Club 80-90 Forums

Thinking of going for a high top instead of the westy pop top .... Currently have a factory westy syncro but started to like the idea of a high top ... Love the pop top but is a bit of a pain and faff let alone the wind and rain issues ( cheeky wild camping ain't so easy either) ... So having the hole in the van and all the trim in place is it much of a job ??? What should I expect to pay and what could my pop be worth ??? Thanks all Andy

Too much Ratler??

KINGPRAWN wrote: .... Currently have a factory westy syncro

Can't believe you're even thinking about this.....
Also not clear whether you're planning to sell up, and buy a high-top van, OR are considering putting a high top on the Syncro.

Why would it be a bad thing ????? Not driven a high top but a friend HOTPOD has one and loves it !! U.K. Camping is always damp and windy .. the pop top doesn't leak but so noisy in the wind .. and I'm obviously camping and not just parked with a pop !!

KINGPRAWN wrote:Why would it be a bad thing ????? Not driven a high top but a friend HOTPOD has one and loves it !! U.K. Camping is always damp and windy .. the pop top doesn't leak but so noisy in the wind .. and I'm obviously camping and not just parked with a pop !!

Not so much the change itself - more the act of dismantling a very desirable Westy Syncro....

I'm not sure I understand why fitting a high-top would count as dismantling the van.

I recon there's more demand for your van as is if you ever sell. Did you want to go high top for storage or sleeping? It's pretty tight for an adult although the westy high top is a bit bigger than mine. Brilliant for storage though

There was an article in issue 136 (Sep/Oct 2015) of The Type 2 owners Club transporter talk magazine where a chap called Peter Thomas had the worn Pop Top removed and a hard top fitted. He had it done by Aztec Conversions in Swansea for £2200 and was very pleased with it.

tforturton wrote:

KINGPRAWN wrote:Why would it be a bad thing ????? Not driven a high top but a friend HOTPOD has one and loves it !! U.K. Camping is always damp and windy .. the pop top doesn't leak but so noisy in the wind .. and I'm obviously camping and not just parked with a pop !!

Not so much the change itself - more the act of dismantling a very desirable Westy Syncro....

That does lay heavy on my mind

Sir Brixalot wrote:I recon there's more demand for your van as is if you ever sell. Did you want to go high top for storage or sleeping? It's pretty tight for an adult although the westy high top is a bit bigger than mine. Brilliant for storage though

I have a full width rear seat which means storage is pretty rubbish ... Also our 10yr old daughter sleeps up top and gets all the wind noise ....

KINGPRAWN wrote:

tforturton wrote:

KINGPRAWN wrote:Why would it be a bad thing ????? Not driven a high top but a friend HOTPOD has one and loves it !! U.K. Camping is always damp and windy .. the pop top doesn't leak but so noisy in the wind .. and I'm obviously camping and not just parked with a pop !!

Not so much the change itself - more the act of dismantling a very desirable Westy Syncro....

That does lay heavy on my mind

I say go for it. We like our hightop. Even when it's stormy our two can sleep upstairs without problem. And when we travel all the bedding, clothes, etc go up there like a covered roofrack.

Really like the look of that ... And all that storage

But I was kind of hoping that somebody would have done it and be able to tell me how much of a jod it is ??? I was hoping that as its a factory westy high top or pop top the whole is the same although I have how it's fixed to the van ....???? A friend just put a new high top on his tin top t4 and that's just glued on !!!

Mike G h i a replaced the Westy pop-top on his 16" Syncro with a Westy hightop - there's a really comprehensive thread on The Samba here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=480815

Awesome.... Thank so much