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DubNuts
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2009
Posts: 194
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 Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:21 pm Post subject: BusDepot.com: New Rear Hatch Shelter |
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Check it out Guys.. A New offering From Bus Depot...
WoW.. Got mine on order and it's in the mail already..
Thanks Ron 
http://www.busdepot.com/ahg
Oh-oooo and Bus Depot just Received a Chit Load of PopTop Tents for all of us who's been waiting for them plus many other new items are now in stock..
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SteveVanB
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Joined: June 01, 2008
Posts: 1645
Location: This side of Daytona
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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That's sweeeet! Not a bad price either!
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91 CARAT |
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randywebb
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Joined: February 15, 2005
Posts: 3815
Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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who makes it?
I have learned to avoid BD.
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1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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Ahwahnee
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Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, it would let you work on the engine in a pouring rain. |
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PDXWesty
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Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6247
Location: Portland OR
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sbclayton
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Joined: October 14, 2003
Posts: 483
Location: A place where owning a VW and enjoying life are synonymous
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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Sweet! Sure beats my old shower curtain trick!
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Steve - Tampa Bay Area
Original Owner (12/1990) of
NavDog, a 91 Carat
Enlightenment came when I realized that any time in my life I was having fun, it was somehow connected with owning a Volkswagen. |
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Steelhead
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Joined: February 25, 2007
Posts: 1791
Location: Kentfield, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder:
- Does it have a floor? (pluses and minuses)
- Does it drape down to the ground behind engine? It would need to in order to be bug proof.
- Does it secure somehow, or just hang?
Could be really nice. Allows for quietly slipping out to the woods in the middle of the night.
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'77 Bay Window / '89 Caratsburg (aka. the Stormtrooper) |
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DubNuts
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Joined: January 06, 2009
Posts: 194
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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The way it was described to me and from what I understand, the floor is open and it is meant as more of an extention of the Lift Gate / Hatch to assist in some privicy, out of the weather storage, Shower, Pottie etc etc..
I would guess that if your in a Buggie area you would still use your rear hatch screen, but the Hatch can be left open in the rain etc or for that special need.
I'm sure like so many other products this too will be improved upon over time. But it's great as is and trust me will come in handy. I'll let you know more or I'll post some pics once I use mine.
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nemobuscaptain
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Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 3874
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Busdepot
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 1314
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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| DubNuts wrote: |
The way it was described to me and from what I understand, the floor is open and it is meant as more of an extension of the Lift Gate / Hatch to assist in some privacy, out of the weather storage, Shower, Pottie etc etc.. I would guess that if your in a Buggie area you would still use your rear hatch screen, but the Hatch can be left open in the rain etc or for that special need.
I'm sure like so many other products this too will be improved upon over time. But it's great as is and trust me will come in handy. I'll let you know more or I'll post some pics once I use mine. |
This is my own design (as is our Add-A-Room side shelter), and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. It does not have a floor but it does drape all the way to the ground. I've been camping with the prototype all summer long (that's my Westy in the picture linked above), including some long weekends in upstate NY backed right up to ponds and lakes (tons of mosquitoes), and left the hatch open all night. While I'm sure an errant bug or two could sneak in under the van and then up inside the shelter, they never did; there were lots of bugs outside and none inside. The production version is almost the same as the prototype in the picture except for a few minor changes: I tweaked the dimensions a bit, reversed the order of the screen door and solid door (it looks better if the solid door is on the outside and matches the rest of the shelter), and added a velcro'd slit on one side to accommodate the hose from a solar shower. My family of 5 camp in our Westy often throughout the summer (I made a 5th bed that goes across the front seats) and we really enjoyed the extra space. We dumped all our bags out the rear hatch into the shelter - freeing up the space inside for sleeping, eating, and cooking - and even with 5 people's stuff in it there was still enough room to change. My wife says she won't do without it now! I think for the price you'll be happy.
p.s. it's also available in beige with brown piping - http://www.busdepot.com/ahb - and in a Eurovan version - http://www.busdepot.com/ahe
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The Bus Depot
www.busdepot.com |
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bjrogers86auto
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Joined: March 26, 2009
Posts: 1375
Location: Halifax, N.S.
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:05 pm Post subject: rear hatch rain fly concept... |
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Hey Ron,
For that price it's going to be tough for me to make my own version! Very nice!
We had the rear hatch up about 5 nights so far this summer with just the screen. I tie a leash to the hatch in case I need to close it during the night. On our last night I had a serious mosquito breach at dawn. Of course, they will fly right past my wife to feed on me!  I'm not sure how they managed to get in but I'm working on it!
What I hope to have is more open and airy. It was pretty sweet having the summer breeze through the van all night long. While storage space is always welcome, that outdoor feeling is more what I'm hoping for.
I'll likely try 5 or 6 things then just order that one!
Brian.
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86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback
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Busdepot
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Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 1314
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Oh-oooo and Bus Depot just Received a Chit Load of PopTop Tents for all of us who's been waiting for them plus many other new items are now in stock.. |
This one in particular may appeal to the campers among us...
http://www.busdepot.com/j11738
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The Bus Depot
www.busdepot.com |
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debbiej
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Joined: December 14, 2008
Posts: 1556
Location: las cruces, nm
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| Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| I ordered one tonight, then read that they come in beige too. so I'm going to call and try to change my order from a grey one to a beige one. I've been wishing for something just like this. |
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chojinchef
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Joined: February 17, 2011
Posts: 1539
Location: Central Massachusetts
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:35 am Post subject: |
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Having spent last weekend in the rain in NH, and looking like this weekend will be similar- I like this idea. Cost is most agreeable.
Nice item BD 
I would like some additional pictures of how tight it gets to the body? I see that it drapes over the open hatch, but is that an elastic cinch cord on the sides?
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Its a mistress; an expensive, whiney, needy bitch of a mistress. She is a chunky, dirty girl with bad skin, little motivation and yet she always makes me smile. She sure has been around before shacking up with me. She has a direct line to my wallet, plays with my emotions, is consistantly jovial yet with a sarcastic and sardonic side, is consistant in her inconsistancy, and every once in a while gives me a great ride and a fantastic memory.
Last edited by chojinchef on Thu Aug 02, 2012 6:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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purplepeopleeater
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Joined: July 23, 2005
Posts: 3117
Location: E. Washington
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 5:47 am Post subject: |
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| This is pretty nice, I'm thinking I need one... Would be great for shower/crapper area. |
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Busdepot
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Joined: March 24, 2004
Posts: 1314
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:39 am Post subject: |
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| chojinchef wrote: |
Having spent last weekend in the rain in NH, and looking like this weekend will be similar- I like this idea. Cost is most agreeable.
Nice item BD
I would like some additional pictures of how tight it gets to the body? I see that it drapes over the open hatch, but is that an elastic cinch cord on the sides? |
The side walls are elasticized so they pull taut around the sides of the van. There are also loops at the edges of the roof that allow you to tie it to the poptop hinges, rear hatch hinges, etc. to hold it more snugly to the van. However I have yet to use them, because it seems to stay pretty tight without them (even during one camping trip when it was windy and rainy).
Here is a picture that shows a little better view of the side of the van. Since the side is elasticized I could have drawn it in a bit tighter around the rocker panels and slightly under the van if I wanted to, but I didn't need to. Even as shown we kept the rear hatch open all night long for 3 nights and had no bugs inside. This was also the trip where we also had one rainy/windy night, and everything was nice and dry the next morning with it attached exactly as shown and secured only by four tent stakes (included).
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The Bus Depot
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Westified
Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2012
Posts: 402
Location: Miami, FL
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 8:11 am Post subject: New Rear Hatch Shelter |
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That BD hatch shelter looks great. It would be nice to have a piece covering the bottom rear of the van, from the bumper to the ground. It could be an add on piece with snaps or a zipper to the existing cover. Mosquitos in Florida will find any opening eventually. It might also discourage Racoons from coming in. They are pesky little critters in the Everglades. Also i would like side screened windows for more ventilation, with zippered flaps like the door. I know you put this in production, but maybe you can consider it for the future. Keep up the good work.
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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danfromsyr
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Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 8:58 am Post subject: |
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hey now you all, your going to drive up the price with all yoru added ammenities..
my only question/concern is w/o corner poles how it handles wind and possibly a hatch closing midle of the night with aging struts.
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dobryan
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