Here's that little hatch that was over the cooker. It looks like it's been in the since new, but I think I'll leave it out... "Sitting on the dock of my Bay...."
Interesting. When I got mine the rising part of the PopTop was put on back to front - in that the vent was towards the front rather than rear, placing it slightly closer to the cooker. Without realising it was incorrect I did all my designs around that orientation Looks like it might be possible for me to put it back on with the vent towards the front but I don’t know if there are subtle curvature differences front to rear on the fibreglass plinth and poptop I’ve got a new vent to put in that can take an extractor fan. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, makes you wonder. Looking at it, there doesn't seem to be much difference in the curvature between the front and back. I'll have to take some measurements. If there's no difference I might just put mine on the other way round so the vent is more in the middle, rather than over the back seats.. I've peeled some of the headlining down from around the top, and found the lip that's bent up from the original roof and the wooden frame. An I correct in thinking that these screws that are screwed trough the lip into wooden frame are the only things holding the lower glass fibre pod onto the roof?? "Sitting on the dock of my Bay...."
While you’ve got the roof off try putting the poptop bit on your fibreglass plinth each way round and see if it sits flat, with the rubber seals covering the bellows I’d try but my plinth is on the van and the poptop isn’t don’t fancy trying to get it up there on my own. Yeah, mine had about a dozen screws down the sides through the folded up metal to the wooden frame...plus the four through each strut and a few front & rear. I’ll be putting threaded inserts for all of those so they can take a bolt - should make it better for taking off in the future if required. Your metal work looks good. Mine looked like it got shot by a spitfire. So I cleaned it up, best I could, rust treated, fibreglassed from the inside and filled holes from the outside then several coats of paint and resin...soon more paint Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Rivets these in ours to strengthen roof inside of all cross sections, fill gaps with kingspan 15mm insulation. On top cleaned old tar off with flap wheel, removed all rivets then replaced with stainless, fitted vinyl with underlay over the top. Tip for fitting inner seal was to use M6 roofing screws, washers and nuts to keep secure and helps roof keep its shape then work seal around. Wired lighting inside of poptop with a lead hidden near struts and fitted gas struts to hold roof up. Our vent is fiamma 40 no leaks.
Ha ha yes! I’m filling the top half of mine in then painting it a standout colour in the hope of making a feature of it rather than an embarrassment. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Actually, My plinth (So that's what its called.. Ive been calling it a pod!) is still on top of the bus, but that's fine, I can get the missus to help me get it up in the morning... Oh, and the roof, obviously .. I'll take some pics to show the difference.. Yeah, after you mentioned that the other day, I did a little research. You can get Blind Rivet Nuts that would have a collapsable collar that would crimp behind, say, hollow fibreglass, or they do metric nuts that screw into wood with a really course thread. Which ones were you thinking of using?? Because, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to steal that idea too. I was thinking about using the screw-in ones for wood, as the screws are only really holding the canvas down to the plinth, not taking any real loads.. If thats what is behind the lining sticking out and making ugly bumps.. then yes... LOL
That's a good idea too. I spose you can never have enough strengthening inside. a few of them wouldn't go a miss. Thanx for the tip Crispies
I thought what the heck and cut it right off, trimmed the end of the roof support a bit more and disappeared it. The van hasn't collapsed yet.
http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/devon-roof-hassle.73464/ http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/devon-roof-inner-seal-fitting.73276/ http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/devon-roof-vent-complete.73095/ http://thelatebay.com/index.php?posts/1340887/ These are when we took ours to bits if helps. Both me and @Kruger spent all day trying to get main seal fitted but M6 trick worked for us. No 4 reply is finished roof above
@Andy-M I've looked at your bellow pictures on a computer now. I Seriously think you should attempt to clean up the originals or buy a 2nd hand devon roof, rather than dropping £650 on a new set of bellows. The new bellows I bought are not a patch on the original ones (no idea what the ones pop top parts sell are like). Ill try and dig some photos of mine out, but they had some small holes where the concertina welds folded down. They are more of a plastic than the original vinyl ones. Id be putting the money saved into Nautolex marine vinyl to cover/waterproof the top once its all back together. Photo nicked from @carlperkins001 lovely bus & devon roof
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Campe...4250064443?hash=item28921cfa3b:i:174250064443 2nd hand devonn roof. £116 start price. No bids - but no pictures either
This is the type of threaded insert i’ll use in place of all the screws (securing of the plinth, which is just what I call, struts & bellows). These ones insert flush Most of my carpentry has them so it can be dismantled easily. Oh god, i’ve made Ikea furniture I’m using Rivnuts in all sorts of other places. Jack Nuts useful in some applications too. Your Bellows do look comparable to mine. I’m tempted to figure out a way of making them removable for easy cleaning and repairs - not a fan of the fact that they are permanently attached to the roof. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
These are good, they can't pull out or split the wood. Westfalia used these to fix one of the bed boards to the hinge. https://www.toolstation.com/pronged...MIsuTW8cLy6AIVRLTtCh03qgI_EAQYBCABEgJWW_D_BwE
[QUOTE="PanZer, post: 1681787, member: 19958" Your Bellows do look comparable to mine. I’m tempted to figure out a way of making them removable - not a fan of the fact that they are permanently attached to the roof. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE] Leak potential is massive. If you want more air, I'd suggest fitting some opening side windows
Leak potential is massive. If you want more air, I'd suggest fitting some opening side windows[/QUOTE] I don’t mean for ventilation this time...decided that the weight of the bellows inhibits that unless they are partitioned, which is also problematic. I mean for taking off easily like they are at the bottom. Problem is that the rivets on the side sections are on the inside. They’d be better off on the outside like the front and rear. Anyway. It’s the hole through the roof that’s the issue and a rivet going through would be no different than another fixing method, in my opinion. So people cover the rivets to make sure there is no water ingress. Anyway...i’ve not totally figured it out and probably won’t now as my rivets are fibreglass over I am thinking of a waterproof zip all the way around just shy of the top though Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, that's what I found. Amazon do a couple of different boxed sets of these with lots of different sizes. Think I'm gonna get me some. The ones for around the top of the plinth to hold the canvas straps down, I'm thinking M4 but as you say, the rivnuts can be used in so many different places.. "Sitting on the dock of my Bay...."
Paul, it's amazing how much better it is looking at the pics on a laptop or PC, isn't it Well, we (missus and I) spent a long time today with a bucket of bleach and water, scrubbing brushes and washing up scourers, and I must admit the bellows came up an absolute treat.. So I will definitely be putting my £650 towards something else.. "Sitting on the dock of my Bay...."
