'71 Westy Poptop Questions

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Just got a '71 Westy with poptop. Canvas is shredded, am ripping it out soon, came with cot for up there but not sure if i'd ever try sleeping up there.

First, does anyone actually sleep up there? Was just thinking about getting mesquito net to have the poptop for air....also.

Seems easy to take the poptop off, could i get a canvas cover and just have like a convertiable???

Thansk in advance

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I owned a '69 Westy for nine years and my kids slept in the upper cot during our many camping trips. I even added a second cot...they are about five feet long and my daughter grew to 80 lbs before we finally sold the Westy. That canvas was very durable...just check for rips to be safe.

CIP1.com carries replacement canvas as do several other sites. You will have to get an aftermarket rag top, as I don't believe anyone makes one to fit the stock Westy poptop hole.

[MountainKeep]

Congratulations! I have a 71 Westy myself! I replaced my pop top canvas with one from Bus Depot. Very happy with it. It was a job, but it is so worth it.
I took my stretcher cot out and stored it safely. We don't have kids or grand kids and had no use for it.... and we were bumping our heads on it all the time.
Now we do use the hammock that goes over the front seat for another level of storage while camping.

Welcome and Happy Travels!
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White 71 Campmobile known lovingly as "the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo."

[richparker]

The German canvas from BD is really nice, I spent the extra money for it and I’m happy I did. The fit and finish of the German canvas is exceptional and it didn’t require stretching as I’ve read the Brazil ones do. I would also recommend buying a roll of the plastic moulding that holds the canvas to the top. I used a pneumatic stapler, as Aeromech suggested, which made the install easier. I did mine with the top off. first i installed the canvas to the top, then installed the top on the bus and secured the canvas to the roof of the bus. I’d have to go back and look at my build thread for a time frame, but I remember it taking an afternoon to do.

I have a 7 yr old boy and he loves sleeping on the cot in the pop top. The cot has a 150lbs capacity, so it can be used by a wide range of people.

Good luck!

Some pics of my install

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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[71whitewesty]

all good info but it is an 18 year old thread...
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[richparker]

Bringing it back from the dead. 💀
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[MountainKeep]

My nickname is "Slow Layne" for a reason...
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White 71 Campmobile known lovingly as "the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo."