Bongo Fury

Hi,

I am in the process of replacing my auto free top bongo which was recently written off due to fire damage. I am going to view a JAL vehicle with a mushroom roof and am wondering how good they are at:

Providing ventilation when cooking

Keeping in warmth when camping in spring or autumn

Storing a roof mattress from the old AFT

I'd also like to get a pull out awning fitted at some point and it looks like this can be a problem with the mushroom roof fittings.

My partner and I are both on the shorter side of 5 ft 2 and I have read on the forum that mushroom roofs can be heavy to lift.

What's your experience of these roofs?

Bongo Tong

I've got a JAL roof. Good quality but very heavy. They are erected by attaching a pole and pushing. I'm nearly six foot and reasonably fit and find the first foot or so quite difficult. I'd prefer some way of pushing from the inside which would possibly make it easier.

Ventilation isn't too bad but I leave the side windows open as well. The roof I have is fitted with a 100mm or so vent and that is the only ventilation in the roof.

The roof is only lined with thin carpet so with that and the canvas sides I'd guess not very good at keeping the heat in. If know one is sleeping up top it would be worth replacing the roof boards at night.

Storage is very limited with the roof down. With a duvet stored up there, that's about your limit.

The roof is locked down by two catches, front and rear, the font one being easy to access by standing on the passengers step but the rear one needs steps or a stool to reach

On the positive side, when elevated, it creates a cavernous space and is well made. Apart from the Heath Robinson method of erecting it's pretty good overall.

You'd probably find that a standard AFT mattress wont fit up there and even if it did, the position of the 'flap' would be completely wrong.