Plans or photos wanted for Danbury Autoroof

[poshbuggers]

I have a Danbury roof with ropey canvas, the white 'poles' and metal strips, some cushions and woodwork.

£100 and it's yours.

[silverbullet]

I have a Danbury roof with ropey canvas, the white 'poles' and metal strips, some cushions and woodwork.

£100 and it's yours.

Sounds v.tempting...any chance of a picture or three? Is it a leccy one or is that too much to expect?
I'm only really worried about the condition of the fibreglass. Can weld/glue/rivet anything else!
Haven't had any other offers of a roof, but could you tell me how tall the roof is above the gutters/screen rubber so that I can be sure of getting the Viking frames and canvas under it!
Maybe a measurement inside would be useful, say from the van roof skin to the inside of the 'top at the corners of the hatch - I'm assuming that it's on a van of course...
Size of the hatch opening would be handy too, come to think of it.

Must clear the drive of the '81 wreck with the Viking on top

[pouch]

Hi, I have a 1981 Danbury and it is pretty original, as I am only the second owner!

However the original purchaser had the electric roof removed when he bought it new! Along with Fridge and a number of other things.

Welcome to come and look at mine, its in Oxford or I can take pics..
It still has the runners for the electric lift.

[poshbuggers]

I'll get some pics tomorrow

[silverbullet]

Thanks pouch and poshbuggers,
The more info the better, some measurements would be really useful though. English or metric, I speak both!
Need to know that it's a goer rather than get folk's hopes up with the prospect of fresh drinking vouchers

[silverbullet]

I'll get some pics tomorrow

Anything doing? Not hurrying, just asking

[silverbullet]

I'll get some pics tomorrow

Mate, this is getting a bit old!
I am really, genuinely interested in that Danbury for a ton - just tell me if it's still around or sold so I know where I'm going with it all. Missus has suffered a sense of humor failure with the whole thing...
Cheers,
Ian

[PEET]

Hey silver bullet you really will struggle to get the danbury electrically operating. I had to remove the final pieces of mine and it looked a nightmare!! And there is one thing I can honsetly say about the danbury roof - it weighs a ton!! Personally i'd stick with the viking anyway theres more room for a start!
The danbury was a hard roof to retro fit and the hinges were a big problem to replace. I'm in no hurry to ever fit one again!!!

[silverbullet]

Ahhh. Think I may be making things worse for myself...
My cunning plan was to use the lower profile looks of something like the Devon or Leisuredrive or Danbury but combine it with a re-worked Superviking mechanism and canopy. Wouldn't necessarily use the Danbury lift mech, I just want a poptop that doesn't look like a bathtub and weigh 2cwt. (The Viking is flippin' heavy too btw.)
The engineering element of it doesn't faze me at all, it's what I do Mon-Fri. I can barely lift one end! I'd hoped that one of the others would be a bit lighter.
Now I've gone and offered my Viking to someone else on here, too.
Anyone got a Devon roof in good nick? Are they any lighter/less heavy?
Help!

[ricicles]

about time we had a club mould for a lightweight poptop. what about using t2 devon top from jk and making a frame to suit t25. the roof cap and canvas could be purchased and we could build the rest ourselfs. just a thought. the mould could be passed on to members who wanted to build thier own. dunno bounce it around a bit. i am sure there are people here that can help .

[silverbullet]

Outermotive are/were looking to remake Viking tops for both T2 and T3 as they do canopies and seem to be building an inventory of interior fittings for patterns..
I put them onto one which was fit for taking a mold from, but was damaged.
The T2 and T3 are quite different. The T3 is about 5" wider for a start...
I know what you're driving at ricicles, as all the fibreglass out there is getting just a bit old now!
If I can't get that Danbury off poshbuggers soon then i'm going to make a steel one from a roof panel. Just watch me!

[PEET]

I've thought about a nice small lightweigh discreet styled one for a while I mus admit but got too many other things on the go at the mo. I have sen some really funky ones abroad and not just on T3's...

[ricicles]

an idea has been floating around in my head for a while to build the first( blank) in the way ply boats are built(stitch and tape) once that is done and the shape is perfect i know someone who could manufacture the mould and produce the tops(carbon fibre if wanted) i have it in my mind that it should be useable with existing canvass etc like a devon (available from jk) also the thermo wrap for it would be available. bouncing! any other ideas?
thinking aloud. front part of the later reimo pop top with rear of the old devon.

[silverbullet]

Keep talking...the thing about so many of them is that they weren't styled like a T3, just a generic jellymould with dubious "features" presumably to help stiffen the sides.
There are a few particularly hideous hitops that spring to mind
A slightly more aerodynamic front end is needed (will help cut down wind noise too).
I have a weakness for the Dehler Profi not-so-hitop, but maybe it's just the promise of your own shower inside!

[silverbullet]

an idea has been floating around in my head for a while to build the first( blank) in the way ply boats are built(stitch and tape) once that is done and the shape is perfect i know someone who could manufacture the mould and produce the tops(carbon fibre if wanted) i have it in my mind that it should be useable with existing canvass etc like a devon (available from jk) also the thermo wrap for it would be available. bouncing! any other ideas?
thinking aloud. front part of the later reimo pop top with rear of the old devon.

Edited to this: As part of my poptop project(s) I've decided that I'm going to make a low-profile (9" above gutters) side-hinged roof using a salvaged roof skin from a T25 as a basis. Yep, steel. Can't be any heavier than a Danbury, eh Peet? Hopefully should turn out reasonably light. (Better make that "less heavy")
I reckon that this way it will finish up looking like it's VW's own work unlike the guppy that is the factory T25 hitop!
When finished and if folks like the look, we could see about getting a mold taken from it before I go to final paint.
That's the plan.