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VWDreamer Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 11:09 am Post subject: Restoring Camper Top FAQ |
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I know there are people out there who have restored their moldy westy top, what paint did you use? Ive heard that you can use oven paint, but I would think that the fiberglass paint would work better...
whos done what?
any pictures?
Any hints for insulation or Canvas install?
Thanks!
Moderator note:
Here are some possibly helpful documents:
Westfalia Poptop canvas replacement instructions with photos/VW Trends Magazine _________________ Heather Winfrey (Woltz)
'71 Adventurewagen: Rosie
'67 Bug - the daily
BusZilla II - articulated vw bus (yes she has 6 wheels) http://mutantbus.com
http://vwdreamer.com |
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farmersdahtr Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2003 Posts: 92 Location: South Carolina
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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I have not painted mine yet, so no help there, but I can tell you that scrubbing with bleach and water will make a 100% improvement. |
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pyrOman Fire Master
Joined: July 21, 2003 Posts: 12400 Location: Over 2002 posts deleted!
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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Be careful with your bleach mixture! Too much of it may well destroy the seams or the canvas itself then it'll really need replacing! _________________ Some people are so busy being clever they don't have time enough to be wise. |
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lowdowndub Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2003 Posts: 416
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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Can a Pop Top be refinished (Cleaned , Sanded and Painted) while it is still on the bus?
-LDD |
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pawesty Samba Medic
Joined: June 28, 2003 Posts: 1545 Location: Northern Vermont
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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i haven't painted my pop top yet. but when i bought the bus it looked like a mossy rock. couple hours on top with a 3m dish scrubber and some soft scrub did wonders, good start to clean it up. i think i recall seeing some stuff on the type 2 sight regarding resto of a pop top though i can't recall for sure. LLL- i do also remember seeing a resto with top on, if i can find it i'll post a link.
dave _________________ "Go smell the wind, go far. Hear the marvelous strange chime of midnight" Kerouac
79 westy
78 westy
purveyor of refurbed westies and parts!!! inquire within!
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MrBreeze Samba Hitman
Joined: October 06, 2002 Posts: 5527 Location: Lawn Guyland, Noo Yawk
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VWDreamer Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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Wow thanks everyone for the quick replies!!!!
I want to clean, paint and insulate my top before I install my new canvas as so I dont mess it up.
Living in Oregon my pop-top is very dirty and moldy, when i pressure washed the top it came out nice but didnt last long and may have gotten worse since then
I was also hoping to do all this when the top was on, but being short I will need a ladder and such but I dont want to take it off as that would mean I couldnt drive it! I try not to do that otherwise it ends up not ever being finished.
could the bleach harm the paint?
I will update with some pictures of before and after
BTW MR Breeze I really like your picture mines a little worse than yours but that bleach really cleaned up well! I heard something about X-14? has anyone eused that? _________________ Heather Winfrey (Woltz)
'71 Adventurewagen: Rosie
'67 Bug - the daily
BusZilla II - articulated vw bus (yes she has 6 wheels) http://mutantbus.com
http://vwdreamer.com |
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pawesty Samba Medic
Joined: June 28, 2003 Posts: 1545 Location: Northern Vermont
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Heather,
the reason the pressure wash was only temporary was that the mold is living organism. while you have to be care ful with your bleach mixture, the bleach should do the trick in killing that nasty green stuff. it's worked on mine. good luck, hope this helped!
dave _________________ "Go smell the wind, go far. Hear the marvelous strange chime of midnight" Kerouac
79 westy
78 westy
purveyor of refurbed westies and parts!!! inquire within!
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westy78 Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2002 Posts: 2005 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Heather,
I've used X-14 on my shower curtain to remove small mildew spots. The stuff is amazing. Spray it on, let it sit for a couple minutes and then spray off. No scrubbing at all. With that I dont know if I would use it on the pop-top unless you were very carefull about not getting it anywhere else. That stuff is strong. I would suggest using a diluted bleach/water solution instead. That is what I used to clean the felt in my bus and it came out like new and hasn't come back. _________________ Jasan C.
'78 Westy
VW Campmobile, it goes on vacation with you. |
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farmersdahtr Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2003 Posts: 92 Location: South Carolina
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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2003 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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If you're worried about damaging the body paint cheap protection would be to buy some painters plastic or a tarp and open the top a little and stuff it under then close the top and let the plastic hang to the ground all around the bus (except the front). My take on X-14, Tilex, Bleche-White, etc is that they are all probably bleach mixtures sold in small quantities to make you pay more than just buying a gallon of dollar store bleach and mixing it with water. I sat up there (carefully near the edge, NOT THE MIDDLE) and used a stiff scrub brush and a bucket mixed roughly 5 parts bleach with 1 water. I wet down the top with water first, then started at the back and did 2ft sections until I got to the front. The work was hard and required several beverages to complete. I weigh 160 so if you're heavier use caution, the top can be fragile. You can use a piece of plywood to spread your weight out. Bleach also worked well for the inside of my top. |
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VWDreamer Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks again everyone now I want to go out there and start scrubbing but its raining to hard right now
sounds like x-14 is to strong and your right about only needing bleach i know i already have some.
I will also see what kind of plastic I can find I would rather spend a little $ and save my paint.
BTW I definately DONT weigh anywhere close to 160 I wasnt even planning on sitting in it, but I have sat no the back when I was tying some stuff down, not even a creak
I dont think I want to bleach the inside of the top to much to bleach stuff to spill on. I think I might sand the last of the insulation someone pulled off and then put some more insulation stuff up there as it drips after a night of sleep YUCK!
But thanks again everyone I will post some pictures before and after , hopefully as soon as it stops raining. _________________ Heather Winfrey (Woltz)
'71 Adventurewagen: Rosie
'67 Bug - the daily
BusZilla II - articulated vw bus (yes she has 6 wheels) http://mutantbus.com
http://vwdreamer.com |
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ratwell Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003 Posts: 8717 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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You have to take the top off the effectively bleach the inside. Only a watered down solution is necessary. Straight bleach would be too stong and unnecesary. Compare before and after. You have to be gently with the fuss. Use a brush to get it clean but pat dry with a towel only, no rubbing of the fuzz will come off and leave patches.
For the outside, e.g. moss, mold, mildew, the stronger the better. _________________ '78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ |
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Paulie Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2003 Posts: 164
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: Restoring Camper Top |
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VWDreamer wrote: |
I know there are people out there who have restored their moldy westy top, what paint did you use? |
The PO had the luggage rack section of my top painted at an auto body shop:
It looks great, but it isn't an exact match to the rest of the top...YMMV.
-Paulie |
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VWDreamer Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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Ok everyone Ive bleached it and it looks SWEET!!!!
http://public.fotki.com/vwdreamer/restoring_pop-top-1/
(BTW excuse the ones that are upside down....)
It is sooo sweet looking all white!!! Ahh...
Now I just have to get tires, balljoints, brake pads all around, finish my interior, weld up my heater boxes, fix front end damage, get HEAT.....
.....mumble mumble _________________ Heather Winfrey (Woltz)
'71 Adventurewagen: Rosie
'67 Bug - the daily
BusZilla II - articulated vw bus (yes she has 6 wheels) http://mutantbus.com
http://vwdreamer.com |
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VWDreamer Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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BTW thank you everyone for giving me good advice, I will put another update once Ive actually painted it, installed seals and the canvas... _________________ Heather Winfrey (Woltz)
'71 Adventurewagen: Rosie
'67 Bug - the daily
BusZilla II - articulated vw bus (yes she has 6 wheels) http://mutantbus.com
http://vwdreamer.com |
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themansfield Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2003 Posts: 48
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:58 am Post subject: |
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As far as type of paint is concerned, I used a 2 part epoxy used on boat hulls. IT looks great, it fills cracks, easy to repair if scratched (which is hard to do) and rock solid. I'll post a pic if you are int4erested in seeing it, _________________ Need British parts? 800-235-6954 ext 3199!! |
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ratwell Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003 Posts: 8717 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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Although many boats are fiberglass like the poptop you don't have to use Marine specific paints and compounds unless you are turning your bus into a house boat. Corvettes use plain old autopaint and it will do just fine on your poptop as long as you prepare the surface properly just like any other paint job. _________________ '78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ |
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VWDreamer Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2003 Posts: 65 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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I would like to see pictures if you got them !
I know that for best results when painting the tempurature needs to be between 60-65 degrees. But it hasnt gotten that warm in a while, and even if it does, not for long.
Is there any paint that can be applied in colder weather?
What about just a fiberglass sealer? My top is pretty white already, Ive seen several where the top has been painted and you see ALOT of scratches, but you can only see that up close. My top is in good condition, but one little area where is questionable.
Also I am thinking about removing the luggage rack bars, and little hook thingys, painting and then screwing back on. Right now they are held on my rivits..I am not sure if its worth it or if it would crack the fiberglass is I drilled the rivits out... _________________ Heather Winfrey (Woltz)
'71 Adventurewagen: Rosie
'67 Bug - the daily
BusZilla II - articulated vw bus (yes she has 6 wheels) http://mutantbus.com
http://vwdreamer.com |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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ratwell wrote: |
Although many boats are fiberglass like the poptop you don't have to use Marine specific paints and compounds unless you are turning your bus into a house boat. Corvettes use plain old autopaint and it will do just fine on your poptop as long as you prepare the surface properly just like any other paint job. |
That may be true but using the marine epoxy will give you a more durable and longer lasting finish. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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Duncwarw Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2003 Posts: 3094
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:24 pm Post subject: Texture |
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This may be a stupid question, but I have to ask.
My camper's a '73 and the pop-top looks like fiberglass. That is to say it is not smooth and you can see the actual glass fiber in it. I have seen others that are smooth like a boat hull. Is this preparation (ie; filling and sanding, etc), or were there different tops?
After 30 years outdoors, I have no doubt my top doesn't look like it did when new, but then I didn't own it in '73.
I also read a Hoover sermon that talked about using aluminum paint (with bits of metal in it) to re-do a top. Has anybody done this?
Thank's |
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