Pop top installation cost?

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[jammyauto]

Kermit, If you have the time a build it yourself van is deffinatly the way to go IMO. I bought a bare van from SMB with just the top, 4x4 and 2 side windows installed. If I had to do it all over again I'd do the 4x4 myself also. I really like the Danatrac axel and the Atlas II transfer case but I'll soon be spending lots of $$$ to replace the springs and shocks. I'd be happy to give you my source list also if you do your own interior. I installed an isotherm fridge and hot water heater. Blue sea electronics and Espar furnace, the list goes on and on. Build your own can be very enjoyable, if your into that sort of thing. My interior cabinets are all 1/8 birch plywood held together with fiberglass and west systems epoxy ala boat construction. I also used a boat aluminium propane tank the has a quick release and mount up under the van but is easily removable.

Now is also a great time to by a use SMB as well. There has never been a better selection and I'm sure there are some motivated sellors out there.

 

[jammyauto]

Lats alot of dough. I'd go with the SMB top. I think it's a little nicer anyway. Plus isn't SMB closer? Not sure where GTRV is.

 

[T.Low]

I just had a GTRV installed a few weeks ago. I let them know that they were more expensive than SMB and they said that was a suprise. I thought it may be a case of Astro parts (lower quantitiess/higher per unit costs) vs full size van parts (higher quantities/lower per unit costs) but I guess not. SMB does not do Astros.

GTRV's sales rep is located in Sebastopol, Ca, while the shop is in Vancouver, BC (35 minutes from my house).

I just went to the GTRV rally in Wa. and everyone is very happy with the quality and workmanship of their vans, and they worship the ground that Roy builds on (the owner of the GTRV who apparently took ovber from his father a while ago). Roy and his shop does great work, and everyone was very excited by the personal attention they received regarding their odd modification requests. SMB does great work as well.

I am doing the self build as well. I've done nine really good trips this season (since Easter) and really wish I had my top for the earlier ones. Its sweet.

 

[adventureduo]

Thanks for the info Tlow, I was interested in the GVTR, because it wasn't electric, less parts to break.

Kermit, ours isn't electric. In fact there's quite a few manual SMB penthouses out there. Ours just uses springs and you push it up yourself. Less to go wrong was my plan too.

 

[Railvan]

I read some where the cost for a Sportsmobile poptop is around $5500. I sent an e-mail to GTRV, but, I haven't recieved a reply yet, Anyone know what their installation cost are?

Just FYI, all the SMB prices are on their website:

http://www.sportsmobile.com/1_fc_cost_allforms.html

We have a manual pop top on our SMB. Since adding the solar panels it is a little harder to push up, but works fine. I like keeping it simple too.

Brian

 

[T.Low]

They had my van for a week and a half. I did tell him to take his time though, because if the van was away, maybe I'd finally get some house projects done.

Try to book an install before spring time. I shopped around and didn't send a deposit check until almost May, and they couldn't fit me in until the 1st of Sept. Summer is obviously very busy for them.

Let me know if you are actually thinking of an "AstroLander" and I'll give you the highs and lows. I understand its limitations and its really working well for us.


Edit: Just re-read one of your posts about hauling the boys to Baja, and you know how you all fit in the VW, so yes, a full size van may be the ticket.

 

[Tress]

I went through this very same decision making process and in the end i went with GTRV. For me that was the only option because SMB wont wok on anything older than 92, but in the end i am very very happy with the quality of Roy's work. However it was very expensive, the numbers i saw on here sounded maybe a lil low, just remember those numbers are the cheapest you can go. If you opt for the bed for example its another $600, if you go with the T-top instead of just the V-top its closer to $8k, and if your van is longer style then you end up up at around 9k. Again to this point i have been very happy with the workmanship, they took my 84 which at the time dint look very nice inside and really did a good job making it look nice, really, Roy went above and beyond in mayne instances. The company/Julie or who ever there main rep is took some time dealing with, while there quality is great they are small and dont do as much biz so dealing with them can be frustrating, but SMB has been consistenty miserable, every time i call them for anything i just feel angry, they have not been very helpful for me. Anyways thats my two cents, if you want to see any of the pics of our van go to www.panamericanjourney.com and check out the photos, good luck and feel free to PM with any other questions, enjoy the time A-one

 

[Tress]

Another thing to consider, the bed that they build for the GTRV top doesn't fold up and out of the way like SMB, honestly if you go with GTRV i would leev that option out, and im not sure you could plan to do the bed part yourself, unless you can have them do the first half. Basically they build a fiberglass rail that the bed sits on and if you dont get that option i doubt the rail would be installed; no place to put the bed. But... SMB top supposedly leaks, or sweats at the corners and rots out the roof, just a bit o info i have come across in my research. And oh whoever said book in early spring for GTRV, for sure! it took them like 3 months to do mine! Of course it was done within a few days once they finally got started but it was pretty frustrating since i had already made plans to have it picked up and they were not ready on the day it was supposed to be. But Roy is good people and overall i much prefer a smaller more pernalble co to a big dawg like SMB Anyways good luck...

:REOutArchery02:

 

[T.Low]

Another thing to consider, the bed that they build for the GTRV top doesn't fold up and out of the way like SMB, honestly if you go with GTRV i would leev that option out, and im not sure you could plan to do the bed part yourself, unless you can have them do the first half. Basically they build a fiberglass rail that the bed sits on and if you dont get that option i doubt the rail would be installed; no place to put the bed. But... SMB top supposedly leaks, or sweats at the corners and rots out the roof, just a bit o info i have come across in my research. And oh whoever said book in early spring for GTRV, for sure! it took them like 3 months to do mine! Of course it was done within a few days once they finally got started but it was pretty frustrating since i had already made plans to have it picked up and they were not ready on the day it was supposed to be. But Roy is good people and overall i much prefer a smaller more pernalble co to a big dawg like SMB Anyways good luck...

:REOutArchery02:

My GTRV bed has two different options on folding out of the way. It is built in a front half and a rear half. The rear half is stationary over the back few feet of the van. The front half either sits in the frame rails when down in sleeping position, or 1) is snapped to the roof and rises up with the roof when its raised, or 2) unsnaps from the roof and is lifted off the rails and set on top of the back stationary half of the bed, to give an extra 6 inches or so of head room even still. Simple, nice, effective design.