Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:04:30 -0800
Reply-To: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: changing pop-top canvas
In-Reply-To: <002101c96522$e70d6d00$6b01a8c0@deeke5aef7afa1>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Dear Top Changer
this operation has been completed successfully many times by those with
extensive experience
--if there are instructions included with your purchase -- follow them --
especially if the instructions come from bus depot or gowesty
these are reputable vanagon business that specialize in doing what others
are unable to do
indeed often what others are capable of but for a variety of reasons choose
not to --
i have experience with gowesty right on their lot... excellent to really
friggin excellent --
my only experience with Bus Depot is reading about their various adventures
with people who populate this list and so far remarks seem to be very
good... if you are going to debate less than 50$ in price between two
venders -- make sure you adress any hidden costs --
like what is included in one that may not be included in the other --
shipping? taxes? insurance? returnability? ... ?... ? ... ?
(i am only posing the question for you to ask in your own research--
in my own experiance know that different retailers can vary as much as 150 $
for the same item bit it took me an afternoon of phone calls to discover
this detail and that indeed i was comparing apples to apples and not to
oranges)
Now regarding doing the canvas change ---
I have done this on an older model .. 1969 Bun I converted to westie with
salvaged parts --
you need to be slim ... not greater than a 38 waist i would imagine ..
you need to be able to move around in tight conditions and do so after
repeatedly dropping your tools or bits or screws .. or what ever -- Without
becoming riled up or discontent-- take frequent breaks--
it helps to have a helper who is intuitive and able to retrieve items you
drop with a minimium of snide remarks --
have an awl with you to prepunch the hole to prevent screws from catching
threads and unraveling your expensive bit of canvas...
Your new purchase may come with screws and strips to mount it ... but put a
couiple of staples in to hold it while you get screws ready --
this is called tacking it in place ...
if you do not have a screw and drive bi that are magnetic ...
simple use a piece of electricians tape to hold the screw on the bit while
you place it and start it ---
use the most important mechanics rule other than orderly patience --
back tracking your progress to ensure proper installation---
if it does not fit and it is predesigned to fit ...
retrace steps to see where you have errored in your assembly --
and yes you may have to retrace all the way back to shipment recieved and
order sent ..
people can error almost anywhere -- so before you crawl into the tight
unyeilding space between between the dancer and his cane,
between the sailboat and the drain,
between the newsreel and your tiny pain (leonard Cohen )-- -- --
check that you have the right item for the job and the right tools as listed
--
it will save you a world of grief
good luck
yours
On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 9:21 AM, dj <djct2@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi, I am thinking of changing my pop top canvas, 84 Vanagon. I could use
> all the help and advice I could get.
>
>
>
> My first question is which canvas to buy. I see one on eBay for $314
> from
> accelerated supply and they say it is manufactured by Acme. Have also
> checked on the gowesty Kansas and they say it is made by Acme also and
> gowestys price is $360. Gowesty also has an acrylic canvas for $480. bus
> depot has two canvases. One type is priced at from $260-$280. I still
> not
> sure which one I need of those since I have screw type mounting not the
> staple type. This canvas is said to be made in Europe and a close match to
> the original. The other canvas they have is $399 and is manufactured by
> the
> original maker. One strange thing I've found out about the bus depot
> canvas
> when speaking with someone who has replaced many canvases. this person told
> me that a customer came in with a bus depot canvas and wanted him to
> install
> it. He said that the bus depot canvas that this person brought in had the
> same label on it has the Acme canvases that he has installed before. So
> that's kind of confusing. I would be willing to pay the extra money for
> the
> original canvas if I knew it was that much better than the less expensive
> one. Also ease of installation would be very important. Anyway any advice
> from anyone who is gone to this and could help I would appreciate. Thanks
> DJ
>
--
roger w
There are two kinds of jobs in the world:
Picking up garbage and telling people things.
Successful people do both, with the same good attitude. (riw)
----------------------------------------------------------
Explore printed work at: http://www.prliving.ca/
View the growing list of video work at:
http://revver.com/find/video/?query=LastonLastof&search_on=owners
and ... older work at
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7135104650374818257
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3259745150182742364
