Date:         Mon, 12 Sep 2016 19:04:10 -0300
Reply-To:     Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA>
Subject:      Re: Five years on homemade tyvek Westy cover--here's how it had
              done
Comments: To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAFnDXk1GDX6N0zT1Mv5CnM1TXA7x8Mjf1f=nXGo48MVCGcUuxQ@mail.gmail.com>
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Jim,

Great report … what weight of tyvek did you use?  As light as building wrap or disposable cleanroom suits?

> On 12-Sep-2016, at 14:58, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> It's been about five years since I bought $40 worth of tyvek on eBay and
> sewed my own westy cover. It was a pretty easy weekend project even on the
> very slow machine I was using back then. I was looking at it on the car
> today and realized I had promised to write a review in the future as to how
> it has held up. Here goes. Remember that this is not any kind of heavy duty
> stuff like the professional covers probably are, but just cheap plain old
> tyvek.
> 
> 1. It's still hanging in there, maybe another year or two of life in it,
> maybe more with a little work.
> 
> 2. It shrinks. If you use it, make it fit loose. Mine fits like my Westy
> has put on a little weight. Other than the shrinkage, the material hasn't
> seemed to degrade any that I can tell.
> 
> 3. If you use a machine with an external light bulb, turn it off. The bulb
> bulb will burn a hole in the tyvek in a nanosecond.
> 
> 4. Provide LOTS of drainage for the luggage rack. If I do this again I will
> sew in a mosquito net or other type of screen to drain water. If you don't,
> you are going to get soaked when removing it after a rain, and worse the
> weight is going to tear they tyvek. I have some small holes now but they
> need to be larger.
> 
> 5. No need to do anything fancy for access, no zippers or such. Very easy
> to get into the car, any door.
> 
> 6. Ice is the worst. If it gets wet underneath in the winter (and it will)
> the cover is stuck to the car.
> 
> 7. It does a beautiful job of protecting the finish from tree sap, falling
> berries and bird droppings, and it keeps the car wonderfully cool in the
> summer.
> 
> 8. The place that gets the dirtiest now are the wheels where rain splatters
> debris up onto them. If I do this again I will consider bringing the cover
> to the ground.
> 
> 9. Strong winds can blow it off if you don't have ties (I do, but don't
> often use them).
> 
> Jim