Vannin' Home Forums Chevy General Discussion Questions on a Coachman top on 84 g20

Hello everyone. Pretty soon I will be buying a 84 G20 with a Coachman hightop. I plan on useing this van to travel the US with for about 5 years. I've done tons of research on this van but there is one I haven't been able to answer....will I be able to bolt roof racks, fuel can mounts, etc. I have seen how to do this but I don't know if these roofs are strong enough. Does anybody have any input

That's a sweet van! I see a lot of people bolt roof racks onto the fiberglass (?) tops on VW Westfalias, I'd imagine it would be no problem on that top. It's already REALLY high though. I'd look at hitch mounted solutions personally.

I'd agree. It may have been strong enough when new but fibreglass can age badly and be weakened over time with UV rays etc. Lots of hitch mounted stuff out there.

This is what I just got and joined the forms for as well, an 84 Coachman HiTop.

Did yours come with a 305? A/C?

One minor thing I notice that’s different is I have two front windows in the fiberglass (I can confirm this with the water leaks 😁).

Subbed. I’ll be heavily rebuilding mine for the next month. I hope to include pics with a lot of the work.

The fiberglass is usually 5/8-3/4 thick but supported by plywood inserts in the fiberglass to bolt to roof racks through. Me personally, I wouldn’t bolt a rack without those inside supports - too much weight, height, and risk. Camper conversions don’t typically add those inserts like aftermarket fiberglass companies would (Ie: Fiberine).

How does the inside look? Any reason why a wall or ceiling part would need to come off? That’d be able to show you the skeleton to verify. I have plenty of interior repair work coming on mine so I’ll be able to confirm the supports or not. In due time.

Hey guys. I went with a different van. 87 GMC vandura
Mine is completely gutted down to the skeleton. I will be rebuildimg it to travel and live very in with my girlfriend.

Plan on doing a build thread? This is virtually the same as mine, same top and all. I’m having to gut most if not all of mine as well to repair some water damage from broken windows.

What insulation are you going with?

Roof A/C work? 13kBTU?

Have propane tanks underneath?