Date:         Wed, 16 Apr 2014 17:33:02 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Poptop seal installed
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This afternoon I installed my Bus Depot poptop seal in about 20 minutes.
Easy Peasy and I am very pleased with the product and the results. I
compensated for the inevitable rubber shrink by doing two things: First, I
slid the ends of the seal up under the bottom of the front seal by about 14
inch. My old one had pulled back considerable from age and had left a gap
there. Second, I went ahead of my work tapping the seal into place with a
rubber hammer so that the seal was "scalloped" onto the edge of the top
every eight inches or so, then went back and tapped it all home. In that
way, the "loops" of the scallops contained a little extra material that
compressed between the low points as the scallops were pressed home. This
was a minor thing, the scallops maybe hung a half inch down or so from the
seated part. Nonetheless, I think this preloaded the seal evenly all
around. Hopefully, the compression given to the length of the seal will
compensate for the shrinkage that takes place in the future.

Trimming the leftover section cleanly was a piece of cake accomplished with
a bolt cutter.

I'll be sure and let every know how it worked out in 32 years when I'm 96.

Jim