Convert a manually operated pop top roof to fully electrically controlled

Vanscape specialises in repairs and modifications to pop tops and is one of the few companies in the UK offering this service.

Because we spend a lot of our time dealing with the repair of pop top elevating roofs (usually the canvasses), we noticed a common theme amongst many of our clients, and that was damage is often caused due to difficulties operating the pop top.

These difficulties could be down to the operator having limited mobility, or the pop top being too high or too powerful to be reached easily and bought down slowly, under control, and safely, or because the van is fitted with a long roof bed which doesn’t give much room or a good enough view of the roof whilst it was being closed.

Whatever the reason though, we decided there must be an easier way to open and close a pop top without the risk of damaging it being so high, so we started looking at how to convert a manually operated pop top roof to be fully electrically controlled.

Electric retro-fit kit

We looked at what was available commercially and found that unless you already owned, or wanted to buy a VW California, there wasn’t really any way to have an electric pop top elevating roof, that we could see, in the UK. So our solution to this problem was to develop our own electric retro-fit kit that could be fitted to an existing, already installed pop top roof that would convert it to an extremely safe and easy to operate roof.

We wanted this conversion to only require minimal modifications to the van, so we tried to design all the parts we could to work with what would already be on a van that had a pop top fitted.

The finished kit barely changes the appearance of the van, save for some beefier looking roof lifting struts, some additional custom-made special brackets, a small amount of discrete additional wiring that could almost pass as the van’s original loom, and the installation of a wired remote control which is used to operate the roof.

Custom designed bracketry

Why have an electric pop top roof?

It amazed us that the options for an electrically operated elevating roof were so limited – pop top roofs have been for around for ages and, obviously, many people manage to operate them okay. However, they aren’t all that easy to operate for everybody, especially if you have any physical limitations, or the van doesn’t have the easiest roof to use for whatever reason.

Over the years working on campervans, and especially when involved with pop top repairs and modifications, we have met so many people that shy away from using their elevating roof because it’s a hassle to put up or take down for whatever reason, or people that have caused expensive damage to their camper whilst struggling to use their pop top, or worse, they have hurt themselves!

So… why have an electric pop top roof?

• • Physical limitations make operating your pop top difficult
  • Your pop top is very high and difficult to reach
  • Your roof bed is very long and there’s not enough space to easily reach up to your roof handles
  • It’s too dark in your pop top to see what’s happening whilst closing it
  • The roof is too strong when going up, or too stiff when pulling down
  • The roof is too weak going up and needs pushing, or comes down too fast
  • Your canvas always wants to go outside of the roof area or into the scissor hinges
  • You have a tall high top van with a pop top and have to climb a ladder to close it
  • Or maybe you just want a cool looking camper that you can put your roof up and down on without moving more than a finger!

High top van with a pop top roof

Whatever the reason is for wanting (or needing) an electrically operated pop top roof, our retro-fit kit is by far the easiest and the cheapest way to go about it!

It’s extremely expensive and often not even possible to source and fit a VW California roof, and finding and swapping to any other commercially available electric pop top is a challenge and, as with the California roof, is likely to not be possible and will be much more expensive than our method of converting your existing already installed pop top to operate electrotonically.