Anyone run a tin-top as a camper?

[LeeME3]

Only had mine just over a week but doesn't seem to be a major issue (granted i only intend to use her as a day / weekend van). Think I will get a trailer and / or roof rack though which I reckon will make her useable for longer trips.

And if I keep it and the kids want more space as they grow I'll go to the highly recommended timber technicians in Nottingham and get a high top put on!

[jocko]

Full camper interior in ours.

mine is a similar set up as yours, though my units are not as good nick as yours. Just need to get the passenger seat to swivel and it will be even better.

[PetenAli]

Al (v-lux) does and he gets away for months at a time including in the winter. Check out this thread https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=96397" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The passenger]

i have a tin top and its great. i dont have swivel seats i just take the seats out and turn them round, easy and cheep. i have lived in a van much smaller then a t25 for a year it was a bit cosy and you have to be tidy but it was great. i have a 3/4 rock and roll bed and a home brew cupboard. a camp stove that i put outside when not raining but is ok in side if you keep the window open. its fine just like camping but with a dry and cosy bed that does not blow in the wind. get one its great fun

grib

[VW T25 Feuerwehr]

We spend 3 weeks driving around Europe in our tin top.



When we do this we add 2 towers of b&q plastic draws, we fix them behind the front passenger seat One for food one for clothes, helps keep the van tidy and saves having to dig around for things to much.

Also having a hammock over the front seats is great for our daughter. Well more great for us as we get more space in the R&R bed

[ghost123uk]

We have 2 T25's at present A Tin Top and a Hi Top.

Granted the Hi-Top has more space and you can stand up in it (obviously) but the Tin-Top feels much nicer as a daily driver.





It's not a very "posh" interiour, but it works well

[purplespot]

Hi,
We have a tin top, it was a panel van but the people who had it before us had windows put in. We took out the bulkhead so we could get from front to back without having to go out in the rain, best thing we did. We have a 3/4 bed & sleep fine in it, although it's best if you're the first in as there's a lot less room for the second After a few bumps to the head you get used to keeping low when moving around Hubby uses it daily. We have been away in it a couple of times & now know what we need. Think that's best, try it & you'll soon know what you need to change/buy.

[callanish]

tesco have some foam play matting ( multi coloured stuff like big jigsaw pieces) which fits the floor space of my westie almost perfectly and cures smooth knee syndrome when the top is down......is also warm to walk on almost anytime of the year.....

Andrew

[LeeME3]

Right further to my earlier comments I've now spent a bit of time living with (and in) my tin top camper so feel a bit more qualified to comment.

I've got a 3/4 bed and a front cab hammock bed for the youngest so number of berths is not an issue. In fact I have a double seat up front plus the driver's seat so in actual fact the kids can sleep entirely up front leaving me the 3/4 bed to myself - luxury! Just need to add a curtain to separate the front from the rear and I can put them to bed whilst I stay up.

Yes the lack of height is a bit of a pain but I'm getting used to it - the layout is very neat and I can sit down on the rear seat to cook so that's not an issue. Looked in a few pop tops and high tops recently as my natural assumption was that I'd add a high top at some stage. I still might but Andrew at CamperShack (when I collected her after LPG conversion - top job!) made a valid point - there are fewer and fewer tintops around as more have roofs added and it seems a shame to rip the roof off of a perfectly decent tintop (it is pretty much a one-way conversion really!).

Plus I do use it mainly as a weekend van but with daily driving use so maybe keeping her tintop is the way to go. That said the kids are desperate for me to add a high top but only so they can sleep up there!

I suspect it limits the resale market a bit but I'm planning on keeping her a fair few years so not really too fussed about that - having fun and getting out and about is the name of the game!

[Woof]

Yep,
I have a tintop homebrew camper and I'm 6' 2". Not planning to change to a pop top as the van has enought leaky seams and seals already, or to a hightop as my fuel consupmtion and strong wind handling is already poor enough for my liking! I can also squeeze into most car parks still.

As a camper it works fine- with a bit of clever positioning of seats and units you can do everything sat down anyway so headroom and sore knees are not too much of an issue. If i was staying put for a considerable time though, I'd probably take an awning for some extra space.

[Alex M]

Hello everyone,

I am fairly new here but have similar thoughts on the tin tops. Bought ours recently and decided to leave as is. Heard that pop ups can be a pain and also feel that there are indeed only very few tins about. Were thinking about a sunroof deal though, preowner already set up something we could use. Were thinking about plexiglass maybe... any thoughts?

Thx.

A

[LeeME3]

....thinking about a sunroof deal though, preowner already set up something we could use. Were thinking about plexiglass maybe... any thoughts?

Holy thread resurrection batman!

Hmmmm....large removable sunroof in a tintop....now there's a thought...anyone done this? Any tips / thoughts?

[mad morty]

hay guys,
ive just stumbled across this thread, im toying with the thought of a pop top, but the tin top is loads more bad ass!
but im planning on living in the van for like nearly a year, soooooo, i think a pop top is for me really.
but i dont like how chunky they look,
does anyone know of any slimmer looking pop tops that dont sit too proud on the roof?

peace
Maddy

[tforturton]

I still haven't actually used mine as a camper (I took a tent and diner with me instead), but have decided to look for a turret top. That's one of those small pop-tops that fit in middle of the bus, and open straight upwards. They give standing room in the area where you cook, dress, etc, so you can stand up when you get out of bed. You can buy them new from Reimo Germany, but they're about €1000, and that's before postage, so I've been looking for second hand ones. So far, no luck in this country, though there seem to be a few on sale on ebay.germany. Then as luck would have it, one of the guys at T25direct.com got in touch and offered to trace one for me on his next trip to Germany to collect parts.
So there you go - if you want one, give him a call, maybe he can find one for you as well. No idea on the cost yet, but it will a lot cheaper than new.

[LeeME3]

I still haven't actually used mine as a camper (I took a tent and diner with me instead), but have decided to look for a turret top. That's one of those small pop-tops that fit in middle of the bus, and open straight upwards. They give standing room in the area where you cook, dress, etc, so you can stand up when you get out of bed. You can buy them new from Reimo Germany, but they're about €1000, and that's before postage, so I've been looking for second hand ones. So far, no luck in this country, though there seem to be a few on sale on ebay.germany. Then as luck would have it, one of the guys at T25direct.com got in touch and offered to trace one for me on his next trip to Germany to collect parts.
So there you go - if you want one, give him a call, maybe he can find one for you as well. No idea on the cost yet, but it will a lot cheaper than new.

You going to fit it yourself?