Date:         Mon, 14 Jun 1999 15:38:21 -0400
Reply-To:     "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET>
Subject:      Poor Man's Awning
Content-Type: text/plain

Brent & friends:

I've been using the little clips Brent spoke of - not the "Pony" clamps (the
orange and chrome ones), but the "Quick Clamp" brand. They are black plastic
with little yellow cushions on the clamping surface. They are a lot stiffer
(clamp tighter) than the Pony clamps, and the shape of the clamping surface
seems to mate-up better with the gutter than the Pony's does.

I don't use them to hold on a "traditional" awning - I fabricated some
"mini-awnings" that allow me to sleep in the van with the side windows open
in a rain storm - nothing worse that a hot, damp night with the windows
rolled-up - ick!  They just jut out and slightly downward from the gutter -
not attached to the ground at all - and also don't interfere with the
operation of the sliding door.

I made them by gluing some $2/yd. Wal-Mart vinyl  to a piece of aluminum
roof flashing (with spray trim adhesive), which I then bent - I can't really
describe the exact geometry here, but it was pretty simple to do using my
B&D Workmate bench and a 2x4 - to fit over the little flare at the end of
the gutter. The way I did the bending created a few corrugations running
perpendicular to the gutter which are quite necessary for enough rigidity.
The awnings would probably work a little better without the added weight of
the vinyl, but they sure wouldn't look as nice.

When not in use, they stow neatly between the frame rails and springs under
my weekender seat, and the little clamps stow up there too. The whole set-up
is pretty slick (if I do say so myself) - the inside of the van stays dry
(unless you're camping in a hurricane), and I've accidentally driven off
with them attached and they stayed put at speeds up to 40 mph before I
noticed my "wings were flapping" and stopped.

If anybody is interested in seeing them, feel free p-mail me - I can take a
few shots on my next roll of film & mail you the .jpg's.

Doug Fitz-Randolph
Yarmouth, ME
dfrandolph@talkam.net
'90 Syncro