Flip Top roof lids

[bill van snorkle]

I am trying to think of some way to make my truck a little more versatile ,so that maybe 3 people could sleep in it on weekends away in rough country without the need to necessarily pitch a tent outside on the ground.Has anyone done a fliptop camper conversion to a short wheelbase roof similar to the 109 Doormobiles ? To enable my truck to fit in underground car parks I am in the process of sectioning and lowering my roof lid 2 1/2'', and before I rivet the 1.5 metre long x 1.35 metre wide flat top panel on I thought I would explore the possibility of strengthening it and fitting hinges at its forward end so that it can be swung up and over and hang over the bonnet area to be supported by a couple of adjustable props off the bullbar. This should give a flat platforn for a couple of inflatable matresses. Some form of easily erected tent type structure would need to be made to cover the bed and the big hole in the roof once the platform is swung forward. A single bed should be easy enough to erect lower down at bulkhead level.

What solutions have others come up with for living in a Short Wheelbase?

Bill.

[JSG]

Bill, IIRC there were a few 88" Dormobile conversions carried out. I'm sure I've seen some photos somewhere but can't remember where, Google might help. The roof should be fairly easy, the length for three beds may be more of a challenge.

[streaky]

Here is the website for a couple of freinds of mine who are currently doing a three year world trip in there 110.

http://www.kookynet.net/20.html

The roof looks standard...untill you notice that it is hinged at the front and lifts up to form a roof tent. There are a couple of pictures showing this if you peer closely.

There are a couple of couple of European companies doing this conversion. I have the names somewhere and will revert back. You might get some good ideas from the websites.

S.

[FridgeFreezer]

As a cunning twist, one of the guys from the Disco Owner's Club had a roof-top luggage box converted to a sort of mini-roof tent, seemed like a very good idea. Mind you he also had a mini-caravan exactly the size of a single bed that he'd built from scratch.

[streaky]

I can't find the actual site but came across this picture which has the same idea. It's got a www on it...so try that.

[Michele]

Ex-Tec

they modify 110 roofs in a similar way...

[callum]

this one looks good, if a bit breezy at the mo. best of all it keeps original roof line and looks quite subtle. i'm sure you could manage to engineer something like this and then get the sewing machine out.

here be the website for buildup pics

http://www.roverhybrids.com/D100_build_up.html

8.25 xzl's too, mmmmm

[bill van snorkle]

Thanks for the replies gents. It appears that most of the conversions flip the roof up to provide standing room and therefore some other type of platforms for bedding must be provided. I am hoping the flat top panel that I have left after sectioning the roof would provide the bedding platform once it is swung 180 degrees up and over the bonnet area, and then a folding type tent arrangement erected over the whole lot accessible from the inside.

The weather has turned to carp in the past few days so I might just screw the panel on temporarily while I give the matter further thought.

Bill.

[Steve H]

Thanks for the replies gents. It appears that most of the conversions flip the roof up to provide standing room and therefore some other type of platforms for bedding must be provided. I am hoping the flat top panel that I have left after sectioning the roof would provide the bedding platform once it is swung 180 degrees up and over the bonnet area, and then a folding type tent arrangement erected over the whole lot accessible from the inside.

The weather has turned to carp in the past few days so I might just screw the panel on temporarily while I give the matter further thought.

Bill.

Hi Bill, have a look at this site (sorry, its in german) where there is a guy building a lift top camper on a Santana PS10. Santana Camper

It appears that the lift up section has a sliding/stacking floor at the rain channel level which is slid forward under the low section making it possible to stand up in the rear & then later the floor is slid back /destacked for sleepng. A google search on "Aufstelldach" should bring up more of these.

Steve.

[bill van snorkle]

Excellant Steve, Some good ideas there. I rather like the new lower profile of my roof, and hopefully it will be less susceptible to damage from trees, which tend to grow vertical, while the truck stays parrallel with the slope. Therefore the camper style conversion furniture and fittings must be contained within the current profile because I would be loathe to even slightly compromise the trucks rough and tumble in any way.

Bill.

[Steve H]

Excellant Steve, Some good ideas there. I rather like the new lower profile of my roof, and hopefully it will be less susceptible to damage from trees, which tend to grow vertical, while the truck stays parrallel with the slope. Therefore the camper style conversion furniture and fittings must be contained within the current profile because I would be loathe to even slightly compromise the trucks rough and tumble in any way.

Bill.

Hope you can do something with some of that Bill, just remember, pics will be obligatory :D

Steve.

[simonr]

I saw one once, much like these but lifting the whole of the roof (it just separated at the gutter). There was a curtain between the body and roof - perhaps 2' high. It used gas-struts in an over-centre configuration such that the struts would hold it up when up but hold it down as well until you secure the latches.

Inside, the headlining had been replaced with a frame containing two beds made from elasticated webbing strap. To climb in and out of the 'upstairs', one end of one of the 'beds' unhooked and flapped down. This meant that there was no need for a mattress and the rest of the bedding was thin enough to stay up there. It also meant that the new headlining was soft for when you inevitably bang your head on it and you could stow maps & stuff between the straps above the drivers head!

There was also a pair of boards which normally lived in the back with an interlocking hook lip on either end. One board hooked into a receptacle on top of the dash and was supported near it's end by the mid bulkhead. The other board hooked on the the end of the first and on to the rear top rail of the rear tub. That gave a third (less comfortable) bed.

That slept 3 people reasonably comfortably and only took a couple of minutes to pack away.

It was the best I've seen in terms of giving a decent amount of space for sleeping but still having a practical everyday truck as well.

Si

[bill van snorkle]

I saw one once, much like these but lifting the whole of the roof (it just separated at the gutter). There was a curtain between the body and roof - perhaps 2' high. It used gas-struts in an over-centre configuration such that the struts would hold it up when up but hold it down as well until you secure the latches.

Inside, the headlining had been replaced with a frame containing two beds made from elasticated webbing strap. To climb in and out of the 'upstairs', one end of one of the 'beds' unhooked and flapped down. This meant that there was no need for a mattress and the rest of the bedding was thin enough to stay up there. It also meant that the new headlining was soft for when you inevitably bang your head on it and you could stow maps & stuff between the straps above the drivers head!

There was also a pair of boards which normally lived in the back with an interlocking hook lip on either end. One board hooked into a receptacle on top of the dash and was supported near it's end by the mid bulkhead. The other board hooked on the the end of the first and on to the rear top rail of the rear tub. That gave a third (less comfortable) bed.

That slept 3 people reasonably comfortably and only took a couple of minutes to pack away.

It was the best I've seen in terms of giving a decent amount of space for sleeping but still having a practical everyday truck as well.

Si

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This sounds like something I would be capable of doing. Although I'm as rough as guts, I can work with metal and wood, wheras my fabric working skills leave everything to be desired.

Bill.