Brazilian Truck Canopy Details?

[nynone4]

I just acquired an original Brazilian Tilt for my crew cab (Thanks Cameron!) - but it's missing a couple small parts that I'll need to reproduce or find solutions to fit it to the truck. Would someone with one of these bed covers be willing to take a couple detail pics for me please?

I'm looking for specifically how the front hoop clamps to the drip rail beneath the rear window, and the associated padding for those clamps. Also - for the rear hoop - how does yours attach and are there rubber isolator pads on the bottom of the feet? If so - what do those look like?

Thanks in advance for any help!
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>>Looking for any and all Vic Williams, Peoria Illinois dealership items.<<

[nynone4]

Managed to get the original canopy repaired by a local company called "Fibrenew" that replaced all the original seam piping and reinforced / resewed seams as well as a couple small patches. Great work at a reasonable price.

My question - can someone who has one of these take pics of how the side canvas panels secure when down? The remaining straps my tilt had don't line up with the outside loops on the gates - and look like they might have required a tie down loop on the insides of the gates for the straps to weave through. Is that the case?

Thanks in advance for the help. Here's some before and after pics of the canvas to show the repair work:

Tilt laying on the frame prior to repair:

Seam detail prior to repair:

Loose piping prior to repair:

Repaired tilt back and loosely installed:

Corners bolted down and rear closed:

Still fits reasonably well despite having shrink a little:

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>>Looking for any and all Vic Williams, Peoria Illinois dealership items.<<

[jtauxe]

I've never seen a canopy like that before.

Are you familiar with how the VW canopies attached? That is, with a rectangular grommet that slips over the rings on the gates, with a leather strap slipped through? Or is that what you are looking for?
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John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[nynone4]

[nynone4]

Couldn't seem to find any definitive info on how the original sides fasten down, so... here's the solution I came up with:

Similar to the early style VW factory tilts - using a custom aluminum grommet that sandwiches the vinyl - with a leather / nylon strap that pulls through to lock the groomer off over the loop

Backside leather "washer" for the strap:

Not sure why these images show up sideways... is there any way to rotate them?


Had to come up with a slightly different solution on the same theme for the front corners where the front and sides overlap. There's not enough material on either the side or the front canvas piece to add a grommet - so this piece hangs from the factory bolts that attach the front section of the canvas to the frame through a steel plate that is sewn into the canvas:

Here it is unfastened:

So far I have only the one side done. I think I aged like 30 years poking holes in this old original canvas.
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>>Looking for any and all Vic Williams, Peoria Illinois dealership items.<<

[SamboSamba22]

I haven't seen a canopy (canvas) like this either, I like it.

I agree that you would want to anchor down the canvas to the gates, though whatever solution that looks most original and less damage is the route I would take.


Perhaps use rivets or something of that fashion versus those big hex head bolts?


I know, I'm harping you on your own bus. Don't intend to be a wanker, just sharing thoughts and ideas.

Shop did some nice looking repairs on the original canvas, very nice.


Sam
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The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[nynone4]

[SamboSamba22]

[nynone4]

Gotcha. I like the thought and idea of a cleaner rivet there as well. The issue is that in that specific spot the canvas wraps around the frame and bolts into place through a metal plate that is sewn into the canvas. This allows it to be removable from the frame (without having to remove the frame and canvas together as a unit. Here's a pic of the backside (inside the bed area) where it bolts through the frame. The bolts don't actually protrude much.

Thanks for helping to think a little more critically about these fasteners though. It also gives me a legitimate excuse to look through fasteners in the McMaster Carr catalog

I think maybe even a button head bolt (perhaps painted black) and a smaller washer would go a long way to clean these up visually....
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>>Looking for any and all Vic Williams, Peoria Illinois dealership items.<<

[SamboSamba22]

That actually looks pretty clean on the inside. Seeing how the canvas is retained to the hoops makes sense why you used the bolts.

Perhaps just replacing the hex head bolts with a phillips round head bolt would shape it up?


Funny enough, all the world's troubles and we're having a lengthly conversation on bolt hardware

Enjoy the day,


Sam
_________________
The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[nynone4]

[SGKent]