GoWesty Synthetic Pop-Top Canvas Installation on 87 Westy

[jayaredoubleyou]

I really wanted my first post here to be positive - but I hope that this at least is helpful...


I recently purchased an 87 Westy with a really rough original canvas and A LOT of mold and mildew on the ceiling. I was really excited to put a new one on and finally decided on the GoWesty Synthetic Pop-Top Canvas. Honestly, a big part of choosing GoWesty was to get the bright blue color tent, which I though would look fantastic.

I'll post my full experience later - but the take away is this: The synthetic canvas is absolutely too small. As a result it is separating at almost every seam along the tent, including around the windows. Additionally, the first time i fully opened the top after install it stripped two of the screws out of the body of the van.

I'm really disappointed - I'm leaving for a 2 week trip next week and don't feel confident that this brand new tent will hold up.

So obviously YMMV - but here's a data point that would suggest the synthetic tent is NOT a good fit, to the point of actually damaging the roof of my van.

[insyncro]

I have installed a few in my day and it can be frustrating.
Not all tents are created equally and other vendors have had issues with fitment over the years.
Your best bet is to contact the vendor immediately if you feel that the product is defective.
I can understand how it feels to be busting at the seams.

I would be on the phone the moment GW opens tomorrow.
They have made good for me anytime I had any issues.
That goes for all Vanagon vendors I deal with.

Good luck.

PS, take pictures for them to see where the problems are.

[jayaredoubleyou]

Thanks for the tips - I have an e mail in their inbox and will call ASAP tomorrow.

[davevickery]

Could be an installation issue unless you have done a couple before. On the top did you install the metal strip on the outside of the canvas? And where did you put the seam/bead, in the center of the aluminum strip? Also on the bottom, I found it helpful to pull like mad to get the fabric pulled tight, then put temporary screws in the center or a little towards the front, so I wouldn't have to stretch so hard when I finished at the front corners. On second thought, you probably followed the directions, I didn't even read them having done it a few times. That fabric is harder to do than cotton for sure.

[jayaredoubleyou]

[jayaredoubleyou]

Here's some photos:

Here is a photo of some corner tearing at a seam. It almost seems (pun) as though the needle used was too large for the thread size on most of the seams.

This tool was extremely helpful, despite all the dificulty I had

Here's the new tent on top of the old

Here's the finished product (it looks great from a far)

I'm leaving it open right now for as long as I can in hopes that it stretches more and won't repull out of the frame.

[davevickery]

I'm glad I didn't read the instructions. I did it like OEM and that must have given me a tiny bit extra length. I guess maybe I never read the directions. That is a crappy job to have to do twice.

The blue does look nice. I used a couple extra screws in a couple places where it seemed like they needed the help.

Oh, and yours is not the GW brand. That is a higher quality and I have not heard of any fit issues with it. My pictures are of the last version of the GW in-house brand synthetic canvas.