Good Inexpensive Rear Hatch Tents

Discussion in 'Late Bay Classifieds' started by BayWatcher, May 15, 2014.

  1. Kelly dude i admire your optimism

    The thing is dude us brits need to see somthing in use and tested in real time before we will part with our hard earned
    The best thing you could do is make a prototype for your bus to iron out the basic problems
    Then offer a free or reduced cost one for someone in britain to review idependantly
    If its a good product at the lower cost you say you can achieve then your on to a winner

    I think it was @BaG hEaD of this forum fame who bought one at full price and did a review with lots of details?
     
  2. Yes, that's another product with which they're gouging us because they can. (imo)
    I intend to make one for myself when I get around to it. I'll be taking my old one apart to use as a pattern.
    I can't offer these until I get that pattern though, as they require a bit more precision tailoring to ensure that nice taut fit that's so important.
    A slack, ill-hung pop-top canvas is about as sad as a 3-legged dog.
    Yikes. I may have been in Texas too long.
     
    Poptop2 likes this.
  3. Yes, I may be jumping the gun a bit. I didn't expect such a fast response.
    I plan to make one for myself in a few weeks. I can show pictures of it then.
    But like I said, nobody is under any obligation to buy at any point. I will complete the tent to order then show photos of it for approval.
    I'm not trying to sell anything unseen.
    In fact, I'm really only asking for a few design requests before I get started.
     
  4. Don't tempt me, I'm banned from spending apart from essentials till next year, my eldest daughter is getting married.
     
    Terrordales and paradox like this.
  5. Well congratulations to you and yours.
    And no worries. Next year is only 7 months away.
    I'll start on it soon anyway. We have the exact same bus so I wouldn't mind keeping it if you don't get around to buying it. :p
    Hey, if you ever do want it, I could sew a strip of silver lame trim around it to match your chrome trim. :)
    (silver lame is like,... well, Muppet chrome. lol)
    That would be a stitch. Ha! (I swear that was unintentional.)
     
    Chrisradioman likes this.
  6. I tell you what I've always fancied, a Westfalia Punch and Judy tent made in brown and beige, just a little bigger that the original to cover the front door. It would ave to have roll up sides and front too. :)
     
  7. Sounds like somebody managed to acquire a cannabis prescription. Good for you.
    I would love to do that, actually.
    I really wanted to create tents with personalized artistic flair anyway, rather than just copy the utilitarian designs of other manufacturers.
    A lot of the older original side tents had a very circus-like style with stripes and bright colors too, so that would still give a nod to the old classic look.
    If, after the smoke clears, you still want to turn your princess into a clown car just let me know. ;)
     
    Chrisradioman and Poptop2 like this.
  8. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    He means an og Westfalia frame awning that came with the conversion. Only, i think yours would have been the later type @Chrisradioman
    .
     
    Chrisradioman likes this.
  9. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Oops. The same colour as you stated.. I will be off now. With a red face---->
     
  10. I like your reasoning and approach.....it fecks me right off when something relatively straightforward to produce (given the skills and acumen) is summarily overpriced because of the perceived affluence of the intended market...bus ownership was once once an 'everyman' thing...inflated prices are pushing it beyond the reach of many....
     
    vdub brvs, baygeekster and BayWatcher like this.
  11. @BayWatcher ....you say you're looking for design ideas....:thinking:

    One suggestion, which is a variation on the same theme would be a shallow clip on table, that could be attached inline (as in width ways) to the tailgate to form a shelf, or at right angles to form a 'breakfast bar' type table....this could be used for putting a stove on for cooking outdoors......used in tandem with a canopy that drapes over the tailgate with roll-up sides/safari screen/windbreak would be a good additional covered space that'd pack up smaller than an awning...great also for doing any engine work in inclement weather;)

    I'd buy one, if it came in at a little over the price it'd cost me to fab something up....I can't sew for sh*t so this is where the costs come in...the rest would be design and off the peg hardware
     
    BayWatcher likes this.
  12. I'd also consider the option of having a rear canopy that would remain free-standing (ie independent of whether the tailgate was open or closed)
     
  13. I must admit I'm pretty tempted, and £150 doesn't sound too bad. I'm sure the girlfriend would like to choose some mad fabric, and sleeping 4 wastrels in the same bus at a festival sounds like good "clean" fun. Let me know how the prototype turns out- if it's as you think it will be, I'll probably buy one. (I'll make the sliding tray myself).
     
  14. Nice ideas, but I'm not trying to develop framework, fabbing poles out in my garage with a blow torch.
    I just like sitting my happy ass down at a sewing machine and turning a roll of cloth into something 3-dimensional.
    It's like gay origami.
     
    72wilma likes this.
  15. Something like Zed's side canopy, but the right size for the rear (i.e. a bit narrower) and clipped to the rear gutter with a figure-8?
     
  16. Lol, you header, I was thinking beige sides with a brown roof and forgetting the circus look. I love the way the tent hooks on the gutter rail, its much better than those modern affars. In fact I bought a length of the strip just in case I ever decide to do it. :)
     
    BayWatcher likes this.
  17. Never seen the later type, what does that look like? :)
     
  18. That would be great.
    I wish I could be sewing one up right now but I just rescued a sick puppy I found in the street, half-dead.
    His vet bills are devouring my fabric budget week after week at the moment, but he's worth every penny, the lil pecker-head.
    Surgery and more shots tomorrow and he's done.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  19. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    I am pretty sure it was something like this one, I only ever saw it in a museum article once.. Never knew they did an upgrade until I read it!

    This is not Westfalia one btw- it just looked like this.

    [​IMG]
     
    Chrisradioman likes this.
  20. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Chrisradioman likes this.

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