Thread: Safari or Tropical Roof

Hello All,

Here are some photographs of the vehicle in question. No side windows high in the roof either.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Some time ago I downloaded the Land Rover Salesman's Manual on to Aulro. If you look at pages 29 & 30 Land Rover clearly refer to both the 88" & 109" station wagons as having a tropical roof. It was never referred to as anything else in house at Leyland Australia.

Kiwis speak funny so they may have strange names for things.

Originally Posted by Gordie

Well I can't say what was documented, bit it seemed that it was a given where I was, that anything that was 'stationwagon' albeit it swb or lwb, with a hardtop and rear door, was a 'safari'. And usually they had the 'second roof', although mine doesn't. But no, we didn't go on safaris or go to the tropics, unless we got onto a hairybuzzer(aeroplane).

As you suggest maybe it was a local thing to call a Station Wagon a Safari ?
In the UK a sedan with a rear door and space behind the seats was an Estate Car sometimes called a Station Wagon or Shooting Brake. I'm not sure if Station Wagon was a British or American term.

A quick google also throws up 'Safari rear door', which is the rear door from a Station Wagon but it allows easy access to passengers in the back row so handy on a safari ..... who knows.....

Lionel,
Interesting that your roof doesn't have the windows but both the SWB & LWB Station Wagon roofs in the parts manuals have windows. As yours isn't a Station Wagon maybe the 'optional' Tropical Roof didn't have the windows and interior vents ?

Just found a copy of the Series II & IIa options. It mentions the Tropical roof as an additional panel that can be fitted to the existing roof. That might explain the lack of windows & vents.

Colin

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Kiwis speak funny so they may have strange names for things.

Thungs thanks mate, sheez get it right.

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

Here are some photographs of the vehicle in question. No side windows high in the roof either.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Well there you go, no way would that be consider a safari in NZ in those days...no back door and no sliding windows. May well have just been called a tropical roof!

Hello All,

I grew up in an era where station wagons and panel vans had a two piece arrangement. A tailgate that could be lowered and the top window section that could be left raised on struts. This allowed loads not to be distributed along the road while the vehicle was in motion - with the tailgate up. Meanwhile you could listen to the note of the tailpipe with the rear window open. So all things considered I am quite happy with the shortie's set up.

What I would like to know is how to secure the two top struts - pivoting metal rods - the things that hold the top rear window open. Are there any clips that these struts fit into when the window is closed? Does anyone have any part numbers for these clips; or photographs that show where these should go that you could please post up?

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

Here are some photographs of the vehicle in question. No side windows high in the roof either.

Kind Regards
Lionel

That is a Tropical Roof.

Have a look at page 4 under body work - it says Full Length Tropical Roof (not safari roof) 1956-107-Station-Wagon.pdf - Google Drive

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

Here are some photographs of the vehicle in question. No side windows high in the roof either.

Kind Regards
Lionel

That is an 88" Hardtop with optional or accessory tropical roof.