How foolish would I be to custom build a high-top on a van? (Read: Cut roof off)

[TMG51]

Yep, I mean take an angle grinder to the roof, and stick build a high top extension.

I'm crafty with odd things and I'm confident in my ability to create a roof that isn't going to leak. That isn't my concern. I'm more concerned with things like, structural stability, passing vehicle inspections... that sort of thing. Obviously wiring would be removed as needed in the cutting phase.

For a bit of my background: My interest in van dwelling came over the last several months. I had moved in with a girl, we split, I left in the middle of the night... long story short, I ended up living in my hatchback for two months, too stubborn to sign a lease on another apartment. Inconvenient, with nowhere to lay down even. Back seat wasn't wide enough. I figured out I could create one plane long enough for my body across all of the seats, so I cut a board to fit from the dash over the passenger front and rear seats, padded it, and slept on that every night. It got me by, but obviously was not very accommodating.

That time ended a couple weeks ago when I finally signed a lease on an apartment. Moving in, I was at first relieved to regain amenities such as a shower, stove, etc. But soon I became disheartened with the inflated nature of conventional life - I realized I don't give a damn about most of the crap I fill my apartment with. Most of it is stuff we think we need to get by. I got by just fine in my hatchback, and for free rent - it was just slightly too confining. So I thought, why not upgrade to a bigger space. Get a van big enough to accommodate some of those amenities... and go for it...

So here I am, ready to return to vehicle life and jump head-first into a van. Thing is, I'm really frustrated with the idea that I won't be able to stand up. If I'm going to go all out on this I'd like to build myself something I can really live in. The only vans I see out there with a tall enough roof, apart from fiberglass high-top additions (which seem hit or miss), are the Dodge Sprinters, which I only see for $8-12k, and with 300k miles.

I'm really tempted to buy a Ford or Chevy cargo van for 1/3 that price, cut the roof off and build my own higher roof.

Am I crazy to pursue that line of thought?

 

[SternWake]

You're not crazy.

I don't feel the need to be able to stand up in my Van, though I do have a 'conversion van" fiberglass roof.

Mostly that space is used for Surfboards and clothes.

Helps to have a soundtrack:

http://www.surfline.com/video/premium-partner-video/compassing_101425

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Thought about it more than once, you aren't crazy You will stand out, if thats a concern for you.

 

[Reducto]

Unless you're really set on building the thing yourself I'd look into getting an existing hi-top and attaching it to your roof. Assuming you're going with a basic American-made full size van, there are a ton of hi-top vans in junkyards that could be scavenged. Many seem to be attached with sheet metal screws so transferring should be doable.

I wouldn't worry about inspections - they're looking for specific things like a rusty or worn suspension, lights that aren't working, etc. You'd be surprised just how much you can modify a vehicle and have it still be street legal in most states. I turned a car into a scorpion for Burning Man and legally drove it around California and Nevada for years without trouble.

Structural integrity should be fine as well as long as you're keeping the framing around the edges intact.

 

[cyndi]

I'm not sure what kind of build your talking about but the cutting of the roof and replacing it with a high top has been done.
Sandy installed a high top at one of the RTRs and also wrote a post for it on the CRVL website
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/install-high-top/

 

[TMG51]

You're not crazy.

I don't feel the need to be able to stand up in my Van, though I do have a 'conversion van" fiberglass roof.

Mostly that space is used for Surfboards and clothes.

Helps to have a soundtrack:

http://www.surfline.com/video/premium-partner-video/compassing_101425

Impressive. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Interesting to see it done.

Interesting. I say, do it. Or, maybe a flatbed pickup and build the whole thing just exactly as you want it. Will stand out just as much as sticks on top of a van but instead will be sticks on the back of a truck. If it is just the height youre interested in and not the building part, then maybe a small box truck, like a toyota uhaul. I would think he box truck or an existing high top van would be less time and more low key than your plan. If you build it, post it up. I like that stuff.

The problem with the box truck/uhaul is there's no access from the cab to the living space. Thought about a step van, but I don't seem to find a lot of options later than 1980s. Those two also stand out.

I guess I just don't trust fiberglass tops. I work construction currently. I foresee ladders, lumber, plywood....anything ending up on top of this van. I believe I can build a top strong enough for that whereas I wouldn't put that kind of weight on a fiberglass shell.

Thanks for the thoughts and encouragement, everyone.

 

[Patrick46]

Stepvan are great way to have it all!!

Room enough to stand up in, a nice big open box that's easy to convert, a driver's area you can also stand up in, and a covered area to work inside on your engine. Oh....and the view is SPECTACULAR!!!!
Easy to drive, easy to park, a roof you can walk on.........PERFECT!!
Diving around with the doors slid open is a ball too!!


you just need to look a bit harder is all.


but seeing that you don't have a van yet...maybe you can find one with a high-top already in place.

 

[SternWake]

While Imagine all conversion Van roofs are constructed differently. Mine is pretty strong.

Here is a couple hundred pounds of Plywood on mine, and it is on top of my Solar panels. I made some supports on the roof to protect the solar panels.

 

[akrvbob]

It sounds like you have the skills so I'd say go for it!

However, it isn't that hard to find a box van with a pass-through, but the MPG is terrible unless you get a diesel.

However, I think I would buy a 4x4 flatbed pickup and either build a small cabin on it or put a camper on it. Since it is equally a work vehicle the extra load capacity and room would be invaluable. Get a Cummins and it will much better handle the weight and give you better mpg than a van.
Bob

 

[Donedirtcheap]

No, it's not crazy. It's crazy if you don't plan it out. Maybe there is a compromise. You have to work with what you have.
1. Don't want an apt. Don't want a short van.
2. Price of tall vans you have found is too much. No place to cut out roof and do the build work.
3. Step van may put you in commercial plates and insurance
4. How important is stealth? Regular van is best.
5. How much money do you have. Can you live in the apt and tackle a build?
6. Long term plans? Is popping the top worth it? compared to searching for pre built. There are things we can do but shouldn't.
7. Can you live in the temperature zone you are in or can you be mobile for work? Easier to heat than to cool.
Just some thoughts to help narrow things down.
I dont know your ability but it can be done. I built a travel trailer from scratch. Would I do it again? No way in hell, shoot me first. The thing that I did that worked out well is that all the wood was treated on all surfaces with at least 2 coats of Rot Dr cpes.

 

[user 423]

Cut the van at the 'beltline' (bottom of the windows) and end up with a pickup-like vehicle. Then stick build a camper like what slides into a pickup. You could even build it so it could be removed and put in another van. Vardo-style would be cool...but no stealth.

 

[SoulRaven]

Old van style non-dually school buses can frequently be found pretty cheap. These will allow you to stand, and in private hands can be licensed as a standard van.

Old church vans can also be found with the high tops, and most have been pretty well maintained from what I hear. While mine was also a church van, I don't have or desire a high top. When I am in the vehicle, I am either sitting or sleeping, and I have found that pretty much anything you can do while standing, you can also do while seated.

I'm pretty sure that the addition of a high top would have a very negative effect on your gas mileage as well, not to mention any stealth factor.

I find that I can stretch out quite comfortably in either my recliner or my bed, and of course there's always the great outdoors to stand up in all you want.

After having stressed over attaching 2 different home made tops for friends, we came to the conclusion that gutter clamps worked best. We then used compressed closed cell foam pool noodles around the inside perimeter to create a water/air tight seal. Since both, one high top, and one pop-up top were installed on VW vans with existing large factory sunroofs, we did not need to modify the vans or add any extra screw holes. Both tops were both extremely sturdy, and withstood highway speeds easily with no leaks or wind whistles.

If going with a high top, I also highly recommend installing louvered windows in the top instead of sliders, so they can be kept open in the rain. We actually installed them so the tops of the windows opened inwards, so that there was nothing to catch on passing branches, and more unnoticeable to passers by as well. An added advantage of having inward opening windows, is it makes a perfect place to sit a fan.

 

[Patrick46]

Totally!!! ^^^

 

[TMG51]

So do FWD vans actually give more "headroom" inside the cargo area or is that a misnomer?

I looked at a Chevy Express, really liked it. I'm torn as to whether I will want to cut the roof off or not. I don't know if I want to draw that attention to myself.

 

[LeeRevell]

The newer 'Eurostyle' vans are supposed to have lower floors, compared to our beloved old American cargo vans. But the downside is, less space under the floor for tanks and batteries. So more 'systems' to take up valuable coach space.

 

[bpeck]

Do it! There's a surfer I really look up to by the name of Cyrus Sutton, he built his own high-top roof for the Ford Econoline he lives & travels in. Check out some videos that highlight a few of the details:

 

[David]

I'm toying with custom building a high top for my 4x4 vanagon. I've yet to see a vanagon hitop that I actually liked so if I keep the van I'll likely build a one off top for it.

I've done a bit of fiberglass work, so I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing, but one thing is certain I'd never cut holes until the top was complete and I knew it was right and what I wanted.

I'm also toying with the idea of lowering the floor so I could reduce the height needed for the top. on a vanagon it's just a square section so it would be very easy to do. The problem is mine is 4x4 so I have to do a bit of measuring as fare as the drive shaft goes.

 

[user 423]

... we came to the conclusion that gutter clamps worked best. We then used compressed closed cell foam pool noodles around the inside perimeter to create a water/air tight seal. Since both, one high top, and one pop-up top were installed on VW vans with existing large factory sunroofs, we did not need to modify the vans or add any extra screw holes. Both tops were both extremely sturdy, and withstood highway speeds easily with no leaks or wind whistles.

This sounds interesting but I'm not sure what you mean. Which material did you use for the shell? Do you have any pics?

 

[TucsonAZ]

I was thinking of doing this myself, for two main reasons, firstly, to allow a little wider area in the hightop to sleep the side way, secondly, to allow standing room in the middle for a kitchen area. I would rather do this than anything I have seen made or floating around, it would allow for many custom options, solar on the roof, vents, a hatch, whatever you chose. You could also make a kitchen at the back of of and the entire top like a loft. Weight will get high quickly though as a warning, if you can afford or scavenge aluminum it may be the ideal, at least for a portion of it.

In the end, I went with a step van, happy I did, it has issues, all options come with them but I would pick a small step over a normal van for sure but I like having space and all my tools for tinkering...and a shower...chest freezer...queen sized mattress...desk...lol

 

[christine]

If you think you can do it, you should go for it! I don't think it's foolish at all.