fitting a free top

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:54 pm

Thats right - designed to carry people.
But will the van be as safe for carrying people after you have chopped a bit out of the roof? -Who Knows.
What do you need to do to reinforce it after you have chopped a bit out?

VW have cooperated with converters on such matters as a large part of their market is camper conversions.
Mazda on the other hand would definitley not give you an answer to such a question, so on the converters head be it (no pun intended).

mp3oplecarrier · Post by **mp3oplecarrier** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:06 pm

Whilst on this subject, I'm putting in a centre console above the front seats which will house my rear screen, 2nd front monitor for my car computer, gps etc.. As you can imagine this is going to weigh quite a bit and I was planning on drilling through from 'upstairs' and basically nut n bolting it on. Has anyone seen what is below the black metal bed base through to the headlining inside? I'm desperately trying not to remove the headling as I've done that on previous cars and know what a pig it can be....

vanvliet · Post by **vanvliet** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:41 am

One last thought -If you are looking for something to do with the tintop why not make a pickup ! I reckon that it would be easier than putting on a Freetop and it isnt as if you are creating anything unique by producing another Freetop which most folk would steer clear of when it comes to selling it as it wouldn't be a factory job . Make a pickup and enjoy something different! One of the importers/ mechanics made a pickup and A few pics are available on this site - 'Bongo Tales 'section.

keith p · Post by **keith p** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:35 am

thanks for that but i dont think a pick ups for me ,roof looks an easier job but now had an offer to sell freetop so dont know what to do with van

Keswick · Post by **Keswick** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 11:14 am

Put a sensible price tag on it, stick a notice in the windows and do the school run - hit your towns biggest market for an 8 seater.

Also, join BF as a member and advertise on here.

dobby · Post by **dobby** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:45 pm

KeithP

Most of the tin tops I've seen have been used by Taxi firms, might be worth a try?

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:07 pm

Absolutely. One importer I spoke with said his main market now was tintops for taxi drivers etc in the Birmingham area

keith p · Post by **keith p** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:05 pm

good idea i might try that out

trevd01 · Post by **trevd01** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:50 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:Absolutely. One importer I spoke with said his main market now was tintops for taxi drivers etc in the Birmingham area

Is this a record, Mike, first post of the day after mid-day. I was beginning to worry about you...

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:33 am

Hi keith p,
Retro fitting the AFT isn,t as difficult as you may think. It took me and my mate a weekend to complete mine.
First things first,use a large piece of card to template the original aft, then transfer the card over to the bongolow, ensure that you leave a 2cm lip which should be folded over then spot welded along its length to increase structural integrity. When you remove the headlining to the bongolow you will find a yellow sticker on the inside of the roof, if the code is RC 3669/01(L.S.B.) Then you can procede with the conversion. if the code reads RC 3669 / 00 (N.L.S.B.)then proceed no further! This sticker is an "in house" mazda code for the roof structure. RC standing for roof conversion, 3669, mazda's patent applied for japanese use of construction,01, approved. 00,post april 97 non longitudinal structural beam (N.L.S.B) Therefore non of the post april 1997 bongolow's, have the roof rigidity to carry the conversion off.
After removing the headlining you will find in the rear left hand corner a plug with a blank inserted. The a.f.t bongo's wiring is extended via a "piggy back" loom, in the bongolow this is left in place with a blank. This is where you will have to get resourceful. I was lucky enough to happen across a second hand piggy back loom from a wrecked a.f.t. I cannot give detailed instruction to the exact wiring procedure as that was left to an auto electrics friend of mine, whom has since deceased. I do recall that he had to add two (i think) fuses in the main bongo fuse box, which made the piggy backed loom live. I did experience a few teething troubles, but nothing too major, and a lot iof the problems i encountered were overcome by trial and error. I used to work in the karmann factory in italy, where i headed the team who converted standard ford escort xr3i's to the cabriolet version, so i gleaned a lot of valuable information on structural torsional forces, and body flex. Good luck!

keith p · Post by **keith p** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:24 am

thats spot on and what i expected to be honest,i really didnt think that mazda would have made conversion any harder than they needed to
its a basic production principle to standardise as much as possible
thank you for letting me know ,any chance you can tell me whereabouts in the roof the sticker is located ie front headliner or rear?
thanks very much for the info

antique · Post by **antique** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:43 am

hi keith p there is a good bloke for fabricating in bangledesh ? you will only get this if you have watched bangla banger ? its on cable tv .

keith p · Post by **keith p** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:46 am

is it the same bloke that did that 206

antique · Post by **antique** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:02 am

hi he get bangers and chops them about , makes them into amaxing cars ? but with a very small amount of tools? and seconhand parts .

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:53 am

..............and a very bad temper.