Pop Top LR90? X-PANDA-CAB

[manic]

Found this today - a pop top 88" series
X-Panda-Cab camper (http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/LandRoverCaravan/XpandaCab.htm)

After seeing pop tops on the 110's I wondered if it could or would be worth doing on a 90. After seeing this I think the answer is YES!

Hoisting a roof tent onto a rack is a pain, storing the tent when not using it takes up space... Loads of 90's being sold in Auz now. If a kit could be made in the same price range as a roof tent - I would buy one!

The thing I like most about the x-panda-cab roof top is its low profile - its barely noticable when closed!

Imagine fitting a kit could be nearly as simple as
- say goodby to your headlining.
- unbolt your roof stick a low profile hinged frame in its place
- bolt the roof back ontop
- attach gas struts
- suspend a tent underneath with bottom end clamped into hinged frame!
- stick in the removable wooden base planks along inner frame.


Some one make it!

[weeds]

Pretty sure mulgo would have this sorted already

[manic]

mulgo dont advertise a 90 conversion, just 110 have you seen evidence that they have it covered?

Also mulgo 110 top is quite fancy - or at least should be for a start price of $9500. I also think they install, its not a kit right?

Im thinking, simple hinge and frame kit with suspended tent for around the price of a roof tent.... surely it could be done alot cheaper than $9500!

[juddy]

You see you now know where Daniel got his idea from..(maybe)

As for cost, around 5/8k for just the roof and bed fittings, and if i am not mistaken I don't think you can stand up fully in one of there, unlike a Dormobile,(Jerry is the expert on these things I am sure he can give further information?) We have been considering being the Australian agent for Dormobile products, excluding vehicle you would be looking at 20k for a fully equipped camper....so slightly more than a roof top tent.....

You would be far better having such a thing on a long wheel base vehicle, theres hardly any room in a SWB.........

[juddy]

mulgo dont advertise a 90 conversion, just 110 have you seen evidence that they have it covered?

Also mulgo 110 top is quite fancy - or at least should be for a start price of $9500. I also think they install, its not a kit right?

Im thinking, simple hinge and frame kit with suspended tent for around the price of a roof tent.... surely it could be done alot cheaper than $9500!

You probably could do it alot cheaper, but it may look like a dogs breakfast, however if you think you can make one for a few thousand then you may get the odd sale, in fact as most cheaper, less quality items are made in china, you could approach alibaba.com. they turn out stuff very cheaply, you will only need to out lay around 10/20k for design/RND etc, and then bobs your uncle....

And Daniels product is in a totally different league to any home made stuff, fully engineered, ADR approved and extremely high quality....

[manic]

You see you now know where Daniel got his idea from..(maybe)

As for cost, around 5/8k for just the roof and bed fittings, and if i am not mistaken I don't think you can stand up fully in one of there, unlike a Dormobile,(Jerry is the expert on these things I am sure he can give further information?) We have been considering being the Australian agent for Dormobile products, excluding vehicle you would be looking at 20k for a fully equipped camper....so slightly more than a roof top tent.....

You would be far better having such a thing on a long wheel base vehicle, theres hardly any room in a SWB.........

right, I agree the 90 is not suited for a doormobile style camper - you would not be doing it so that you could stand up in your 90. What I'm talking about here is essentially an integrated roof tent. Always there but hidden within your roof. The x-panda manual states that the bed length above the 88" was around 7foot which sounds similar in length to most roof tents.

[jerryd]

Pretty sure one of our club members has done one of these :)

I'll see if I can recall who it was and if I've got a photo of it.

[manic]

You probably could do it alot cheaper, but it may look like a dogs breakfast, however if you think you can make one for a few thousand then you may get the odd sale, in fact as most cheaper, less quality items are made in china, you could approach alibaba.com. they turn out stuff very cheaply, you will only need to out lay around 10/20k for design/RND etc, and then bobs your uncle....

And Daniels product is in a totally different league to any home made stuff, fully engineered, ADR approved and extremely high quality....

Mulgo kit does look good. It would be great if they sold kits and made one like the x-panda for the 90!

[juddy]

right, I agree the 90 is not suited for a doormobile style camper - you would not be doing it so that you could stand up in your 90. What I'm talking about here is essentially an integrated roof tent. Always there but hidden within your roof. The x-panda manual states that the bed length above the 88" was around 7foot which sounds similar in length to most roof tents.

The length of a roof tent say Hannibal is 7.87feet so not too far off.

Cost wise say 3k, call that evens for the materials for the panda design, plus ADR certification, this is a vehicle modification after all.

Then if you had it on a new 90, would you invalidate your warranty, I think so... sure if you had a older 90 then you probably would not care, your insurance company would I am sure care....

I think the idea is great ( was it the cost that killed the company ) due to lack of sales??

[juddy]

Mulgo can supply you a kit for a 110.....

Come to think of it did Dormobile do a SWB ( Jerry )

[manic]

The length of a roof tent say Hannibal is 7.87feet so not too far off.

Cost wise say 3k, call that evens for the materials for the panda design, plus ADR certification, this is a vehicle modification after all.

Then if you had it on a new 90, would you invalidate your warranty, I think so... sure if you had a older 90 then you probably would not care, your insurance company would I am sure care....

I think the idea is great ( was it the cost that killed the company ) due to lack of sales??

yeah it would be boutique business, kits made to order. But if it was as cheap as a roof tent with simple bare bones design the kit could easily be exported. There are plenty 90 owners worldwide who use roof tents and do not have warrenty and ADR concerns.

[Mulgo]

The roof of a 90 is long enough for a pop top conversion.
As long as you want external access to the bed our pop top frames can be amended to suit a 90. If you are looking for internal access to the bed then we need to look into making a 'manhole' type access.

Bottom line, it is doable, just need a 90 in my workshop.

Cheers,
Daniel






-----------------------
Mulgo Pty Ltd
Expedition Vehicles & Equipment
69 Anderson Road, Mortdale NSW 2223
P 0438183507 - www.mulgo.com.au

purchase your 4WD equipment online:
www.expeditioncentre.com.au

Family Off Road Trailer:
www.missiontrailers.com.au

[jerryd]

Here's a few links for more ideas :)

Xpanda Cab Conversions (http://www.pangolin4x4.com/pangolin4x4/reference/lib/xpanda/xpanda.html)

Welcome to T4 Transformations - Home Page (http://www.t4transformations.co.uk/)

This is probably my favorite though, a nice conversion on a series vehicle :cool:

LR109 Sixpot (http://www.desert.at/Alben/Land%20Rover%20Serie/Dynamic/index.html)

[jerryd]

A bit more original info :)

Landhttp://www.landroverweb.com/Pdf-files/X-panda-cab--Rover.pdf