Way 4; replace just the top. Removing all 246 spot welds, & rewelding.
Not as hard as it seems, and you get the flat bunk space so you have more room for the bunk.
JC

-------------- Original message --------------
From: Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>

> That's why I put IMO. I wouldn't want to scare anyone away from adding a
> poptop, especially to a syncro where you would easily get your money back
> and more.
>
> So for anyone considering doing this I think the 3 main ways of doing this
> are:
>
> Small Hole (documented on a few websites)
> Big Hole (haven't seen this documented anywhere but it should be)
> Cut and weld from window pillars up (documented on a website)
>
> Probably other ways too (besides all the other conversion types, CH,
> high-top, etc)
>
> The big hole is what I am recommending. All your cuts are be underneath
> where the top sits, so repainting the van is not needed. The
> fitting/welding needed is not that bad (having seen this done-but not done
> myself) and you wind up with a much more stock looking conversion b/c you
> can use the interior westy trim parts instead of trying to make your own.
>
> The big hold method is just that, cutting all the way the rear so you can
> get rid of the arch. (some people like the arch b/c of more headroom down
> below).
>
> Doing the small hole is easiest and fine. (that's what I did-but I would do
> it differently next time). Trimming it out for the upper bunk you have to
> come up with your own ideas to make it level for a bed. Including nicely
> finished trim, the work to make a big hole isn't much more, but if you can
> get the roof arch out of there, finishing the upper bunk is easier.
>
> You could do the small hole, save all the parts from the donor, and do the
> big hole approach later (but you won't).
>
> Dave in Denver
> Syncru 2.5 Westfakia
>
> >From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
> >Reply-To: JordanVw@AOL.COM
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >Subject: Re: How easy is it to put a poptop into a standard vanagon?
> >Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 10:50:43 EDT
> >
> >In a message dated 7/20/07 10:42:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> >davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
> >
> >
> > > . Cutting out the roofline all under where the new
> > > poptop will sit isn't too bad and is the best trade off for work/result
> >IMO.
> > > Have a bodyshop weld it for you after you get it in place. Then you
> >can
> > > use all the stock camper trim and it goes back together better. (Also a
> > > stock looking job is worth more than a non stock look).
> > >
> > > Get a stock westy donor and use that top
> >
> >welding the westy roof metal on is a waste of time and money and overkill.
> >like i said before this is a NO WELDING job. the only tools you need to
> >put a westy poptop on your hardtop van is a drill and a jigsaw w/ metal
> >blade.
> > the custom upper bunk lays on the apex of the hardtop's roof and the foam
> >pad will even store up there with the poptop closed.
> >
> >i just love it how people try to scare off the newbies from taking on this
> >project by insisting that you must weld the oem roof clip on..
> >
> >chris
> >
> >
> >**************************************
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