Pop Top Canvas Installation / North Carolina service garages

[creative native]

The pop top canvas in my '86 needs to be replaced. I bought a new canvas, but am having trouble finding a shop to install it. It seems logical to have a Volkswagen garage do the job, but am having a hard time finding one. My regular mechanic does not do this sort of work.

As Vanagons become rarer, it seems there are fewer people who work on them. I am located in western NC. Should we begin a thread with a current list of known garages who work on Vanagons in NC and also by state, like the old VW dealership maps & directories that came with new VWs?

[mikemtnbike]

Bit of a distance from hickory but Asheville VeeDub and Westy Motorwerks are in, well, Asheville.

I remember there being a couple in Charlotte listed on roadhaus.com
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[campism]

Roadhaus.com lists several in the western part of the state; W-S, Mt. Airy, Newton, Hendersonville, etc.

http://www.roadhaus.com/shops_advanced_search_results2.php
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[davideric9]

Try an auto or marine upholstery shop, this project is canvas and screws, not much Volkswagen about it. Good luck.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia, stock (bought 1994)
1986 Syncro Westfalia SVX, 3 knob (bought 2008)
1987 Westfalia (bought 2010)
1988 Wolfsburg GL (bought 2012)

[dobryan]

You do want to find a shop that has done this before. It is a PITA the first time.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[AZ Landshaper]

upholstery shops here in tucson do them. call a local upholstery shop that works on collectable cars. ill bet they have seen this project before.
although its a great DIY
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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[creative native]

Thank you all for your responses.

I have never replaced a pop top canvas and really would like to do this myself, but I have no help, no garage and am leery of doing it on my own without any help from someone who has. I know some of the local VW garages, but they do not do pop top canvas installations. I will check with an upholstery shop. That makes sense to me.

[dobryan]

The first time I did one I had never done it before. No helper. Took a while but got it done. There are plenty of good topics here on how to do it.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[wbailey2112]

I'm in the middle of a canvas replacement myself. I say in the middle because our van is still at the paint/body shop and the cleaned pop top with new canvas installed is sitting upside down in my garage on saw horses along with a cleaned luggage rack. A couple of comments based on your posts.

You will need at least one assistant. I know a guy locally that did one by himself without removing the top from his van. I don't know how he did it this way but he did since he did not have anyone to assist him.

You don't need a garage unless you're doing it on a rainy or snowy day.

You do need to watch the videos on You Tube that Go Westy and others have posted for the type of attachment of the canvas to the top (staples or screws) you have.

You need to take the time to clean the pop top inside and out while you have it off the van. We just used a spray bottle with diluted bleach water and a soft brush along with the hose to thoroughly rinse everything. The bleach water did a great job on both the inside flocking and on the outside of the top.

You can definitely do it yourself if you take your time and follow the instructions and process described in the videos.
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'74 Thing
'83 Westfalia

[Ahwahnee]

[jmillsj]

I’m ready to tackle this over the Thanksgiving weekend. There are good videos on how to and it really doen’t look that hard, if you take your time. I ended up with the Bus Depot canvas, after careful consideration. Can’t wait.
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1985 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
Vanagon owner since 1995

[B.O.B.Wanders]

"Not that hard" Hmm. No, not technically, but I'm certainly not looking forward to doing it again. I'm sure when the time comes I will, if I'm still physically able that is.

Take your time. Take lots of breaks, and follow the directions carefully. The Bus Depot tops are good but VERY tight. No room for slack at all.

Something to be thankful for this week - At least you won't have to deal with staples like with the older vans!
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83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[creative native]

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts on the subject. Through the suggestions and RoadHaus, I was able to locate a shop in Asheville, NC, who will install the canvas for me.

I have heard before that the Bus Depot canvases are tight, which is why I went there. I think canvases that look like baggy sails are very unattractive.

I have watched the GoWesty video on canvas installation and if I had at least another helper, I would be more inclined to do this job myself.

I plan on taking full advantage of the top being off and am planning to scrub it with bleach water, install new seals and possibly see about getting it painted. After installing the new skylight kit, one of the fasteners drips a drop or two of water in heavy rain, so I need to look into that as well.

[AZ Landshaper]

They probably wont remove the top. If all you have them doing is installing the canvass they will probably do it with the top on your rig. I never removed mine. Ive done two now and they are not terribly hard to do without removing the shell. its a half day job for one guy with the right tools and skills.
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Support Small Business.

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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[Ahwahnee]

[GreenG]

[VWagabond]

I'm in Charlotte and replaced mine some years past and went with the Bus Depot offering and was pleased with the fit. Did it by myself and didn't remove the top from the bus though it got a little tight working at the rear but wasn't bad and the time involved was one afternoon. Had it on now for 10 years and it's still in great shape and I've found the 3 windows are much improved over the original single version.
Good luck & keep us updated.
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The Road Goes Ever On & On……...
VWagabond
87 Camper GL
87 Syncro GL

[AZ Landshaper]

breakout the beers and a fiddle brah its time for a topless van party.


Let us know how it goes.
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Support Small Business.

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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[shagginwagon83]

My dad and I did ours over 3 days. Took the top off. Staple in. It probably took us 6 hours total.
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[Buggeee]