A couple of years ago I bought a second hand 1975 Devon pop-top in good condition with bunks, to fit to my Split. 2 years have passed and I have finally made the decision to fit the roof!!
I am looking for advise, please do not reply saying don't do it, I am looking for experience / advise by people who have actually cut in and fitted a pop top to their split (or bay).
Does anybody have photos of their install, during and after?

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Have a look at my thread

http://vwsplitty.proboards.com/index.cg ... hread=1592

I already had the hole in my roof (originallly had a very broken dormobile roof and then a paris beetles ragtop)

You will need lots of strengthning assuming you haven't got belly pans on. Have you got the devon lifting mechanism? If not you could go down the gas strut route like me...the end result is great but boy did it take some working out and faffing with to get it right....let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

WOW, thanks for that, with all the googling I have not found that page!!

Yes I have the original framework, canvas and bunks. The lifting frame is spring-loaded so next best this to gas struts without the woosh !!!! I have a picture of a roof removed from a bay. It shows a sheet metal turned up all around the opening. The roof framework has its own rectangular frame that I will bolt to this newly formed sheet metal up stand. I can dress the roof lining to this too.

The bunks don't actually get fixed to the lifting roof, they appear to be fixed to that little internal "gutter" that the roof lining would tuck behind, they then hook to a bracket in the middle.

(Hope you can picture what I am saying).

As I proceed I try to post some photos, if I can work out how to do that.....

Anybody know a good Bay Window web site Forum I could ask a few questions on????

Hopefully below is a picture of the van I refer to with the roof removed. I was planing on forming an upstand like this with folded galv sheet.......

I would put a box frame on like I have done & weld a lip off that. Rigidity of the roof is the key here, as the body will flex too much without bellypans. It may take longer but it will be worth it

thats a quality bit of custom fitting. I had a bay devon roof fitted to my split but didn't like the fact it wasn't made for a split so changed it to a canterbury pitt roof.
re-strengthing the roof cut with box section is the way to go, good luck with the fit and i f you need any 'finished' pics ive got a few of the outside.