Date:         Fri, 5 Dec 2014 18:10:08 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: cleaning the top of the Westy
In-Reply-To:  <CAEwp_cT7hpnjYd0-ievXLpENrEdSLpiZyHG440eGfiMBG=oycw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Go Westy has them too, but not in a kit.  You need the hinge bolts, front top screws, skylight bolts (and SS hinges while you are at it), and the miscellaneous little carriage bolts for the lift and the front braces. It adds up fast, but it's worth it.  To do it right, add the SS strap loops for the front top too.  

It really is worth it if you are painting the top, which I have done on two vans, and will do this winter on my son's dove blue van.  You don't paint the SS hardware like you would the rusty old bits, making the job easier and permanently beautiful (as long as you use a professional auto body paint).  I've done Arctic White, the "coffee with cream" brown on my brown '85, and next up is whatever the top color is on the dove blue '87.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Marc Perdue
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2014 5:50 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: cleaning the top of the Westy

Frank Condelli sells a number of different stainless hardware kits for
our vans, including the bolts for the Westy pop-top.

Marc Perdue

On Fri, Dec 5, 2014 at 6:11 PM, Todd Last <rubatoguy@comcast.net> wrote:
> You can use a boat cleaner for fiberglass gel coat.
> Also I understand Penetrol works really well on faded tops.
>
> Todd
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
> To: "List, Vanagon" <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, December 5, 2014 3:02:01 PM
> Subject: Re: cleaning the top of the Westy
>
> Are you talking about the outside? Local vanagonite and list member Bob
> Williams painted his 82 white, and it looks great. I have an 83 and once
> every half-decade I use Clorox Outdoor, which is a thin gel, then I
> pressure wash it off. It kills all the algae and looks very good.
>
> Does anyone know if Roger Sisler is still on the list or is he still
> selling his stainless steel top fastener kits anywhere?
>
> Likewise, I nowadays tell people to take a number when they want to make an
> offer. People whom I have worked with for years and paid my car no
> attention have, in the last six months or a year, begun referring to it as
> "the coolest car in the state."
>
> Jim
>
> On Fri, Dec 5, 2014 at 4:52 PM, Fuhrel, Robert <robert.fuhrel@csn.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> I have an '83 Westy, and around here someone comments on it every day:
>> either a 'thumbs up,' or 'what year is it?' or 'how much do you want for
>> it?'  I just tell those who want to buy it to get in line.
>> Since bringing it to Florida, I've noticed the white pop top needs
>> attention.  How can I get back its original brilliant luster, please?  Many
>> thanks!
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Bob
>>