I bought a new poptop canvas for my van but it doesn't seem like a good copy to me, I've laid it out with the original on top & there's a lot of extra material at the bottom. I've already had an experienced canvas fitter have a go & he couldn't make it fit. Is it usable or shall I just give up & get another one from somewhere else?
If it was me I would move yours down so the plastic bits are on the same level, mark all along the top. Fit it from there. It staples on and then hangs down over the plastic strip ! Does he know that? Then pop the roof up almost all the way, fix the bottom, see how it fits once fully open. Is the roof off the van ?
Where from? Proud to pop? I've fitted a couple of these & didn't find them too bad. The new canvas should have a cord sewn in around the bottom. This attaches first by way of a metal strip that traps the canvas with the cord on oneside. Needs two men to get the bottom corners then you should be able to do it alone. Fix the metal track all the way round then starting at the front corners staple the top at large intervals just to tack it up. Do not pull down on the roof at all at this point or pull the canvas too tight (doesn't want to be flapping around though) as it will shrink over time. 1 inch plastic strips called tack strips will finish this quite nicely when stapled over the top of the tacked up canvas. Test the action of the roof both up & down & if satisfied cut off any excess- job done. You will need a decent stapler!!
I got the canvas from NLA. The instructions say to tack the top first & take up the slack at the bottom, probably because the canvas is supposed to be tacked in edge at the bottom & folded bask down over the tack strip. However you can see on the photo that the hem's all over the place. Guess I should stop whingeing & give it a go. Gulp! Got the old canvas out anyway so can;t do any harm, I suppose.
I can see the new hem is wavy but it hasn't been pulled taught for 30 years. Is there a cord in the hem or is it just 1" webbing folded over & sewn to finish the edge?
