Pleasure Way Traverse Build, Poppy

[dirtmerchants]

After selling my e350 shuttle bus conversion that was 5 years in the making, I managed to grab this PW Traverse after many months of scouring for a deal. I wanted something smaller and more comfortable to drive. Ideally something with basic house systems, a poptop for my 6'4" self, and space to haul a dirt bike and mountain bikes inside. Something a bit more basic and open than the PW Traverse but the price was right and I don't need to spent another 5 years building it out! It's ready to roll, but there's always time for upgrades...



100k miles, 5.4L V8, 2wd. Currently bone stock aside from a 12v TV that was added. Fridge, sink, fresh water tank, grey water tank, 2 burner propane stove, propane furnace, 2 AMG battery bank charged off the the alternator, A/C inverter, and a hot water heater! Fancy, but I'll make do.

First up is addressing the fiberglass roof. The gel coat appears to be cracking along with a small half inch "hole". How do I go about restoring the top? Add a bit of resin to the "hole", sand the complete top, and apply a fiber glass paint such as Rustoleum Marine Topside?



Thank you in advance! I'm excited to use the resources on this forum and see where this build goes.

 

[Gtdad]

Great to see another Traverse here. I have 2002 traverse same color with lot's of "upgrades".. Great comfortable westy style vans , love mine

 

[Gtdad]

 

[Herbie]

Subscribed. I had a shot at a really dialed-in Traverse a year or so back. Really regret not jumping on it right away. These are such great vans for this stuff.

 

[dirtmerchants]

I haven't gotten around to changing much but I have gotten it out a good amount!



I did DIY window tint with pre-cut film. Came out nearly perfect and only $100 for a top spec film. I've also started removing the decals with a rubber eraser wheel. The clear coat is damaged/cracked under the decals, but overall it looks much nicer IMO.

Gtdad, I've seen your name quite a bit during my research for a lift kit. I'm thinking of a similar lift but likely with the lighter CC880 coils. Maybe not as I do plan on installing a front hitch to carry a 250# dirtbike, the rear hitch has bicycles. Unfortunately, the lift and tires will be strictly limited by my garage height, there is very little room to play around with.

 

[dirtmerchants]

Lots of new goodies and adventures!

Removed stripe decals
Sanded the cracked fiberglass gel coat up top and rolled on color matched Raptor. Finished up with a new pop top seal.
Vantage Optics HID projector headlights
Moog CC880 front spring w/ 4 Bilstein dampers

I went back and forth deciding on the WeldTech 4" kit or the small Moog spring lift. I'm content with the Moog springs and Bilsteins, given WeldTech is over 3x the price. It could probably still use either new leaf springs or an add a leaf to add an 1-2" lift in the rear.

Next up are tires, likely 235/85r16 as I've read conflicting fitment for 265/75r16. I'm thinking Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws.

 

[Herbie]

How was the Raptorliner job on the roof? The pop-top on my GTRV is 25 years old and is due to for some sort of care, and I've been thinking raptor as well.

 

[dirtmerchants]

I sanded A LOT in order to remove the gel coat crazing/cracking. Looking back it was unnecessary, the rough texture would easily cover the crazing. Only scuffing would have been fine.

I decided to roll it on which was straight forward and looks excellent. That said, it’s an easy flat surface. I used a new roller with every coat and the thick roller holds/wastes a lot of raptor. If I were to do it again, I’d probably spray it.

No word on durability as it’s been on for less than a month.

 

[Bobfab]

Hi there, great looking van!

What moto & MTB do you ride? and what rack system, looks very nice! Lets talk about the toys that are fun to run at speed offroad

Our fiberglass top could use some sort of recoat I am interested to hear your continued experience!

I recently got into a van and read plenty of info on tire sizes (even started a thread on this forum), in the end i chose the Sumitomo Encounters in the 265/75/16 size. They were some of the most reasonably priced load range E tire. Given potential towing and the higher weight of my extended van, i figured it good to have the extra capacity. They fit fine and only had some minor rubbing on the driver side inner fender which i pounded out with a hammer. My van had some previous damage so who knows if the rubbing was a post accident symptom.

 

[dirtmerchants]

The MTB pictured above is a Banshee Titan on an old trusty/rusty Thule T2 rack. Mountain bikes are my main fling, I started moto a few years back. I have a plated KTM 250 XCF that can get me in over my head real quick. I added a front hitch on the van but have yet to load them both.

In general, 265/75r16 is the more popular tire size, that might correlate to them being more popular stuffed under stock vans. 235/85r16 is the same diameter but about an inch narrower. Based on my research, that would equate to better fuel economy and snow traction at the cost of sidewall support/cornering stability and higher pressures. How noticeable could any of these differences be?

 

[CSG]

I love my Traverse. I bought it used in January 2008. Other than tires, nothing's been done but as it lived outside in the high desert of Idaho, the gelcoat has taken a beating and the canvas top could use replacing. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do this stuff and there's no one in Idaho I know that I would trust to do the work.

 

[dirtmerchants]

I love the red! The DIY raptor coating was easy enough...beats $2k for professional bed liner.

 

[86scotty]

I've done several fiberglass tops (SMB ones) with Raptor. If you have an air compressor, some painter's tape and drop clothes and $100 for a Raptor kit you can greatly improve a fiberglass van top or any other van top for that matter.

It's truly a one-and-done upgrade if you don't spray it over rust. Minor prep and it will be there forever with no maintenance.

Nice find dirtmerchants!

 

[Stitebunny]

Will the raptor liner seal up any leaks in a fiberglass top? As far as chips and very small cracks where water can get in through the gel coat.

 

[goldtooth]

We redid our Westfalia fiberglass top with Interlux Brightside polyurethane paint. You can get it in a variety of colors and maybe even color match it? Here is one of the videos we did showing the prep and paint.

It was really not hard at all. You don't need to remove the top but we did as we replaced the tent as well. I am sure the Raporliner would be great too! The Interlux is what the boat guys use on fiberglass boats.
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