Date:         Sun, 31 May 2015 15:38:42 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      =?UTF-8?Q?RE:_Pop-top_tent_install_on_a_=E2=80=998?=
              =?UTF-8?Q?7_Vanagon_Westfalia_report.?=
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> Frank, aside from the other very real problems you encountered with that canvas I
> have to make one observation.
> The square/zipper at top/velcro on the sides front window/screen is OEM on about
> 90-91 Westies.  So not a unique idea by someone else.  Are they a PITA for anyone
> that is not tall?  You bet.  But whoever is making the replacement canvas is just
> copying an original Westfalia design.

Loren is right. The change was made by Westfalia in mid 1990, and was expanded to include genuine replacement canvas for all years. Westfalia considered it an improvement, and it does have some advantages.  First, the screen can be completely removed and replaced if you catch it in the latch and rip it. (On the original style it was sewn in.) Secondly, the opaque cover can be lowered to any position, since the sides are separately connected by Velcro instead of a single U-shaped zipper. So once you unzip the top of it, you can lower the opaque cover by 20%, or 30%, 50%, or any percentage you want, equally on both sides, providing sunlight or ventilation at the top while still leaving the bottom covered. As for reaching the top if you are short, that issue exists if you have the older style. The zipper on the older style may start at the bottom, but once you unzip it upwards on the one side, how would you unzip it across the top and down the other side if you could not reach the top?

Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com