Looking for supplier of van camper hi top

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MomMikel

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Posts
14
Hey all,
I'm new to this forum, although not new to camping or rving.  I was very excited to find this site and the wealth of combined knowledge and experience here!!  I have to say "Wow" to Leo for the job he did on his van. 

I'm hoping someone on here might be able to give me some guidance.  My husband and I have decided to "downsize" a bit and go from a 27' travel trailer to a DIY van camper.  We're about 2 years from retirement and we already do a lot of weekend travel.  After retirement, we're planning on a 3 month cross country trip to Alaska.  We didn't want to haul the travel trailer all that way, so that's why we've decided to do the camper van option instead.  Besides, I love to drive and I just can't wrap my brain around towing that trailer which means my husband would be driving the whole way.  Not a good plan....   

We've purchased a 2006 Ford E250 extended cargo van to convert to a camper.  We're in search of a company to supply and install a camper hi top.  We've got an appointment in 2 weeks with Sportsmobile in Huntington Indiana, but we're from a Chicago suburb and would really love to find someone more local to do this part of the conversion for us.  We've searched and searched, but aren't having much luck finding someone local to do the roof.  We'd like to have something to compare the Sportsmobile roofs to. 

Any chance anyone out there knows of another place for this type of work??

Thanks for your help folks!!  I'll be looking forward to your responses.

Happy Travels!

Connie
 
I went looking a few years ago and found the cost extremely expensive. It is cheaper to buy a conversion van with a high top than to put one on yourself.
 
Thanks Seilerbird.  Too late for that in our case.  We already bought the van.  And yes, we know they are expensive.  We did look at conversion vans first, but most have a high top that still does not give enough interior head room.  My husband isn't that tall, but taller than the typical conversion van.  We need one that gives us a minimum of 6' interior height. 

Anybody else have a suggestion?

 
I sure would hope there is more that just one place left in the midwest that does this type of work!  Anybody??

 
Google.... "Van customizing Chicago area" and see what you get.  Looks like there are places.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Len.  I've actually already done that, with many, many combinations of words in order to get varied results.  Most of the places that come up, do "van conversions" but they aren't the type of conversion we're looking for.  Some provide the low profile tops, which just aren't high enough, or they do the conversions for mobility to allow for access of a wheelchair and/or lift.  Those tops just look like an upside down fishing boat sitting on top of the van....    Conversion mini-vans are readily available around here.  But alas, my days of driving kids around are long over (except for the grandkids sometimes) so there's no need for a fancy mini-van.  :D 

We've run across one or two places that say things like "well, we probably could do that for you...."  Ok, doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies about letting them cut the top off my vehicle!!  LOL!! 

Still in search of the right place.  I've also done some internet searching for places in or around Elkhart, since that's the RV capital of the planet  ;)  I thought I might find something there.  Still not having much luck.  I think the weekend we drive out to Sportsmobile, we'll do some looking around ourselves at the local businesses and see what we can find.

By the way Len, after my husband read your post on the penthouse top, I think he might be somewhat sold on that one unless we run across something else soon.


Thanks for the help everyone!! 
 
www.turtletop.com is the home of the original company in New Paris IN that still converts vans for customers in addition to production multi-passenger vehicles. I looked at them in the early 70's.

Call them.
 
I owned a van a few years ago and wanted to raise the roof and found out that Sportsmobile was my only option. And considering the prices they charge they were not an option. The problem is that virtually no one wants to get their van roof raised. So therefore there are no businesses that do it. There are way too many different sized vans, hence it would require keeping a large supply of very expensive roofs in stock. Sportsmobile will do the job, but they know they are the only ones who will do it and they charge accordingly.
 
Thanks for the input everyone.  I'll try turtletop too.  In continued discussions with the hubby, I think we may end up doing the penthouse top at Sportsmobile.  He likes the idea of it looking more like a regular van during the traveling, plus not having something big on top to cut down on our gas mileage is a plus. 

I'll let you know what we end up with.  Thanks again everyone!!  I'm sure I'll have more questions once we get the top done and start the interior conversion.  We've got lots of work ahead of us.

:D

 
One other possibility to which I've directed several happy RVers is http://www.dodgen-bornfree.com/ and look under motor coaches and under previously owned.

Born Free RVs, from the smallest to the biggest, are among the safest with their roll bar cages and quality workmanship. You can always sell that van if you see a used unit that meets your needs. I'm looking --perhaps for myself.
 
Hello all,
My husband and I ordered the Sportsmobile Penthouse top for our van.  We'll have it installed in a few weeks.  Thanks for the input!!

We're excited about starting the transformation of our basic white cargo van into our new camper van!! 

 
Please make sure to take lots of pictures of before, during and afters. The transformations are always exciting. My father used to purchase used ambulances (way back when) at auctions and repo them into Rv's for us, one summer the four of us even lived in one of them at a campground where we held a family business. It's amazing the change. Good luck and have lots of fun with it!
 
Sure the two of you will lots of fun planning and doing the project.  It will always be a work in progress, and that to is fun.

Please keep us posted.
 
Thanks!!  I'll definitely post pictures when things get moving.  It'll be fun watching the transformation.

Chat soon!!
Connie
;D
 
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