Roof Shape, Design or Cock Up?

[ArunAlec]

After another, infrequent, wash of the Cali I still can't work why the roof has been designed with troughs running length wise rather than ridges (as on fixed roof vans). They just collect crud and make roof cleaning a pain! It wouldn't surprise me if there was a cock up interpreting the design drawings!
Anyone got a theory?

 

[WelshGas]

Lightness, also the California has a rigid, strengthening roof frame that the Transporter van doesn't have.

 

[Max-Felix]

Ahh.. you're viewing it from the perspective of a little man sitting on a ridge looking into a trough, you want to sit in the trough and look up at the ridge! They just connected all the ridges at the sides and ends.

Personally I think it looks pretty neat. It's just the way they press the roof to give it strength - I mean, there's a lot to get annoyed about on the Cali but whether the roof has ridges or troughs cannot be one of them surely!

 

[ArunAlec]

Lightness, also the California has a rigid, strengthening roof frame that the Transporter van doesn't have.

Appreciate the need for strengthening but why have them recessed rather than proud?

 

[ArunAlec]

Ahh.. you're viewing it from the perspective of a little man sitting on a ridge looking into a trough, you want to sit in the trough and look up at the ridge! They just connected all the ridges at the sides and ends.

Personally I think it looks pretty neat. It's just the way they press the roof to give it strength - I mean, there's a lot to get annoyed about on the Cali but whether the roof has ridges or troughs cannot be one of them surely!

Ahh.. you're viewing it from the perspective of a little man sitting on a ridge looking into a trough, you want to sit in the trough and look up at the ridge! They just connected all the ridges at the sides and ends.

Personally I think it looks pretty neat. It's just the way they press the roof to give it strength - I mean, there's a lot to get annoyed about on the Cali but whether the roof has ridges or troughs cannot be one of them surely!

I'm certainly not annoyed, just interested.
I did try sitting in the trough but it's full of water!

 

[SimonB]

Where I park is on a slight hill so when/if it rains all the water runs to the back of the troughs. When it evaporates it leaves any silt it has washed off the roof at the end of all these troughs.
Not a big issue, but luckily you can't see it from the ground level.

 

[Borris]

After another, infrequent, wash of the Cali I still can't work why the roof has been designed with troughs running length wise rather than ridges (as on fixed roof vans). They just collect crud and make roof cleaning a pain! It wouldn't surprise me if there was a cock up interpreting the design drawings!
Anyone got a theory?

Perhaps there was. In which case should the current troughs be ridges and the ridges troughs?

Being serious, as any metal vehicle body pressing has to have these sorts of features to give it necessary strength and rigidity, I don't think it would make any real difference how the roof panel was designed as the same crud would collect somewhere. At least the current longitudinal troughs should be self cleaning to a point. When it rains and the vehicle is in motion any standing water in the troughs should be channeled to the rear taking at least some of the crud with it. At least that's my theory.

 

[Borris]

Perhaps there was. In which case should the current troughs be ridges and the ridges troughs?

Being serious, as any metal vehicle body pressing has to have these sorts of features to give it necessary strength and rigidity, I don't think it would make any real difference how the roof panel was designed as the same crud would collect somewhere. At least the current longitudinal troughs should be self cleaning to a point. When it rains and the vehicle is in motion any standing water in the troughs should be channeled to the rear taking at least some of the crud with it. At least that's my theory.

I can see what you mean though, if the troughs were ridges even more of the crud should disappear over board when the vehicle is in motion.

 

[Private_Kelly]

Karcher time!