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Date:         Sun, 31 May 2015 13:14:24 -0400
Reply-To:     Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject:      =?utf-8?Q?Pop-top_tent_install_on_a_=E2=80=9987_Vanagon_Westfali?=
              =?utf-8?Q?a_report=2E?=
Comments: To: Syncro@yahoogroups.com, Diesel-Vanagon@yahoogroups.com,
          limbolist@yahoogroups.com, Bug Pack undefined
          <The_Bug_Pack@yahoogroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Pop-top tent install on a ’87 Vanagon Westfalia report.

Last week I had the unfortunate job of installing the very worst pop-top tent I’ve ever had to install. This tent comes originally from Just Kampers in the UK and is sold by The Bus Depot, CIP1 and perhaps others. This particular one was supplied by CIP1 which is where my customer purchased it without asking my advice beforehand. This tent has so many defaults it’s unbelievable they are still selling it. First off the edge attaching to the roof has no beading sewn in the seam, just the material folded over one time and sewn. This makes an unreliable connection under the metal bar which is supposed to trap the canvass with the beading sewn in the edge, now only being held by the screws where they pierce the canvas and whatever pressure is applied by the bars to the thin canvass. Then there’s the front flap, it is a square flap design with a jacket style zipper at the top with Velcro down the sides. Who ever decided that it was a good idea to use this style zipper as opposed to the OEM style where the zipper ends are permanently connected and make a semi circle opening did not try to attach the two ends of the zipper at night above their head in the dark as 3am ! AND, if you’re a short person you WILL need a step stool to reach up there. Then the screen is installed in the same fashion and both zippers end up in the same location when closed making a HUGE bump to deal with, NOT RIGHT ! The side screen flap zippers have zipper pulls that are Barbie sized and difficult to maneuver because of their small size. The side screens are not removable so if you damage one, you’re into a very difficult and time-consuming repair. Then to put the icing on the cake where the bottom edge is attached to the van’s roof it becomes very apparent the canvass is too tight. It’s next to impossible to make the corners without ripping the canvass, which is so thin and will rip at the very sight of a screwdriver and any tension put on it to get it to sit properly under the retaining bars. At the corners the canvass is so tight that it very difficult to get any kind of screwdriver in there to insert and tighten up the three screws in the corners. Even a short 1” bit would not stand perpendicular to the screw head because the canvass was angled in and so tight that it would rip if you put any pressure on it. Pop-top up or partially down made absolutely no difference with the angle of the canvass in the corners. Once I got the canvass fully attached to the roof, I put the top all the way up for the first time, very difficult as the canvass tension was tight like a drum ! Very surprised it did not rip away from the roof connection or elsewhere. Stay away from this canvass, there are far better ones in the market place.

Cheers,

Frank Condelli Almonte, Ontario, Canada '87 VW Westy, '00 Kawasaki 250 Sherpa, "98 Ducati 750 Monster & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale <http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm>) Frank Condelli & Associates <http://www.frankcondelli.com/> - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley BusFusion <http://www.busfusion.com/> a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 04 ~07, 2015


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