Camper 2

[T6 Dave's Dad]

Mixed emotions @Colinlp, sad that you have had to sell that lovely bay , happy that you now have the funds to finish the T6 . As for the roof, all I would say is that you have examined the options once so why enter "if only" territory and do it over again? You opted for the Hilo for good reasons, including finding a converter that you trust, so have you a very good reason to reconsider?

 

[Colinlp]

Mixed emotions @Colinlp, sad that you have had to sell that lovely bay , happy that you now have the funds to finish the T6. As for the roof, all I would say is that you have examined the options once so why enter "if only" territory and do it over again. You opted for the Hilo for good reasons, including finding a converter that you trust, so have you a very good reason to reconsider?

A couple of things are nagging me: headroom with the bed down, having to unscrew and re-screw the 4 plastic screws to raise and secure the roof, the robustness of those screws although I imagine they can be replaced. The SCA has much more headroom with the bed down but is higher and much untidier inside.

I'm gutted the bay had to go but if it didn't have to we wouldn't have got the T6. The guy who bought it came from Norway to buy it so the good thing is I'll never have to see it driving past again, that would break my heart

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

There is probably a way of engineering replacement metal screws with soft knobs for the plastic ones (I haven't seen them so my speculation is just that) so it really comes down to:

a. The headroom with the bed down and

b. The overall external height of the van.

Back to you, which is the harder for you to live with, a permanent overall height increase externally or an occasional lower internal height?

 

[Gingercoastie]

No experience of a reimo or Hilo but my sca 194 is excellent

 

[Colinlp]

Another thing that worries me and is probably just me is I can't see to get past the bad experience I had when visiting the first Hilo fitter. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and get someone like Vandoc or Merseyspeed to fit it, someone with a known reputation of good work

 

[former member]

No idea who made my roof but it's good (no corrosion - yet...).
The electric thing still makes people gawp at campsites - we even got a very French "BRAVO!" in Ile de Re.

 

[Colinlp]

No idea who made my roof but it's good (no corrosion - yet...).
The electric thing still makes people gawp at campsites - we even got a very French "BRAVO!" in Ile de Re.

How the eck could your roof corrode? You wash and polish it every other day!!

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

Another thing that worries me and is probably just me is I can't see to get past the bad experience I had when visiting the first Hilo fitter. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and get someone like Vandoc or Merseyspeed to fit it, someone with a known reputation of good work

Now that sounds like a plan. However, why not pop back to the guys nearer (Lime? from memory) that gave you confidence and have a chat and look at their work again before going further afield?

 

[former member]

How the eck could your roof corrode? You wash and polish it every other day!!

Big issue with the last Cali; pretty much ALL the roofs corroded due to pants insulation between the aluminium front section and the steel on the rest of the van.
Seems it's not fully cured but better than it was.

We had ours done twice.

 

[Colinlp]

No experience of a reimo or Hilo but my sca 194 is excellent

Do you have a photo of the inside of your van showing the underside of the roof in the down position by any chance?

 

[Colinlp]

After a turd of a week (my mother was taken into care) I ordered myself a Maxton spoiler to try and cheer myself up a bit, maybe I'll give the van a wash soon then!

 

[Davenjo]

Do you have a photo of the inside of your van showing the underside of the roof in the down position by any chance?

Not sure if you got any photos but here are some of the underside of my closed SCA 194:-

 

[Colinlp]

Not sure if you got any photos but here are some of the underside of my closed SCA 194:-
View attachment 10572 View attachment 10573 View attachment 10574 View attachment 10575 View attachment 10576

That's a 194 yes? There's a lot of headroom in there. I was pretty much set on a Hilo but that gives me second thoughts again

 

[Colinlp]

Sorry @Davenjo I thought I'd typed a load more than that?

That's very neat too, it's much nicer than the other roofs I've seen, may I ask who fitted it?

 

[Davenjo]

Sorry @Davenjo I thought I'd typed a load more than that?

That's very neat too, it's much nicer than the other roofs I've seen, may I ask who fitted it?

Yes, it is a 194. Hillside Leisure in Derby fitted it - my van is one of their standard conversions, just happens they use SCA for the roofs.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@Colinlp So sorry to hear of your mother's situation after your commitment to looking after her at home

 

[Colinlp]

Thanks @T6 Dave's Dad it was a horrible way for it to end but unfortunately it came to the stage where we were just unable to look after her 24 hours a day and keep her safe at all times as well as keeping her happy. She sees happy enough in the care home so she is probably going to ave a better quality of life there than at home with us. I think there is more distraction from different people rather than just my wife and I which stops the paranoia and the associated problems

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

@Colinlp This will of course now lead to a total rethink for the future, so I wish you and your wife all the best in whatever you decide to do.

 

[Colinlp]

@Colinlp This will of course now lead to a total rethink for the future, so I wish you and your wife all the best in whatever you decide to do.

I'm going to sell the house and buy a smaller one and then bugger off travelling in the van from May until October, my wife is retiring next Easter so we're going to make the most of what we have left

 

[Gingercoastie]

Do you have a photo of the inside of your van showing the underside of the roof in the down position by any chance?

Sorry I didn't see your post but obviously mine is the same as @Davenjo