bump for similar question

 

[riNR]

I think you're over kill on your tube wall thickness. I have a roof rack made out of .063 wall crew tube and I can stand on it no problem.
Personally, if I was considering doing this, I would get the roof from the wreckers and start tweaking it to fit.

 

[DAV!D]

Have you seen my post on rebuilding a high top?

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/169367-Build-Rebuilding-a-fiberglass-high-top

I started with 1 top modifying it but ran into some problems making it how I wanted, but at the same time I found a 2nd top that was easier to modify so I switched to that one.


I'm a bit mixed how I'd do a new one..I wouldn't do steel frame & 1/4 plywood though.. If I built a top from scratch it would be fiberglass but I'd make a mold using lauan plywood & foam core. The flat light curve areas would be lauan and the curved areas would be foam core. I'd glass right over that then pull the mold out. If you are painting it with monster liner then it can have the rough fiber glass outside..

 

[k9lestat]

how about finding jon boat or skiff about the same size and use shims down the side to get you you width and length. use it as a mold

 

[tonga]

Have you seen my post on rebuilding a high top?

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/169367-Build-Rebuilding-a-fiberglass-high-top

I started with 1 top modifying it but ran into some problems making it how I wanted, but at the same time I found a 2nd top that was easier to modify so I switched to that one.


I'm a bit mixed how I'd do a new one..I wouldn't do steel frame & 1/4 plywood though.. If I built a top from scratch it would be fiberglass but I'd make a mold using lauan plywood & foam core. The flat light curve areas would be lauan and the curved areas would be foam core. I'd glass right over that then pull the mold out. If you are painting it with monster liner then it can have the rough fiber glass outside..

Yes, I have seen your post. To be honest, it looked pretty complicated. Not sure I could personally get the results I want doing it that way.

I like your idea with the foam core and glass. Couldn't you just reinforce the areas needed with ply and just glass over everything leaving the foam core?

 

[tonga]

I think you're over kill on your tube wall thickness. I have a roof rack made out of .063 wall crew tube and I can stand on it no problem.
Personally, if I was considering doing this, I would get the roof from the wreckers and start tweaking it to fit.

I think you're right on the wall thickness. If I end up trying this, I'll make sure to go thinner.

There is a chevy express top in the junk yard right now but I have no clue how hard it will be to fit. contouring to the roof shouldn't be too hard but I wouldn't want to cut or lengthen it.

There is a van on here "RDV" that has an aluminum roof. That seems like it might be an option but I haven't worked with aluminum before, only steel.

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/136944-New-Build-The-quot-RDV-quot

 

[DAV!D]

Yes, I have seen your post. To be honest, it looked pretty complicated. Not sure I could personally get the results I want doing it that way.

I like your idea with the foam core and glass. Couldn't you just reinforce the areas needed with ply and just glass over everything leaving the foam core?

You could and it would be insulated from the foam, the tricky part would be building it such a way that the inner supports didn't get in the way once it was ready for the van.. You have to have some sore of framework in there to hold it all together.

You might check this one out. I came across it when I was trying to decided how I'd do a high top. He built his out of wood/spray foam then fiber-glassed over that.. It doesn't look too bad considering.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Van-High-Top/

 

[tonga]

You could and it would be insulated from the foam, the tricky part would be building it such a way that the inner supports didn't get in the way once it was ready for the van.. You have to have some sore of framework in there to hold it all together.

You might check this one out. I came across it when I was trying to decided how I'd do a high top. He built his out of wood. It doesn't look too bad considering.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Van-High-Top/

I've seen that instructable. I agree he does do a pretty nice job.

There is also another one out there with a guy who makes a top out of 2x4s, covered with OSB and then finished with tongue and groove planks. doesn't look half bad but I'm not into the look.