Thread: DIY pop top roof conversion - 110 defender

Originally Posted by danialan

Hi Dylan

I don't have many pics of Jaffles build, as it was done in 2003, before we had a digital camera. I have attached scans of the remaining photos I took. What where you looking for pictures of? I might be able to find a later photo or take a measurement from my 130.

There are a lot of photos in the build thread of my 130 station wagon pop top that may help - http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-t...p-build-5.html I used box section for the frame this time, and it looks far neater from the inside than the C-section I used on Jaffle. Box section allowed more DIY as no need for a bender. I just took the cut to size aluminium in to get welded. For a 110 I would definitely use a series roof, as the front is already flat and you would only need to chop and fill the rear of the roof.

I have the same ceiling height in my 130 and it is fine. I just took some measurements and I have approx 99cm vertical height from the drivers seat cushion (where it meets the backrest) to the roof. I am 1.84m tall and this gives me about 9cm of space above my head when seated.

Any more questions feel free to ask.
Alan

EDIT: I see what you mean about using a series roof now but does it cause that much more drama to use the original?

From what I understand, I would need to trim the original roof up a tad length ways because the extra piece you added between the windscreen and roof is on an angle rather than vertical. So I would grind out a bit (the difference needed) from the flat of the roof where it joins the incline running down to the windscreen. Does that make sense?

Would the cost of the series roof be cheaper than the extra aluminium?

Sorry about all the questions, I am just trying to ensure I plan it properly. Thanks for your help!

Originally Posted by dylanhenley

I guess I'm just trying to understand the build a bit better. Did you have to shorten the original 110 roof to make it fit? I'm unsure what you mean when you say that a 110 roof is not flat? Are you referring to the incline from the back of the front seats to the windscreen?

Sorry about all the questions, I am just trying to ensure I plan it properly. Thanks for your help!

I think you'll have to shorten the roof, whether or not you use a 110 roof or a series roof. Have a look at some of the pics overhead to see the overhang at the rear when the roof is sat on top in line with the front...

The flat roof is at the front, as you can also see from the pics above. The Defender roof is curved downward at the sides at the front, to curve around the curve of the windscreen corners. The series have sharp corners on the windscreen. Have a look at the pic from the front above where you can see the windscreen curve.

Originally Posted by dylanhenley

I guess I'm just trying to understand the build a bit better. Did you have to shorten the original 110 roof to make it fit?

Yes, you have to shorten the rear of the roof. This is due to the roof siting about 10cm higher, due to the frame which is needed to get up above the height of the rear door opening (pic attached) - You can see that the lower frame bolted to the body is just higher than the rear door gutter height. By continuing the slope of the windscreen, up and back, it means the roof now sits further back. One of the photos in the last post shows the rear of the car with the roof hanging over the frame by the amount that it needs to get cut. You can also see in this photo how we cut a section out of the rear of the original roof, so we didn't have to fabricate the roof gutter over the rear door.

Originally Posted by dylanhenley

I'm unsure what you mean when you say that a 110 roof is not flat? Are you referring to the incline from the back of the front seats to the windscreen?

The defender's windscreen is taller than on a series land rover. If you look at the front of defender's roof it is arched at the front to go up over the windscreen (photo attached). I put a photo of a series land rover roof in the last post, and you can see it is flat at the front (or level with the sides). To use a defender roof for a pop top you would need to fill the front arch of a defender roof (which was a pain and is time consuming to do). You can see this fill panel in a photo of post #8 in this thread. This area also needs to be quite strong, as this where the hinge is attached in a front opening pop top.

Originally Posted by dylanhenley

Sorry about all the questions, I am just trying to ensure I plan it properly. Thanks for your help!

Hey no worries. Ask away

Originally Posted by danialan

Yes, you have to shorten the rear of the roof. This is due to the roof siting about 10cm higher, due to the frame which is needed to get up above the height of the rear door opening (pic attached) - You can see that the lower frame bolted to the body is just higher than the rear door gutter height. By continuing the slope of the windscreen, up and back, it means the roof now sits further back. One of the photos in the last post shows the rear of the car with the roof hanging over the frame by the amount that it needs to get cut. You can also see in this photo how we cut a section out of the rear of the original roof, so we didn't have to fabricate the roof gutter over the rear door.

The defender's windscreen is taller than on a series land rover. If you look at the front of defender's roof it is arched at the front to go up over the windscreen (photo attached). I put a photo of a series land rover roof in the last post, and you can see it is flat at the front (or level with the sides). To use a defender roof for a pop top you would need to fill the front arch of a defender roof (which was a pain and is time consuming to do). You can see this fill panel in a photo of post #8 in this thread. This area also needs to be quite strong, as this where the hinge is attached in a front opening pop top.


Hey no worries. Ask away

Yeah sorry, I understood what you meant but flat series roof after you posted this...

So the filler bit you are referring to is just the arch from where the windscreen was. Could you not just have a piece cut from 3mm and wielded onto the extra 100 or 110mm base which has been added or would that not have enough strength to attach the hinge onto? I don't suppose you would have a photo that shows the hinges at all?

Originally Posted by dylanhenley

So the filler bit you are referring to is just the arch from where the windscreen was. Could you not just have a piece cut from 3mm and wielded onto the extra 100 or 110mm base which has been added or would that not have enough strength to attach the hinge onto? I don't suppose you would have a photo that shows the hinges at all?

I don't really follow what you are asking, but anything is possible. There are a million ways to do the pop-top on a Defender as can be seen in the links etc on this thread, and I am not saying that the way I did mine is the only way. It is simply the way I did my one.

Aluminium is fairly cheap, it is the costs involved in getting it folded and welded that costs alot, unless you can do this yourself.

I have attached a photo of a hinge from Hesch AT - Hubdach Landrover Defender 110_Roof Top Tent Defender 110 | Offroad Hesch You can see the top filler panel and hinge. The top is a bit taller than mine as they put a box section around the perimeter of the roof. I think I remember they use 10mm piano hinge.

Extec do a different profile of the box section around the hinge (pic attached), though I haven't worked out what the advantage of this "step down" bit is? They also do a tricky pop top with hard sides Space-Tec? Hubd?cher since 2002 - Ex-Tec GmbH

Here is a link to Space Camp SF, they do a few different styles. This one reuses the original unshortened roof, with no "frame" underneath. This only raises the height of the car 15mm - 4x4camp - Aufstelldach Zusatztank Getriebesatz off road gear Doesn't appeal to me. They say you can put 120kg load on the rear of the roof. (pic attached of hinge area)

You can put those sites into Google translate or something for a translation.

Originally Posted by danialan

I don't really follow what you are asking, but anything is possible. There are a million ways to do the pop-top on a Defender as can be seen in the links etc on this thread, and I am not saying that the way I did mine is the only way. It is simply the way I did my one.

Aluminium is fairly cheap, it is the costs involved in getting it folded and welded that costs alot, unless you can do this yourself.

I have attached a photo of a hinge from Hesch AT - Hubdach Landrover Defender 110_Roof Top Tent Defender 110 | Offroad Hesch You can see the top filler panel and hinge. The top is a bit taller than mine as they put a box section around the perimeter of the roof. I think I remember they use 10mm piano hinge.

Extec do a different profile of the box section around the hinge (pic attached), though I haven't worked out what the advantage of this "step down" bit is? They also do a tricky pop top with hard sides Space-Tec? Hubd?cher since 2002 - Ex-Tec GmbH

Here is a link to Space Camp SF, they do a few different styles. This one reuses the original unshortened roof, with no "frame" underneath. This only raises the height of the car 15mm - 4x4camp - Aufstelldach Zusatztank Getriebesatz off road gear Doesn't appeal to me. They say you can put 120kg load on the rear of the roof. (pic attached of hinge area)

You can put those sites into Google translate or something for a translation.

thanks heaps for your help mate. I have a pretty good idea what to do now! I'm probably 6 month off starting or so which will give me plenty more time to research it! You're 130 conversion thread has helped heaps too.

To help with some pop top ideas, attached are some photos of 110 pop tops from the 2015 off road show at Bad Kissingen in Germany. To see photos of the other vehicles at the show go to this thread - Abenteuer Allrad in Bad Kissingen, Germany 2015 - anyone going?


First up, using a series land rover roof. I believe these pop tops (2 different cars) were done by Evo Campers - Evo-Camper

They use a shorter box section around the top of the body, and have an extension out the front (above the windscreen) to keep the original roof length. They also keep the arch above the rear door, and in the (pop top) roof.

Off road Hesch from Austria: - Hubdach Landrover Defender 110_Roof Top Tent Defender 110 | Offroad Hesch

Has a very solid look with a 10mm front hinge pin! Manfred said this way he doesn't get any returns when people go overboard loading up the roof. He also does some tricky cover plates inside at the front, above the windscreen.