Roof Tent/Lifting Roof - Horizons Unlimited

**ollieholden** · #1 16 Jan 2002

As we use our Landy a lot for camping in England where it's always raining and cold (but we are planning to take the Landy down thru' Africa in two years or so), we would like to fit out the back for camping.

We are looking for some sort of lifting roof or roof tent which provides 1) access from inside the car and 2) extra headroom when we want to brew up in the back of the car, and 3) a sleeping platform for 2 people. Now I know about innovation-campers.de, Foley etc, but they are all horifically expensive.

Has anyone else had experience of this? I don't just want to strap a roof tent on the top, as it's impractical for England, and a lifting roof seems to be mega-expensive. What do people suggest? Has anyone done it themselves?

Radical suggestion, but has anyone converted their roof to allow access to inside the roof tent from inside the car? (ie take a tin-opener to the roof) I wondered whether this would be possible if you had one of the larger roof tents which stand out over the side of the car.

**ana** · #2 16 Jan 2002

On top of my Landy 90. I have a 'Aircamp' [Italian factory is closed], it works fine, even in very heavy rain, but I have to enter it from the 'outside', I saw a rooftop-tent from 'Autocamp', type: Universal and Special 160, these tents have a longer rear [or side]-end, so that you can climb up/in the 'sleeping-space' on top of the car from within the tent-area. [so you don't have to leave the tent to get in the sleeping-area..]. http://www.autocamp.de [site also in English][expensive]
I also saw a 110 with a adjustable roof, like the roof on the VW campers, the 110landy was from the UK and the owner told me that there where a few UK companies who had that roof in standard production for Landrover, and it wasn't so expensive as it looked. sorry, don't remember the company names.
ps. I think [uk]'Brown-church' rooftop tents, has a more or less the same option tent as autocamp.

**roamingyak.org** · #3 16 Jan 2002

Hi Ollie,

I also had a look into the various options, and ruled most of them out because of the cost (ie: they cost more than the vehicle did)

I can't remember the name exactly, but I think its carawagon who offer a solution for less money. They advertise in some of the lr mags etc. It might be worth looking into...

I have a sunroof on my 110, and I had thought of butchering a normal tent in some way so that I could get up and down into the tent. On a roof rack with bordering this may work out ok? I am planning on sleeping inside alot, but for summer/safe climates I'm keen on having a roof option etc
http://www.solms.net/landrover.html has two pictures of a tent that does this, and I also believe that the folks from http://www.alm-it.freeserve.co.uk also put an extra sunroof at the back for access from their tent.

I have seen military sunroofs kicking around for £60 so it might be a cheap option? I'm going to look into carefully before handing over £600 for a roof top tent, so drop me a line if you like etc

Cheers,
Darrin
dj@roamingyak.org

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**ana** · #4 18 Jan 2002

The 'lifting roof' company name is: Dormobile.ltd.

Go to: http://www.landroverclub.net/Club/HTML/Billing1999.htm -and skroll down. There are more companies.

tim

**roamingyak.org** · #5 18 Jan 2002

Yes, thats them!
www.dormobile.com I think...

**Toby** · #6 19 Jan 2002

Ollie, What you really need is a Carawagon. Pretty rare now, but manufactured in UK from about 1962 to 1982 . Take a look at http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/carawagons
Word of warning though. You will never stop any Land Rover leaking.
Happy travels,
Toby

**MartinH** · #7 17 May 2002

These guys supply tents that cover the back completely.
You still have to "get wet" to enter the tent.
There products are well built and long lasting, and not so expensive R4000 - 6000 ($360 - 550)
Try there sight, they might be able to send it to you.

http://www.footloose4x4.com/page2.html

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MeTeMaR