| Archive for THE KOMBI KONNECTION The forum for owners and those who would like to be owners of the worlds most popular camper, bus and van. |
| liam:-) |
convert to a pop top??hey all just a thought that crossed me (been brainstorming wat to do with her). i plan to go on many loonng drives camping ect and at present shes just a panelvan, and ive got a fridge in atm and am about to install a rock n roll bed, sink and some cuboards but looking at some of the photos i recon a pop top would b pretty mad so was thinkin bout tryin to get and install one??.. any feed back, opinions, prices ect...
cheers all 
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| Brookie |
Just to cut the hole in roof and buy top and canvas was $3500 some 10 years ago.
Occasionally poptop etc with fittings are on ebay and other sites. --------------------------- |
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| Diddlie |
Mine was not a pop top originally, hot cut and fitted, seems okay so far. | ||||
| Peterbro |
When I bought my VW it was a camper van, and the first thing to go was the sink. If you are camping, the worst place to be doing dishes is in the van. A plastic tub outside is far easier.
Now with the pop-top past its use by date, I'm thinking on how to ditch that and convert it back to a hard top or something more useful than a pop top. |
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| liam:-) |
yeah thats kinda wat i dont want to happen if i change my mind but probs wont happen for awhile anyways gota get some money together first 
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| Piratekombi |
I personally reckon it is better to buy a poptop kombi rather than cut into a straight roof... poptops are handy when camping, though, giving you air, headroom and even an upstairs bed (if you buy or make the slats) ... | ||||
| liam:-) |
yeah well thats wat i figured cause id planned to go camping alot(around aus) but yeah im in 2 minds cause shes a pannel van atm and i really like that bout it to if only had the money could get both  haha but i guess 2 girls is everyones dream!
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| kimba |
I wouldn't cut it, but I AM biased, I didn't like my rattley old pop top.
I had a hard time finding what I wanted when I was looking for a hard top to replace my pop top, pop tops are everywhere!! Why don't you just buy another van with a pop top if that's what you want? I wouldn't cut a panel van especially, there will be someone out there who would love to buy it off you so you can buy a pop top which would be less hassle for you in the end anyway. I never cooked or washed up in my camper, I think the fastest way to rot the interior is to cook and wash up (steam) inside. Cooking and washing up would be the main reasons you'd want a pop top (so you could stand up), aside from the extra bed, yeah? What about a good annexe? It'd be chaper and you'll have more room. Having lived in a kombi full time for nearly a year, I recommend more sleeping space over cupboard space and a stove and sink inside. It was squashy fitting 2 people in a 3/4 bed... and even if you're traveling alone, you never know when the kombi appeal may land you with someone wanting to have a sleepover with you
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| liam:-) |
yeah well thats why im really cut in two minds about it cause yeah i like the look of the panel van and i really dont think i could sell her shes my first and im very attatched. n yeah thats pretty much the reasons not even really 4 the extra bed but yeah i kinda been crossin em off cause i had some1 else say bout the rotting interior and the sink would just be a big water bottle which i could have anyway so yeah i think im leavin her as she is but i was still planin on cupboards and a 3/4, i started stippin the interior on sat gettin the bed out and im hoping to re do the floors this weekend and ive got the rock n roll ready to go in wen i got some more time. well have to see wat else time brings anyway! thanks 4 the advice![/u]
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| Brookie |
Hi Liam,
You will find in many mags such as Volksworld ads both for sale and wanted referring to hardtop VW campers. In Europe and UK with much damper weather than ours they have mould etc if they don't keep their interiors dry and clean and many prefer the solid roof We have always had poptops but don't cook inside like Kimba. Card table with stove and gas bottle is fine. We also tend to sleep more in tent with pump up mattress etc except for quick overnight stops. The KISS system works the best.
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| BEAN |
this is kimba, on BEAN's compterHey Liam I was VERY attached to my first kombi too... I loved her to bits (pop top and all ) but eventually chose to sell her for something more suited to my needs because it was cheaper to do that than to modify her. I was gutted when she drove away, and often think about what adventures she's being taken on now. I know that the new owner has a lifestyle more like the lifestyle I was leading when I first got her. In the end, with a baby, and commitments that meant my gypsy days were (hopefully only temporarily) over, it made more sense to pass her on to someone else and get my next kombi.
I'm not saying that it will happen to you, you may stick with your first forever, buuuuut if you do find something more suited to your needs you may decide to sell your first. When I was looking at redoing the interior of my first kombi I got a few books on boat building from the library. People who design the living quarters in boats have the most incredible knack for making EVERYTHING fit so neatly. Got some good inspiration. Are you going on short trips regularly so you can work out what you would like to include in the set up? I found out pretty quickly after a few weekends away what I liked and didn't like about the set up in my camper. Anyway, in the end, she's yours, and I think you should do whatever you want to do to make her comfy, and to make her even more "yours". Even if it's not what someone else would do. |
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| teeveezed |
Pop Top Off!I bought a 74 Bay with a pop top, but I am removing it and fitting a sliding sunroof. I have purchased the sunroof from Paris Beetles in the UK, and will probably fit it myself if I can. When I do that i will also be removing the rust that is hidden under the pop top skirt. |
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| Peterbro |
How much for the sliding roof landed ?
And any photos of it? |
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| Brookie |
http://thekombikonnection.myfreeforum.org/about1887.html ===== |
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| Peterbro |
I like its clean line and simplicity as well as the effect of driving with it open (quit your whinging-it's only a little hail !), but have reservations about it being waterproof in windy conditions and its security.
I can see an opportunity here for a bright young lad endowed with a practical imagination! |
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| teeveezed |
I paid 1200 Australian dollars at the exchange rate about three weeks ago. I will post pics when I get it and when it is installed.
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| liam:-) |
Re: this is kimba, on BEAN's compter
yeah well i guess that would b the best idea so u really know what u want, but i kinda had this image of wat she'd look like for the last 2 or so years so i kinda figured thats how id go but its changed heaps over the time so yeah abit of trial and error should go sweet. im still putting the seat in straight after ive done the floors but gota have some seats for the cartin round the boys and for a bed also sound system is essential and that'l probs take up a fair bit of space only time will tell bout the rest of it though!
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| Piratekombi |
Seems a good price - I know of a kombi owner that had one manufactured by a trimmer (and paid more), but unfortunately the softop leaks .... I look forward to reading your report (and seeing pics)
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