THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

Looking for some solutions for a hard top for the rear only on a 712M. I would really like to set one up with a structural top, not a piece of sheet metal, It will have to support weight and have a exoskeleton tied into it. I have not had the chance to measure it out yet but the Diamler/Chrysler Sprinter van cap looks pretty close. It comes in sections and has structural inner bracing. I'd like to see what anyone else has done for ideas. Please post picts if you can.

Thanks, Miles

i'm planning on building some major structures in the back and front of my 712 ambulance. i use solidworks...

the ones i've done for my suburban have worked gr8.

Miles
My top is insulated with 3/4 foam and skinned inside and out. I would not call it structural although it does tie all the "roll bars" together in the same fashion the original canvas top did. I used 3 cross bows instead of two as the factory used for the canvas. I did not want any distortion in the top. I also went with the canvas sides for the look. The Yakima basket is fitted to a roof rack system from an aero star van.

what is this "skin" material? what type of foam is it? did you do the lamination?

The outer skin is 040 aluminum. under the 040 at the corners is 16ga sheet metal to help keep the corners from distorting. The inside is 030 aluminum left unpainted for light reflection. The reflection plus the third window really make it light in the back. The foam is sandwiched in between the two layers with adhesive just to hold it in place until the inside layer was installed. The foam is just standard sheet foam used in house construction. I had the aluminum and sheet metal put through a brake at a local shop. The radius is made up of 5 different brake points. The brake lines also add strength to the radius when contacting tree branches. I am very pleased with the durability of the corners and have tested them on many occassions.

sounds like you knew what you were doing! would like to see it sometime...

i was checking out www.earthroamer.com (a fellow boulderite). he's using baltek!!! i started there and searched around and baltek company steered me to compositesone down here.

i used .060 aluminum with exterior ribs to hold it all still, using ss 10-32 button heads and good epoxy. then i powder coated it white white white (it's totally ir reflective outside and extremely bright inside). then i glued in a 1/2" thick piece of cyano building insulation on the inside. that worked, but i want to do something lighter and less time-consuming next time. after seeing that earthroamer truck i'm now thinking about some light core material with thin aluminum skins. and now, that's what you did! i'm looking for that stuff already laminated, tho.

I have really enjoyed my hard top and the basket makes a great place for those light things, like camp chairs that always seem to be in the way. I am fabricating a holder for my door halves for the front section. I keep the door tops off as much as possible. When we were at the RMP treffen last year we got caught in a little rain storm with the door halves back at camp. I won't let that happen again.

sounds like yet another design i hope gets passed around [to me!]

Hey Mike....I still like your solution, and ultimately may end up going that route. I just still have not resolved the design yet, thinking about the poptop but would still like to have a functional exoskeleton. The aluminum foam sandwich is available pre fabricated in sheets, forget what it's called, but (ouch) it's expensive.

Miles

Miles
I would have to give a lot of thougt as to how to incorporate a poptop with an exo cage. One of our members recently picked up a 712 with a cage. I don't even begin to know how you would keep the strength and still make it pop up without adding tons of weight.

MILES!!!! I AM IN SEARCH OF FOAM CORE or BALSA CORE WITH AN ALUMINUM SKIN!!!

HELP!!!

anyone?

2012- Try this link.
www.alcancompositeusa.com 1-800-626-3365
The product we use a lot is called DiBond. It is a layer of plastic that is skinned with aluminum. It is very strong and light and is available in various thicknesses (both plastic and aluminum). They also have many other types of material there but this is one that I use all the time. Contact me off line and we can discuss it further.

contacted!!