If you can read german, there's an entire book on this:  "Jetzt helfe ich
mir selbst camping-bus selbstgebaut".   I don't know what year this book is
but it says on the cover "Uber 8 millionen verkauft" so I bet a large
library might have it.  It covers every step of converting a vanagon into a
camper, piece by piece with dimensions, etc.

On Tue, Apr 21, 2009 at 7:14 PM, ALISTAIR BELL <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:

> A few pics here that may help to illustrate....
>
>
> http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/westie-pop-top-conversion_topic30479_post227668.html
>
>
> Alistair
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
> Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 16:49
> Subject: Re: Westfakia, Poptop, Access, Design
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
> > I agree, but no one suggested removing the entire roof skin.
> > Only a
> > section for standing in the main floor area is trimmed out, and not
> > anywhere near all the way to the gutters. Cut 1/3 of the center
> > of the
> > shoebox lid out and not all the way to the edge and see the minimal
> > impact on rigidity.
> >
> > Mark
> >
> >
> > Mike wrote:
> > >   In a 'unibody' (also referred to as 'monocoque')
> > design structure, any
> > > skin section is a structurally-stressed component of the entire
> > > structure.  A Vanagon is considered unibody, even though
> > it does
> > > have frame strengthening members underneath.
> > > Those roof support arches are more for rollover protection than
> > > torsional rigidity of the body.   The roof skin,
> > however, is an
> > > engineered, diagonal bracing that contributes greatly to torsional
> > > rigidity of the entire body, in addition to providing added metal
> > > structure to add crash or rollover protection.
> > >   Take a shoe box, remove the lid and grab the ends
> > and attempt to twist
> > > it; it will easily deform.
> > >   Now, put the lid on and repeat; you'll have a hard
> > time deforming the
> > > box from it's basic shape.
> > >   And, now, for the final proof of the body weakness
> > created by a
> > > large, unreinforced sunroof opening; cut a good -sized
> > 'sunroof' into
> > > your shoebox lid and repeat your twist test.  What
> > happens?  My bet is
> > > that a great amount of overall rigidity is lost due the
> > 'missing' area.
> > > You've cut the center out of your 'diagonal bracing!
> > >   VW made up for it by adding 'doublers' inside the
> > factory sunroof, not
> > > just a couple of cross ribs.  The probably also added
> > outboard, lower
> > > frame cover plates (I know they did on the earlier
> > buses).  Side impact
> > > crash protection, must also be taken into consideration in this
> > > modification.  (Smack the side of the shoebox to
> > demonstrate this aspect.)
> > >
> > > Mike B.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >     As long as you don't cut the 2 main
> > roof arches, one at the front edge
> > >     of the slider door and one at the rear
> > edge, the roof area between is
> > >     just roof skin and not of much
> > importance structurally, IMHO.
> >
>

--
Not all those who wander are lost