Finding a van high top/ installation

[kimkelb89]

Hello. I tried searching past posts to find this info but if it's there I missed it.

I am on the fence about getting a cargo van vs a conversion + trailer. The biggest reason is height. I can't crouch down constantly due to back issues. I mentioned this in another post and someone suggested getting a van with a high top.

I've tried looking for them but none are in my budget (5k total for vehicle and mods). And even if I found a high top to attach to a van, I'm not comfortable doing the work. My back will not be 100% for a few more months and I may not have the strength to put it in. But my window to do this is short and I can't wait past March.

Where can I buy a relatively inexpensive high top to put on a used van and who can do the installation? Or are there companies that do both. At most I can pay 2k for both the high top and the installation. I want to get a fan installed as well on the high top but that may have to wait.  I'm in Texas but willing to travel to get it done.

Also can home depot or a carpenter cut out the plywood for you if you give the measurements and specifics so it's easier for me to install?

 

[Van-Tramp]

For that price range you might be able to find a 70s van with a topper in no so great shape and redo it yourself. Maybe an early 80’s. But 3k for an old van plus 1k to get it mechanically fit, and another 1k to save for future needs is possible. And that is with you doing all the work.

Im will be honest, you aren’t going to find newer AND/OR someone to do the work for you with that amount of money. That is just the reality... sorry.

I dont want to burst your bubble but you will have to think differently on that budget

 

[kimkelb89]

For that price range you might be able to find a 70s van with a topper in no so great shape and redo it yourself. Maybe an early 80’s. But 3k for an old van plus 1k to get it mechanically fit, and another 1k to save for future needs is possible. And that is with you doing all the work.

Im will be honest, you aren’t going to find newer AND/OR someone to do the work for you with that amount of money. That is just the reality... sorry.

I dont want to burst your bubble but you will have to think differently on that budget

That's pretty much what I expected. Thanks.

 

[John61CT]

Yes, maybe you'll get a real lucky sweetheart deal, but at market rates IMO you won't get reliability **and** a lot of room in that price range, need to choose one or the other.

Nice thing about a trailer you can add a lot of value DIYing, and then your living space is independent of the vehicle.

Some people get by with renting or friends towing to relocate when their tow vehicle's getting worked on.

 

[Almost There]

Where can I buy a relatively inexpensive high top to put on a used van and who can do the installation? Or are there companies that do both. At most I can pay 2k for both the high top and the installation. I want to get a fan installed as well on the high top but that may have to wait.  I'm in Texas but willing to travel to get it done.

Also can home depot or a carpenter cut out the plywood for you if you give the measurements and specifics so it's easier for me to install?

You CAN find high tops (you want a 24" high top,( not the tv tops on the conversion vans) in a lot of wrecking yards for very little money. You will need to have the van first so that you can figure out which tops will fit that van.

BUT, it will take 4 people and 4 ladders to move it to your van so it's going to have to be volunteer labor to keep within your budget. I don't know of any professional companies that will do this for you. It can be done in just a few hours as long as you hold back on the case of beer for the volunteers...

If you decide to go that route we can give you detailed instructions on how to do a good job!

As to the plywood, yes, I had H/D do all my big cuts on the sheets of plywood. Other than one sheet of plywood that I needed whole for the floor of my van all the rest of my plywood was cut according to my specs at the lumber yard. I didn't get them to do the small cutting jobs, which I did with a jigsaw, I only got them to do the major cuts like ripping a sheet of 4 x 8 in to 2 - 2'x8' lengths, etc. The light weight luan is easy enough to handle even in 4 x 8 sheets, other stuff was too heavy for me (and awkward)They always do the first cut for free and depending on the store will do other cuts either for free or a buck a cut...well worth the price if you don't own or want to use a circular saw.

 

[Van-Tramp]

BTW, I picked up my 89 extended van with the topper for $3400 back in 2010. It needed all new tires and other easy-to-do scheduled maintenance items after but all total was well under 5k. The interior was built and in great shape, including a fridge. I realize now how lucky I got, but they are out there if you take the time to weed through the lemons

Good luck

 

[closeanuf]

What you need is CASH IN HAND!  When the bargains come along you don't have time to go to the bank.  If you could borrow the money from the credit union union unsecured so you have it on hand when a deal comes along your odds of getting a deal increase dramatically.  I bought a 96 E350 extended van with hightop for $1000.  I saw it on craigslist and ran over and bought it.  The guy I bought it from had to finally turn off his phone until he could get the ad taken down.  If i would have had to go negotiate a loan  it would have been gone.

Another problem is this time of year people are in the process of getting income tax returns and used car dealers know they can get higher prices for their vehicles because people have money they WANT to spend.

 

[drysailor]

Hello. I tried searching past posts to find this info but if it's there I missed it.

I am on the fence about getting a cargo van vs a conversion + trailer. The biggest reason is height. I can't crouch down constantly due to back issues. I mentioned this in another post and someone suggested getting a van with a high top.

Well, IF you can find someone who works in a body shop and does work on the side, they might do it for a reasonable price. If you could find a used top at a boneyard, and some friends willing and able to remove it and get it to the body person........it could work. Would likely be a good idea to get as much installation data as you can find, + some youtube vids to prep your installer. A lot of ifs, to be sure but think it could be done.

 

[John61CT]

my window to do this is short and I can't wait past March

That's the bit to me makes all the rest so much harder.

Lot of truth in the old chestnut:

Quality
Cheap
Quickly

Pick two.

Superhuman efforts and/or a lot of luck might make it possible to get all three.

 

[kimkelb89]

Thanks for your replies. I decided based on time, cost and physical limitations that a truck and truck camper or small trailer are the way to go. I NEED to be able to stand up straight. A van would hurt a lot and I don't have any help on this. I may enlist a friend to help with part of the buying process but idk if he knows much about this stuff. Mostly want to bring him along because, sexist as some people can be, they will not try as hard to get one over on a man buying a truck/camper. Plus two heads are better than one.