Alan your signature line sets off some bells for me. If your
van was originally a Transporter, is it possible that the
retrofit job left something out, or was outside of factory
settings for the latch or pin (depth, etc.) or something?

Thanks,
Chris

---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 5 May 2002 09:21:36 -0400
>From: Alan Pickersgill <alanpick@MAGMA.CA>
>Subject: Pop Top Heart Stopper
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>On recent trip was camping in South Carolina. In the morning
I closed the roof in the same, very careful way I have for
years - hundreds of times. Have had a vision of what would
happen if it came open at speed - took air and opened. So I
always listen the click from the latch. Always check to make
sure no canvas trapped by the top. All seemed normal.
>
>Got onto the freeway - heard a funny howling . Just as I was
coming up level with an 18 wheeler I decided that I'd better
trust my intuition and stop to check. When level with 18
wheeler - Huge noise and up popped the roof. Looked in the
mirror nobody in sight, so I just slowed , let the 18 wheeler
go well ahead to avoid buffeting, pulled to right lane and
off onto the shoulder - roof settled down in place below
about 2Okmh.
>
>Absolutely no damage to any part of the system that I could
find. The support struts appear to be undamaged, the canvas
didn't tear or pull loose - nothing I could find. I always
imagined it would come off.
>
>Anyone else had this happen. Any hidden damage I might check
for?
>
>Anybody got a really simple safety device to ensure this
couldn't happen - the latch is designed to be such a device
but it failed! I swear it sounded exactly the same as every
other time when it was really closed.
>
>Alan Pickersgill
>85 Transporter converted to Westfalia