[T2] Pop Top Roof Rack

[John Anderson]

John,
 
That sure is mighty 70's spiffalicious and all, but both Yakima and Thule make adapters for mounting to the (near) vertical sides on a Westy.  I've had several on Vanagon's, never put one on a bay, but same difference.  You got to seal em well, and be vary careful with how much weight.  I've carried 2 good size canoes (100-120 lb each) on a set of Thule's with no ill effects over many years on one Vanagon.  I never popped it with 2 in place, but would occasionally with just 1 in place.  The mounting plate locations still looked good when I sold the van (no stress cracks, etc.) and kept the uprights and cross bars.
 
For a bay westy, just like a bay hardtop you need to be very careful you get enough height to get over the "hump" of the roof, but my gut guess is that it is less hump on the Westy top.  Plus the closer you mount to the top corner the more triangulated and rigid it is.  Just got to be very carefull to measure 2, drill once.
 
This one shows what you end up with:
 
http://www.2040cars.com/Volkswagen/Bus-Vanagon/1984-westfalia-camper-bus-vanagon-w-extras-engel-fridge-rims-thule-rack-l-k--282456/
 
Looks like he has an alternate front position as well.  Though frankly, even it looks a bit far back to me.
 
John
 

________________________________
 From: John Garland <johnpg82 at gmail.com>
To: type2 at type2.com 
Sent: Monday, August 5, 2013 3:50 PM
Subject: [T2] Pop Top Roof Rack
  

I'd like to put a roof rack on the pop top part of my vw. I've only found
one example of a pop top with a roof rack. Does anyone have any examples or
experience they could share with installing a roof rack on their pop top?