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Date:         Thu, 7 Jun 2001 22:32:57 -0500
Reply-To:     Dave Baker <DBAKER5@KC.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Baker <DBAKER5@KC.RR.COM>
Subject:      Re: Poptop Screen repair/replacement
Comments: To: Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I replaced my pop top screen. It was not that difficult, provided you know someone who can sew a seam with a sewing machine. Here's the procedure I used:

1. Unzip the old screen and use a seam ripper to take out the stitches holding in the screen at the bottom. 2. Remove the metal clasp on the passenger side that clips the zipper together. 3. After completing steps 1 and 2 the screen will come free of the canvas. 4. Remove the zipper from the old screen using a seam ripper. 5. Obtain replacement nylon screen from a camping supplies store. I got way more than I needed, but it wasn't very expensive -- around $10. 6. Using the old screen as a pattern, cut out the new screen. 7. Sew double folded bias tape (available at any dry goods store) around the entire perimeter of the replacement screen. The tape comes in 3 yard lengths... This is almost exactly what you need. You'll have a couple inches extra to cut off. The tape is already folded, so just make a sandwich with the screen material in the middle and machine sew with a zig zag stitch. 8. Once the bias tape is on the screen, reattach the zipper to the new screen. 9. Now comes the hard part: a. CAREFULLY align the new screen by zipping it into place in your Westy. b. Once you have it positioned properly, reinstall the clasp removed in step 2. You will have to force it through the canvas using a pair of needle nose pliers. Once it's in place, use conventional pliers to bend it in order to make a tight grip on the zipper. c. Using a medium sized needle and the heaviest thread you can fit through the eye (hopefully color coordinated with the canvas), stitch away! (This took me probably a total of 4 hours. I found standing on a stepping stool helpful to enable me to get closer to my work.) There were two seams originally, but with the bias tape around the screen, I found that I could make a satisfactory installation of the replacement screen using just one seam. You will have to work with the screen unzipped so you can reach both sides of the canvas with your needle. ZIP THE SCREEN IN PLACE FROM TIME TO TIME TO ENSURE YOU ARE SEWING THE SCREEN INTO ITS PROPER POSITION.

Good luck!

Dave in KC 85 Westy http://members.fortunecity.com/davebaker1

----- Original Message ----- From: Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2001 8:47 PM Subject: Re: Poptop Screen repair/replacement

> Hi Brian, > > My Pop top screen is also starting to rip. What can be done is to > apply some regular screen fixer material from the hardware store if > the rips are small enough. > > Another solution if the rips are huge is to replace the entire > zippered screen. I was going to do this process but in order to do > that you kind of have to remove the canvas to get the sewing machine > on the one edge. I went to a RV store to ask them if they could > resew a new screen and they said it would be about $300 to get the > canvas off, repair the screen and back on. > /


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