Bus Depot's Pop Top Canvas "In House Brand"

[R0Batt]

The video wasn’t on YouTube it was on a different video website.

The link was somewhere on thebusdepot.com too

Hopefully that helps some. I’ll post it if I find it
_________________
85 Westy

Charlotte, NC

[VicVan]

I it useful to reuse these wooden blocks (found on the existing canvas), or can we discard them? (Installing a BusDepot cotton tent on a 1990 Westy)

edit: stole a picture from djkeev:

_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[skills@eurocarsplus]

you kind of want them as they fill the voids and help pinch the tent under the aluminum strip especially in the corners where I believe most of them are located
_________________

[djkeev]

[VicVan]

Ok, I think I understand. I was asking because they are mentioned neither in the BusDepot printed instructions, nor in the videos they reference.
In the video, you can actually see the wooden block that was abandoned in a corner of the pop-top.

Say I did want to reuse them, how would I know where to staple them? Do you have to install the tent as per instructions, screwing the aluminum rail to figure out the correct positioning, and then remove the rail to staple the wooden cubes at the correct location?
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[djkeev]

They are assembly jigs.
They hold the tent in pace usingbstaples while you install the aluminum trim.

I guess you could istall the canvas without them but what a pain in the butt that must be!
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[VicVan]

Thanks. I guess I'll decide when I get to the corners! Starting this tomorrow, weather permitting...
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[Ahwahnee]

I made replacement blocks from pieces of plywood. I had to sand the thickness just a bit to get a snug fit.

Installed edge-on they easily accept a staple. Being long you can use a normal sized staple, not those skinny ones that were originally used.

[VicVan]

How taut is taut? Do you have to pull on the fabric just enough so there is no slack, or do you have to pull harder and actually lightly stretch the fabric?

I went for the latter, and here are the results (i only did the front upper part). You can see there is a small horizontal fold on the top, due to the tension in the fabric:

When I pull gently downwards, fold disappears. What are your thoughts, based on your experience?

_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[MsTaboo]

Depends on how you want it to look. I like the factory look of a smooth finish so worked our OEM brand of tent to get it tight.

I was a little worried about wear from being so taut but the above picture was taken in 2013 and here it is ten years later;

No problems with any tears. Also seems to me a tight tent is gonna flap around less in windy conditions.
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
When you stir up shit you're bound to get some on yourself.
Resist Kleptocratic Oligarchy (and Idiocracy)!

[DanHoug]

[VicVan]

I appreciate the pictures, but that doesn't really answer my question. Of course I want that clean look
Do you have to pull on the fabric hard enough to actually stretch it, or that too much?

edit: Looking at the video once more, it seems that their front upper side also has that wrinkle, indicating a very tight fit. I am happy with that and will now proceed to the back.

(Hopefully I get it to look as nice as MsTaboo's)
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[MsTaboo]

Just fyi, I had the top off the Westy for repairs and painting when I installed that tent.
I did not "stretch" (might be some relativity here, I did pull) the canvas but was careful with placement. Before I took the old canvas off I made some witness marks so I could measure on the new tent between the seams and try and align with those marks starting with centerlines. That did require some tugging.
It's been ten years since I did that install so I do forget some of the finer details.

The first time I lifted the completed tent it was fairly tight and I worried I got it too taut but it came out ok.

The factory tent has those same vertical wrinkles. My Westy in 2008

_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
When you stir up shit you're bound to get some on yourself.
Resist Kleptocratic Oligarchy (and Idiocracy)!

[VicVan]

Thanks, that helps.
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[VicVan]

I've got the front and back dialed in, but I was exepcting more tension on the sides... Both are sagging like this:

I'm thinking I've pulled the front too tight maybe...

I've contacted busepot and am waiting for their response. Any thoughts in the meantime?
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[Ahwahnee]

I (BD tent but many years ago) started at the center front and worked back along each side ending with the back edge. I did the top circumference first then the body.

Did you find instructions that had you doing the front and rear before fastening the sides?

[Ahwahnee]

I suppose you shouldn't take advice from anyone unless you've seen how their install looks.

Original/Factory:

Replacement:

[VicVan]

Nice install!

Indeed, both written instructions and the video indicate to start at the front, then the back, and finally the sides. ,
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[skills@eurocarsplus]

I shifted mine around a bit after my install. It helped the middle sag a lot and looks great now. I don't have a current photo but here is what it looks like

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9496949#9496949
_________________

[MsTaboo]