PDA

View Full Version : Dumb question but...



Jared
12-06-2006, 01:51 PM
What exactly is a safari roof? :confused: I've seen them and know what they look like, but never had one on my truck.

NelsAnderson
12-06-2006, 02:35 PM
The safari roof is a combination of two things: a secondary roof above the normal one, with an air space between the two, plus several vents that open in the main roof into that air space. The secondary roof, I believe, is always white in order to better reflect the sun. The vents serve to capture cooler air and force it down into the interior.

BirdNerd
12-06-2006, 05:46 PM
Thanks Nels,

All this time I thought the purpose of the secondary panel on the roof was to give the Wasps a nice warm dry space to hide.

p

Leslie
12-06-2006, 09:01 PM
The secondary roof is called a sunsheet. In addition to the sunsheet and vents, it will also have the alpine windows.

Usually it is referred to as a tropical top. It is found on "station wagon" models, with simpler roofs on non-station wagon versions.

Of course, they're easy to flip around, so just because it is a "station wagon" or not doesn't mean as much as it originally did.

FWIW...

sayers
12-07-2006, 06:17 AM
I have a 1974 series with the sunsheet, but not the alpine windows and the air vents, this is the way it came from the factory. Also the color of my series is limestone. If you ordered or bought a series this color you could get the sunsheet painted limestone and not white. If you got a pastel green rover or other color then the top would be white. I have an orginial series that has not been modified or changed in anyway. It is just like it came off the factory line. I also have the window sticker and the sunsheet or tropical roof option in 74 was $61.30

Clive
12-07-2006, 06:47 AM
This is Land Rover jargon, but I believe (and correct me if I am wrong!) Land Rover called the second skin (about 1 inch above the main roof) a "Tropical Roof" and was an option, mostly used in the tropical countries where the bulk of LR sales were in the 50s, 60s and 70s. It worked extremely well helping keep the interior cool - that and the relatively small amount of near vertical glass. The roof generally came with four manual vents into the cabin roof. It also had what Land rover called "Alpine Windows" which are the windows on the side of the roof panel. Discoveries maintained this uniquley Land Rover hallmark through the SI and II. I don't think the LR3 has them?

JeffB
12-07-2006, 07:50 AM
The tropical roof (or safari roof) is fantastic at keeping the interior cool! During a hot summer here in Virginia, it typically reduces interior temps by a FULL 1 degree Fahreheit over the standard roof!

Leslie
12-07-2006, 08:29 AM
I have a 1974 series with the sunsheet, but not the alpine windows and the air vents, this is the way it came from the factory.


I don't know whether this has been confirmed or not, but according to ECR's site, there possibly was a cancelled export order to the Middle East, of a special run of tops with the sunsheet without the vents and alpines.... ( http://www.eastcoastrover.com/INFOSeriesIIIUSA.html )


FWIW.....

sayers
12-07-2006, 12:21 PM
In reply to leslie, this is possible on the truck having the sunsheet, but no alpine windows, I thnk that rovers north is going to post my window sticker and factory line ticket, so this may help in this mystery.

NelsAnderson
12-08-2006, 01:57 PM
Living in Massachusetts I'm not really sure how effect the safari roof is on my 109 Station Wagon in the summer. I did notice this fall, though, that I had a bloody cold draft the first day I needed the heat on but had forgotten to close the roof vents!

TSR53
12-13-2006, 01:24 PM
In reply to leslie, this is possible on the truck having the sunsheet, but no alpine windows, I thnk that rovers north is going to post my window sticker and factory line ticket, so this may help in this mystery. Here are the images sayers sent us of his wonderful low mileage 1973 Series III with tropical roof option, sans alpine windows. We should be featuring a story in an upcoming issue of the RN News.
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_1.jpg

Original window sticker!
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_7.jpg

Factory assembly line build tickets
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_8.jpg

http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_10.jpg

Even the boat ticket stayed with the Land Rover!
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_11.jpg

J!m
12-13-2006, 08:37 PM
I know of another s-III in the same configuration...

siiirhd88
12-13-2006, 09:00 PM
I have a top like this one in my collection of parts. Sunsheet without Alpine windows. Some previous owner cut off the front part of the sunsheet, from the roof knuckle forward, to add a pop open sunroof.....

Bob
'96 Disco SE7
'75 SIII 88 V8
'66 SIIA 109 V8
'6? SIIA 109 pickup
'80 SIII 109 (hopefully purchase next week)

Bostonian1976
05-01-2008, 04:20 PM
Here are the images sayers sent us of his wonderful low mileage 1973 Series III with tropical roof option, sans alpine windows. We should be featuring a story in an upcoming issue of the RN News.
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_1.jpg

Original window sticker!
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_7.jpg

Factory assembly line build tickets
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_8.jpg

http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_10.jpg

Even the boat ticket stayed with the Land Rover!
http://c7716.r16.cf2.rackcdn.com/RN-Forum/users/sayers/sayers_serIII_11.jpg

I just noticed 'speed control' in this post....

Don't most Series Rovers have 'speed control' already built in?? (ie - you can't go very fast).

What was speed control?

Daurie
05-01-2008, 05:15 PM
I could be wrong but it could be one of 2 things. I saw an engine governor as an option somewhere or, most likey, it may be refering to the hand throttle control. Of course those are just my guesses. :)

thixon
05-02-2008, 07:31 AM
Living in Massachusetts I'm not really sure how effect the safari roof is on my 109 Station Wagon in the summer. I did notice this fall, though, that I had a bloody cold draft the first day I needed the heat on but had forgotten to close the roof vents!

My old SIII had a trop top. The vents took it from completely unbearable, to just a tick above tolerable in the Georgia summer.

Paul Rossmann
05-02-2008, 10:55 AM
My SIII has the sun sheet, but not the vents or alpine windows. I added the alpine windows to a previous Rover and probably will to this one as well. It really brightens up the inside, and its not too hard to do... that is not too hard if you dont mind cutting huge holes in your roof and hoping they are in the right place and the glass will fit...

xsbowes
05-02-2008, 04:34 PM
I put one on my LtWt and with the insect access hatches and windscreen vents open it is usually the same temp as the outside air. Has anyone made any type of flip down screen for their roof top air vents? I've had a few bees and wasps get inside this way. Mahalo!

Stacy
'72 S3 LTWT