vehicle access to a RTT?

[max.powerzz]

I've got an fj62 and am in process of putting a westfalia pop-top on. In planning this it's going to be a bigger hassle than I thought. Has anyone ever modified a RTT so you could access it from the interior of your rig? I would think you could add a slightly larger sunroof for access? For those of you familiar with a RTT, could this even be done or would it affect the integrity of the RTT?

 

[hoser]

Most RTT's don't have a lot of floorspace. Instead of cutting holes, I would consider a T-Top type RTT like the Eezi-awn or ARB and somehow position it so the vestibule is right over the sunroof.

 

[Harald Hansen]

There's one in this Norwegian-language thread. I've seen another one as well, but I can't seem to find it again.

 

[Mike S]

This is a fairly common question that we get at AutoHome. The short answer is that it is a lot of work for dubious benefit.

1. You need to get outside in order to open and close the tent

2. Cutting through the floor MAY be possible, but then there is the issue of hinging the mattress, hinging the floor section, sealing the floor section...

3. To date none of our customers have done this AFAIK.

M

 

[max.powerzz]

I know it seems a little extreme, just not looking forward to climbing up and down that ladder in the middle of the night. Plus, I've got this thing about bears...

 

[HMR]

max.powerzz- What's the problem with your Westfalia idea? Does the size of the top not line up with the roof of the Cruiser? Sounds like a cool project.

 

[max.powerzz]

It's actually not too far off dimension-wise, but the pop-top bottom is curved and the cruiser roof is flat. I think I could add some fiberglass but it's just turning into a much bigger project than I thought. I think it will be cool but thought it may be quicker and easier to just modify a RTT with an access hatch and add a panel floor similar to the honda element camper conversions.

 

[max.powerzz]

Just found this link to this vanagon with a RTT and interior access. Anyone know what type of tent this is? It just says marine grade. http://vancouver.kijiji.ca/c-cars-v...-take-me-off-road-camping-W0QQAdIdZ268090211#

 

[Steve UK]

I have an Autohome Maggiolina, I also thought this would be a cool idea and even did some research into it.

I found this guy, done a fantastic job and has a really great Defender. I have not read his blog yet but I will it looks really interesting. http://www.lodzi.com/index.htm

In the end I decided not to for now as I don't really want to cut my tent/defender up. Maybe in the future. But as Mike S says the benefits are negligible, especially for me where there are no bears.

 

[Herbie]

The closes to what you're talking about is likely to be the Volvo 303 with the Autohome "pop top":
http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/featuredvehicles/131_0904_volvo_valpen_tgb_111a_1975/index.html

I started down this path myself, going so far as to purchase an Autohome Airland to graft to the roof of my Astro van before I stumbled on an inexpensive GTRV camper I cannibalized instead.

As others have mentioned, one of the big problems is going to be floor space. You'll probably have to have an access hole (sunroof, etc.) that you can "plug" with a board and mattress so you can sleep over the hole. Check out how the Ursa Minor eCamper handles this problem, it doesn't seem to be a problem there.

As for "negligible benefits", it depends on your criteria. If you use a "Crank Up" RTT like the Autohome Airland, Grand Tour, etc. you could always fit the crank mechanism with a motor (what I had planned), giving you a way to raise the roof and stay out of the weather. The AirTop with the strut-lift *might* also be able to be raised/lowered from inside *if* your access hole was situated in the right spot, etc. This is one of the main reasons I wanted a pop-top - I can pull into a camping spot, slide out of the driver's seat, raise the roof, hit the sack, and even pee in the middle of the night (portapotti) without ever opening the van door.

 

[jrueppel]

It's a good thing I didn't see this Volvo 303 with the Autohome on top before investing in something more *practical*. This is a seriously cool looking truck.

 

[Lemsteraak]

I've seen quite a few Maggiolinas modified with interior trap doors.

Probably the best and most useful was a UniMog where he wanted the space for his kids but wanted to keep an eye on them so the doors were even disabled. It did have a motor added to handle the lift (cost was not a big concern). The only thing that I wanted to make sure of on this conversion was that there were exterior latches to hold the top down. We ended up repositioning the outside latches and flipping them upside down to make it easy to get to. The thing you want to be careful of is to make sure you have a positive system to "suck" the fabric walls inside. If you pinch the fabric, there is a foam seal that protects the fabric from chaffing but that is just a backup but it is still possible, so be careful of this. You can stitch in a chaffing strip of fabric if this happens.

Personally, I prefer leaving the tent just the way it comes from the factory. This way you can simply put it on another vehicle. Another reason to go with a small one, they fit anything.

Rich H

 

[Ozarker]

The closes to what you're talking about is likely to be the Volvo 303 with the Autohome "pop top":
http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/featuredvehicles/131_0904_volvo_valpen_tgb_111a_1975/index.html

I started down this path myself, going so far as to purchase an Autohome Airland to graft to the roof of my Astro van before I stumbled on an inexpensive GTRV camper I cannibalized instead. "

Does that mean your Astro is for sale?

 

[compactcamping]

Hmmm, If you start with a Family size Mombasa, both halves are about 4'x6'. If you are on the short side, say under 5'-7"/8", you could cutout and frame a hole on one side, then climb through and sleep on the other. Would be similar to an old WilderNest.