Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

The Tardis factor (interiors, awnings, roofs etc)

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Mohamster
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Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by Mohamster »

I want to fit roof bars and a roof box to my pop top. It's a AutoSleeper V20 (or close), the type with the hard sides. Have looked at some previous posts and ooking for advice on options.

Option One: Revolves around an old roof box and bars I have been gifted. Halfords box, approx 15 years old) and roof bars (Thule bars, the type that attach to side rails on modern cars). Was thinking of fashioning something that would make this workable with the help of a welder to drill/attach into the fibreglass pop top sides. Pros can lift roof with bars attached so less faff. Cons: messing with pop top, cost of adaptation.

Option two: buy new bars and bar clamps that attach to gutter. Saw a nice set in a previous post (tall, upside down V shaped fixtures that extend over the pop top. Pros: no drilling in pop top. Cons can't open pop.top with bars on.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these options. Also, if anyone is selling anything related to option two ...

Thanks in advance

Pic of my van's pop top
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2twJCfseBx4GiYtC6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pic from previous post
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vTzh4QCzUCWLzSWa8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Nirvanagon, 1984 pop top 1.9 DG engine with 4 speed gearbox

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itchyfeet
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Re: Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by itchyfeet »

Option 3 fit a towbar and mount a storage box on a bike rack
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
1989 DJ digijet WBX Holdsworth Villa 3 Pop Top
itchylinks

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Mohamster
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Re: Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by Mohamster »

Hmmm .. Maybe I haven't considered towbar/tailgate mounted options enough because the roof box was given to me.

It's quite a big roof box itchyfeet. Have you done this? What rack and box combo do you use?
Nirvanagon, 1984 pop top 1.9 DG engine with 4 speed gearbox

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itchyfeet
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Re: Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by itchyfeet »

I had a roof box on my tin top once
its hard to get to and on a pop.top would be worse
Damage the pop top and you just devalued your van

I forgot it was there an drove into my gate top bar luckily I did no damage as roof bars on gutters but if that were on fibreglass it would have cracked it for sure.

ypu could just take less crap
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
1989 DJ digijet WBX Holdsworth Villa 3 Pop Top
itchylinks

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Mohamster
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Re: Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by Mohamster »

itchyfeet wrote: Damage the pop top and you just devalued your van

I forgot it was there an drove into my gate top bar luckily I did no damage as roof bars on gutters but if that were on fibreglass it would have cracked it for sure.

ypu could just take less crap

All good points ...you've swayed me ... It was too complex anyways, welding and fabricating and adapting clamps to work with rail bars ... for now I will go down the tall clamps on gutters route .. read that selectively and I'm going down the gutter :shock:
Nirvanagon, 1984 pop top 1.9 DG engine with 4 speed gearbox

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itchyfeet
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Re: Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by itchyfeet »

The only bike rack mounted ones I have seen are fiamma and thule and silley money at 400 notes but I can't see why you can't find some other storage box or make one.
thought about this myself
I have a thule 3 bike rack with light board and its big so you could get quite a large box on there or a smaller box and some bikes.
weight limited to 50kg usually but so is roof bars
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
1989 DJ digijet WBX Holdsworth Villa 3 Pop Top
itchylinks

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itchyfeet
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Re: Roof bars/box on pop top - Ideas

Post by itchyfeet »

I read somebody once who put the roofbox inside the van and chucked it out when they arrived.
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
1989 DJ digijet WBX Holdsworth Villa 3 Pop Top
itchylinks

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