14" or 16"?

[lloydy]

One billion pounds would buy my 16" poptop
Seriously though, good luck.. There is a German forum called IG16 which has a for sale section, might find something on there

[Tufty_B]

I did think about a Doka or a tin top with a roof tent, but I was concerned about roof loading and also a decent roof tent is not enough cheaper than a pop top to make it worth while for me.
WIth a roof tent it would also mean have to going outside to get between the van and tent, so it would be more sense just to buy a standard tent and pitch it up each time, though it would take more time to set-up and pack away.

BTW - Rich, your van looks really good, it has pretty much everything that I'm looking for, good bodywork, modern Tdi, drivetrain in good nick, power steering and nice interior, as I have said the deal breaker for me is the high top. Initially I had my heart set on a 16", but I've decided that I'd prefer a good 14" in my preferred spec over a rough 16" er.

Now I have most, if not all of my ducks in a row, I'm just waiting for right van to come along.

So if anyone knows or hears about a 16" or 14" pop top, with rust free as possible body work, decent drive train with twin lockers, ideally with a Tdi or similar conversion, I'd appreciate it you could let me know. I'm willing to pay a sensible price for a good one, rather a low price for a ropey one, unless it has a good shell and is cheap enough to make into something nice.

[Mudlark]

One billion pounds would buy my 16" poptop

You can have mine half price

Keep an eye on mobile.de; they are out there, its just a waiting game.

I wanted a Westy but ended up buying a Syncro Autosleeper which i had for 5 years before the right Westy came up; and even that was a lucky break!

[..lee..]

16" westy pop top. good luck finding one i had to make mine.

[hugomonkey]

16" westy pop top. good luck finding one i had to make mine.

thats what most people do isnt it?

[Tufty_B]

I am seriously considering Rich’s syncro, however I am after a pop top.
His syncro only has the middle section cut out so in theory it should be possible to remove the high top and fit a new pop top (£2k) instead, does anyone know someone that could do this and at what cost?
I guess that it might need repainting around the roof when the high top comes off at additional cost.

After a late night trawl of this forum I see that Fabzzz considered this on his in thread 'My first syncro' http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=110341, but his roof was cut out completely.

[hugomonkey]

sorry but do you really think that it would cost you 2 grand to get yourself a poptop??

[Aidan]

New Reimo potop complete is around £2k, used Westy £500ish depending how nice undamagedness and completeness, scruffy a few hundred up I think

[Fabzzz]

I am seriously considering Rich’s syncro, however I am after a pop top.
His syncro only has the middle section cut out so in theory it should be possible to remove the high top and fit a new pop top (£2k) instead, does anyone know someone that could do this and at what cost?
I guess that it might need repainting around the roof when the high top comes off at additional cost.

After a late night trawl of this forum I see that Fabzzz considered this on his in thread 'My first syncro' http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=110341, but his roof was cut out completely.

hi matey, i have a 16" and as everyone pretty much said, you have so much more existing option with a 14" to make it higher and stronger etc... but i love my 16" (for now at least).
and my roof .... eh eh eh my roof .... where do i start, i got a tin roof in the garden and a westy fiber glass roof too ready for when i'm ready to do it. 200 quid for the tin and 400 for the westy roof, plus all the stuff you need. i'm lucky that i have friend (not for long) fabricators/welders/body prep and so on so i will need there help against some Rum.
But transformation is due over winter, i'm gathering infos and opinions at the moment, but i will keep posting pics and nervous breakdown on my post. also got some suspension chebang on the burner that i need to look at....

btw i will sell my high roof when it's off the van.

hope this help.

[Tufty_B]

sorry but do you really think that it would cost you 2 grand to get yourself a poptop??

Jason,
How much did you think it would cost?

Rich posted a link to a new pop top on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-T25-WESTFA ... 2330b280dc which is £1895+£220 delivery and I also contacted a local VW camper conversion specialist that now only work on T5, (they have a 2wd T25 for show purposes) he said expect to pay about £1500 (£500 for new canvas + cost 2nd hand pop-top @ £500 + £500 for fitting), assuming the tin roof was OK.
Aidan's reply corroborates these figures for a 2nd hand pop top.
I now need to find someone that will have a look at the van and quote a price.

[hugomonkey]

ok Mike yes if you went brand new it would cost you more than 2 grand but good second hand poptops with decent tents come up for sale regularly

[hugomonkey]

hi mike
the best canvas available only costs about £300 and a poptop undamaged with a dodgy canvas would probably cost you the same again so you can see that there is a long way up to 2 grand but if you wanted brand new then you will of course have to pay top money, i reckon that for 15 grand total you would have one of best syncro´s around sitting on your driveway and a bloody big smile on your face, try giving Lee a shout he knows the van, is a top t25 mechanic (known and trusted by all) and could quite easily stick a pop top on that for you
good luck

[lloydy]

Rich's van is nice and has had most/all of the hard work done. Well worth it I reckon end of the day it has to feel right to you

[Tufty_B]

hi mike
the best canvas available only costs about £300 and a poptop undamaged with a dodgy canvas would probably cost you the same again so you can see that there is a long way up to 2 grand but if you wanted brand new then you will of course have to pay top money, i reckon that for 15 grand total you would have one of best syncro´s around sitting on your driveway and a bloody big smile on your face, try giving Lee a shout he knows the van, is a top t25 mechanic (known and trusted by all) and could quite easily stick a pop top on that for you
good luck

Thanks for the advice.

[Tufty_B]

Sorry, but more questions - there's just so much to find out.

Are general consumables & spare parts for a 16" any more difficult to source or significantly more expensive than for the 14", or is there no real difference between the two?

I know that the trailing arms on the rear of a 16" are longer and aren't the half shafts longer/stronger?
Does this make lifting a 14" to at least as high as a 16" an issue with length of the half shafts (falling out of the hubs/diff), or is there a fix/replacement part for this?

I've no plans for extreme off roading (if I flipped it on it's side - ), but I'd like to be very capable off road.