I purchased a 2003 Ford E-350 that was formally an ambulette, I had trouble finding otherwise cargo vans also with a high-top within my budget. The high-top was constructed in two pieces with ~ 2.5-3" clearance between them that I wished to remove to gain the space for my campervan build.

Taking down the inside shell of the high-top I discover there are steel support beams, almost like a rib cage, above the van that are bolted in to the roof near where it was cut to make the high-top, that run four across and two lengthwise.

Ideally, I'd just like to remove this all together; however, I'm concerned that it served a purpose beyond simply supporting the inside shell. Does anyone know what these beams are for?

I am considering a couple of options:

1) Remove all together

2) Remove the center-two beams that run across, make some headroom in some areas but not others.

3) Raising the entire structure by un-bolting the current structure and placing along the rim 1" square steel length-wise along the van and bolting it all back together.

4) I have a friend that fabricates steel, might ask him if he'd make an entire new support system for me of new dimensions, running closer to the exterior fiberglass.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank you!