Thread: Hinged Pop-Top for Defender

Hi All,

I've been looking at various long term sleeping options for my 2013 110.

My "design brief" is basically

- Cheap
- Easy to build/fix
- Same roof height to use all the 2100 cark parks
- Same roof profile for low wind resistance and noise
- Light weight to keep the centre of gravity low
- "Low profile" as I'll be in a lot of poor countries and a defender stands out enough


I think the best I've seen is something like the attached image, which is hinged down the side.

The thing I like best with the side hinge is it gives a lot of flexibility with the "house" height/shape options. I'll probably make the floor from ply sheets.

I'm thinking of making a brace to replace the strength to the sidewalls that the roof provided, and shape the brace so that it can also be a shelf for the bed/ply, and so the ply can be dropped out for headspace if required.

I am wandering if anyone has any experience building such a brace or thoughts on working around the curved shape of the windscreen and rear door, or if you have any general thoughts suggestions for me.

I'll be starting the build in approx. Oct as I'm currently overseas, and will put the build pics up here.

Cheers, Brian

Hells yeah sleep in the car - only photos I have on this phone, but if you are smart you can even put your fridge on a slide, make a gullwing or two - 2 rows of storage in the back (one of which is a drawer) and off you go into the wilderness!