High Top

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ColoRockiesFan

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After searching, and not finding, for about 1.5 years, I finally bought my van. I really wanted a high top due to bad knees and back but just couldn't find one. So, when I found a van I really liked, but without the high top, I bought it. After about 2.3 nanoseconds of playing around in the back, I decided a high top was a must have!

I researched multiple companies, read this forum and others, and finally found exactly what I wanted at Fiberine. Of course, the company had to be all the way across the country in CA. I'm in Virginia. So, how to proceed?

Thanks to this forum, especially member vtwinkicker, I found a company in PA that agreed to accept shipment of my top from Fiberine and also install it. The company is TCI Mobility. This transaction turned out to be one of the easiest and best transactions I have ever experienced. Pete at TCI was a pleasure to work with. He was easy to communicate with and patiently answered all my questions (which were numerous). 

So, working with Betty at Fiberine (who was also fabulous and very patient - I changed my order several times), I placed my order for the 20" top,  wood reinforcement on sides and ceiling, with 2 windows on each side. Once my check was received, Fiberine built the top, crated it, and arranged shipping to TCI. The shipping cost way less than had originally been quoted. I paid about $450. Very happy! 

The top arrived at TCI the week before Thanksgiving. Pete called and let me chose an installation date. I choose the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. On the Monday, I drove up to PA, checked into a hotel in Lehighton, and dropped off the van at TCI. Enterprise rental picked me up from TCI and took me back to the rental car agency (about 2.5 miles away). 

On Tuesday, I picked up my van at about 2:00 pm (after dropping off the rental car and having enterprise take me back to TCI). The top looked fantastic! Pete told me the quality of the top was excellent. He also told me that TCI is one of the few companies authorized by Ford to cut off the van roof and install a top. As far as I can tell the installation is also excellent! There are no leaks or gaps and the top also decreases the noise from the back of the van. 

I drove back to Virginia on Wednesday.

All-in-all the purchase and installation of the top was wonderful and stress free! Both Fiberine and TCI are fantastic companies to work with and I can unhesitatingly recommend both of them!

Here's a link to some photos of the new top.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRyMex0Vk5oT8MJ43
 
From the link posted above, you can see that my van is bright red (I believe it was formerly owned by a fire department) and the high top is bright white. The combo is stunning, if you like to look like an ambulance or an ice cream truck. So, I needed to paint the top. 

Once again, I combed the forums, Googled, and made numerous phone calls. I got quotes for painting the top with a matching red paint of $700 and up. UGH. And the top would need to be washed and waxed.

At 5'3", I am not about to go crawling up/down ladders to wash and wax the top once or twice a year. So I found another solution on another forum. Several members of that forum suggested that spraying Line-X, Raptor, Rhino, or similar products (used to line truck beds to protect them from damage) the top would be a good way to go. The Line-X will protect the top from scratching and also does NOT need to be waxed. Awesome!

So I found a local guy who agreed to spray my top (and bumpers) with a black protective product (in this case Line-L). 

Now I have a red van with black trim/top. I love it! 

Here's the link again:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRyMex0Vk5oT8MJ43


Next, onto the electrical system and insulation.
 
ColoRockiesFan said:
Thanks to this forum, especially member vtwinkicker, I found a company in PA that agreed to accept shipment of my top from Fiberine and also install it. The company is TCI Mobility. This transaction turned out to be one of the easiest and best transactions I have ever experienced. Pete at TCI was a pleasure to work with. He was easy to communicate with and patiently answered all my questions (which were numerous). 


Here's a link to some photos of the new top.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRyMex0Vk5oT8MJ43

Glad it all worked out and you are very happy. TCI did a great job on my top so I felt comfortable recommending them to you. Things can always go wrong when giving recommendations and I'm so glad it went well for you. TCI is batting .1000 for us vandwellers!
 
Your van looks great, that black top brings it all together. Thanks for taking the time to give a shout out to Fiberine and TCI, and thank you Greg for helping to make this all possible. This priceless information is very helpful.
 
Your van looks awesome! I got a hightop from Fiberine, too- they are the best.
 
Thanks for the detailed info. I also live in VA so this gives me an affordable option to add a top to a regular height van.
 
Just curious, did you price a top from TCI? If I remember correctly they have the tops with the steel tube frame for rollover protection.
 
Looks Van-Tastic!

If you ever decide to sell it, put a listing in the Lubbock Texas area....

Texas Tech Red Raiders colors are...black and red!

You could likely double your money! The Red Raiders fanatics would love it....


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RDgorila1 said:
Just curious, did you price a top from TCI? If I remember correctly they have the tops with the steel tube frame for rollover protection.
 
Yes, I did. Unfortunately, TCI now sources their tops from Canada. The cost of shipping almost equalled the price of the top and shipping from Fiberine.  So I chose Fiberine due to the options I was able to order as well as getting the top much more quickly.

I was also interested in the steel cage but they are custom made and Pete needed the van for at least 3 days which would have added 2 more days of leave and hotel costs for me. So, the best solution for me was to have Fiberine build and ship the top and have TCI install.
 
tx2sturgis said:
Looks Van-Tastic!

If you ever decide to sell it, put a listing in the Lubbock Texas area....

Texas Tech Red Raiders colors are...black and red!

You could likely double your money! The Red Raiders fanatics would love it....

LOL! I’ll keep that in mind!
 
The van and top look fantastic! 

I'm curious how much it cost to paint the top. I have a 2005 conversion van whose top is horribly oxidized and found a Line-X location nearby so am tempted to do the same if price is right.
 
PineyCruisin said:
The van and top look fantastic! 

I'm curious how much it cost to paint the top. I have a 2005 conversion van whose top is horribly oxidized and found a Line-X location nearby so am tempted to do the same if price is right.

I paid $600 to have the top and front/rear bumpers Line-X’d.

I was quoted $600 for just the top from a local Rhino Liner shop. 

If you want a DYI project, look into Raptor liner. You can buy it for much much less on Amazon. Next summer I’ll probably Raptor Line the rocker panels myself ... I won’t have to use a ladder!

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...qmt=b&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=t&ref=pd_sl_57umporwv2_b

Here’s a good discussion on Raptor liner on another forum I belong to:

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/forums/f12/raptor-lining-on-penthouse-top-18909.html
 
View attachment 18610Hello Everyone ! I just wanted to share a way that anyone with the fiberglass tops (vans), or rv/ shuttle buses with fiberglass sides etc can bring back the shine and wax their rig Very easy and cheaply. I live in a 37 ft 5th wheel (Downsizing big time ASAP!). It's a 2006 and was faded out really bad (South East Texas sun). I looked on You Tube and found that I could get a gallon jug of ZEP brand Wet Look Floor Polish from Lowe's Hardware for $25. After washing camper really good all you have to do is mop it straight on with a microfiber towel wrapped over a sponge (or sponge mop). Use it straight. I poured it in a shallow pan then mopped it on. I had to do about 3 coats. But I did my 37ft camper 4 coats with the one gallon ! I'm sure some of you in caravans etc could split a jug and do them together. Great group activity. I bought a 2nd gallon and kept in on board. I've been able to help a few other travelers with doing theirs and in return they helped me with some things like sewing (and teaching me how to sew also!) Great bartering trade off. Anyways..there are many vids on it. I stayed away from using the wax stripper (scared to ruin anything). You will probably have some runs in the wax etc. but mine looks like new! Only took me about 45 minutes per coat (remember mine is a big long tall 5th wheel). The wax will be thicker than any "Wipe on wipe off" stuff. Will protect it well ! I waxed mine a year ago and it still shines great! Please share this tip with everyone you can. Maybe you too can #BeABlessing.  :heart: :angel: :D
 

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Hey CRF, Side question, if I may?

What do you think of Google Photos?

Do you know if I can...

Share a single photo?
Create how many albums?
Re organize photo order?
Freely add and delete single images?
Delete an image from an album even after its published?

I'm kinda of a control freak about my images and web sharing etc... LOL!

Thx, and great looking van!
Oh, oh, I forgot to ask earlier, but what size and brand are your running boards?
Where can I get some?
 
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