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Camper shell with a sunroof?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by 4bangerowner, Dec 6, 2020.

  1. Dec 6, 2020 at 8:59 PM
    #1
    4bangerowner

    4bangerowner [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Do they make any camper shells with a sunroof?
     
  2. Dec 7, 2020 at 10:29 AM
    #2
    Rocketball

    Rocketball If The World Didn't Suck, We'd All Fall Off

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    I've never seen one, but that doesn't necessarily mean you couldn't add one.
     
  3. Dec 7, 2020 at 10:35 AM
    #3
    4xdog

    4xdog Well-Known Member

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    I'd guess adding one of the simple pop-up sunroofs to a shell would be a fairly easy mod. Might be kind of nice, in fact.

    But be careful about the thickness of the shell -- sometimes the composite structure of canopies is quite a bit thicker than a normal vehicle roof, and might play havoc with trimming out a pop-up sunroof.
     
    theredofshaw and photogr4x4 like this.
  4. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:10 PM
    #4
    photogr4x4

    photogr4x4 Well-Known Member

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    Like @4xdog said a pop up would be super cool but a sunroof/skylight would also be cool.
     
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  5. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:22 PM
    #5
    Rock Lobster

    Rock Lobster Thread Derailer

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    Ive never seen one stock, but it should be easy enough to bolt in an RV roof hatch. Some of them come clear, others come with an exhaust fan depending on how fancy you wanna get.

    Or if you want to go retro, get the tinted bubble windows.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  6. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:33 PM
    #6
    jgr81

    jgr81 Well-Known Member

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    i've seen some of the extended height toppers have some sort of windows or skylights in the front where it bumps up higher

    i have a fiberglass casita trailer with a fantastic fan type thing in the roof so i'm sure that would be perfectly doable!
     
  7. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:37 PM
    #7
    uurx

    uurx Well-Known Member

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    almost 100% positive that forward facing window is solid on the inside...

    you can kinda see in post#4 here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/show-your-high-profile-shells.161774/
     
  8. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:47 PM
    #8
    jgr81

    jgr81 Well-Known Member

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    oh that's weird, I just assumed it was an actual window.. not that opened or anything but would let light in. I've never been in one personally! Mine is just cab height :confused: what's the point if it's solid on the inside?
     
  9. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:53 PM
    #9
    p_chinnici

    p_chinnici Well-Known Member

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    Someone definitely added one on this forum. I’ll have to find it again
     
  10. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:54 PM
    #10
    uurx

    uurx Well-Known Member

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    yea i was surprised myself the first time i realized that, to be clear though that is on a second gen

    i feel like on first gen shells some of those hi rise forward facing windows are transparent
     
  11. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:54 PM
    #11
    uurx

    uurx Well-Known Member

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    IIRC @Crom had added a vent on his camper shell with a little fan
     
  12. Dec 7, 2020 at 12:56 PM
    #12
    p_chinnici

    p_chinnici Well-Known Member

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    upload_2020-12-7_15-55-39.jpg
    this is all I found. May have been on a Facebook group. Pretty sure he has installed hundreds of sunroofs though.
     
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  13. Dec 7, 2020 at 1:29 PM
    #13
    DiscoYaker

    DiscoYaker Well-Known Member

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    Stock for now.. maybe
    uurx[QUOTED] likes this.
  14. Dec 7, 2020 at 1:52 PM
    #14
    4xdog

    4xdog Well-Known Member

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    It's not uncommon to have a vent in a shell or canopy, and in some parts of the world (like Australia or South Africa) it's common to have a forward-facing vent to ensure the interior is under positive pressure to reduce dust infiltration around the tailgate's low-pressure zone.

    Here's how ARB do it on their canopies in Oz.
    [​IMG]
    https://www.arb.com.au/canopies/classic/

    It might be worth thinking about mounting a canopy pop-up sunroof backwards from normal, so the ram-air effect would keep the shell's interior more dust free.
     
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  15. Dec 8, 2020 at 1:38 AM
    #15
    Regnar

    Regnar Well-Known Member

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    I was looking at a topper that had a similar forward facing window and it was all looks. From the inside it was all fiberglass and they just glued on a tinted glass.

    Usually the center of the topper has honeycomb between 2 layers of composite. If I had to guess they do this to distribute the loads and stress throughout the entire roof to prevent cracking. By installing the Sunroof you cut out the load distribution so I probably wouldn’t put anything up there unless I reinforced
     
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