Wondering if anyone has tried making their own tropical roof

[Ypsilophora]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone here has tried making their own tropical roof. I have seen a few old threads asking similar questions, but they often seemed to fizzle out - so if you have made one (or have any tips on doing so), I’d love to hear about it!

[p38arover]

It wouldn't be that hard to do.

[gromit]

Making from scratch would be difficult unless you have the sheet metal skills , cutting a LWB tropical roof down to fit to a SWB would be easier and end up looking original.

The transition from the sloping front to the rear section is spot welded from memory (too dark to go outside & look) so you'd end up using blind rivets.
You'd need to be able to roll the curves on the front section.
Support ribs underneath are spot welded (again from memory) so you'd have to blind rivet.

Not impossible to make but would probably not look original.

I have both LWB and SWB so can take some pictures if it helps, PM your email address and I could send pictures at the weekend.


Colin

[Ypsilophora]

Hey Colin,
Thanks heaps for the reply.
When I was a kid dad had a little shorty with a tropical roof (he called it a safari roof) parked next to the shed. Wasn’t particularly interested in landies at the time - so I don’t think I gave it a proper look over (even if I did, I can’t remember much about it anyway!).
Those photos would be fantastic if you get a chance - will pm my email :)

[Homestar]

Roof racks and strap a couple of sheets of corrugated iron to them. [emoji16][emoji106]

[cjc_td5]

Doing the long sheet metal folds would be a hassle DIY. Otherwise they don't look too difficult. It would also depend on how "factory" you wanted it to look (i.e. the little welded or folded details...).

Some decent foam insulation stuck to the underside of the roof does wonders for heat (and sound) insulation. It may be a lot easier than going the Safari roof route?

Chris

[Johnno1969]

Making from scratch would be difficult unless you have the sheet metal skills , cutting a LWB tropical roof down to fit to a SWB would be easier and end up looking original.

The transition from the sloping front to the rear section is spot welded from memory (too dark to go outside & look) so you'd end up using blind rivets.
You'd need to be able to roll the curves on the front section.
Support ribs underneath are spot welded (again from memory) so you'd have to blind rivet.

Not impossible to make but would probably not look original.

I have both LWB and SWB so can take some pictures if it helps, PM your email address and I could send pictures at the weekend.


Colin

I cut down a LWB tropical roof to a SWB and the best bit was that no actual cutting was needed. I just needed to very gently prise apart the spot welds connecting the two parts of the rear section. One never knows, but I imagine they were all made like that: the SWB version was the "base" and if it was for a LWB a little bit more was added at the back for length. Once I had separated the two parts, I just gently turned the rear edge and hey, presto - SWB tropical roof.

John

[gromit]

I cut down a LWB tropical roof to a SWB and the best bit was that no actual cutting was needed. I just needed to very gently prise apart the spot welds connecting the two parts of the rear section. One never knows, but I imagine they were all made like that: the SWB version was the "base" and if it was for a LWB a little bit more was added at the back for length. Once I had separated the two parts, I just gently turned the rear edge and hey, presto - SWB tropical roof.

John

Makes sense that the components are common to both.
I have a SWB roof at one end of the property and a LWB roof at the other end of the property so I haven't looked at them together.

LWB Tropical roof seems more common.
SWB harder to find.


Colin

[101RRS]

Two rectangular pieces of aluminium, some aluminium strip, some panel beating and bending skills and all done - too easy.

171943

[p38arover]

It can be dead simple. You don’t need to replicate the factory item.

[gromit]

Two rectangular pieces of aluminium, some aluminium strip, some panel beating and bending skills and all done - too easy.



Plus a sheet metal folder for the stand-offs.
A heap of blind rivets.
Some spacers.
Time.....



It can be dead simple. You don’t need to replicate the factory item.

Depends what you are trying to achieve.


I'm sure this owner thinks they've come up with a great solution for a hardtop.
https://live.staticflickr.com/1758/42490389641_e8e6c08f3b_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/27JJmuR)Perentie Colorbond (https://flic.kr/p/27JJmuR) by Colin Radley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152321353@N07/), on Flickr



Colin

[gromit]

Hey Colin,
Thanks heaps for the reply.

Those photos would be fantastic if you get a chance - will pm my email :)

Photos sent.
As John mentioned, there is a join on the LWB one where the spotwelds could be separated. Fold over the rear edge and rivet on a reinforcing strip and it should fit a SWB.


Colin