Hi Jake, I think your 350lb estimate is about right, and $500 for gas
is more or less correct one way... I neglected to mention the 2500
miles BACK to Ontario.

Doug is a freind of mine so he knows that 2500 miles is only one way
so if Doug is talking round trip $800 to $1000 is pretty close to the
mark for gas. But remember its not just a parts run, its a multi week
cross county road trip (hopefully hitting MULTIPLE ski hills along the
way).

You're right crating would be a nghtmare, I just decided to bite the
bullet and make a journey out of it all...

Chris

On 11/10/05, Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@telus.net> wrote:
> Where are you getting this $800.00 figure for gas Alcock? 2500 miles at
> 24mpg equals 104 gallons at what, $2.60 or so? More like $500 for gas, and
> the top must be more like 350lbs with the steel roof of the van and all. How
> the heck are you going to crate that?!
>
> Jake
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Doug Alcock" <doug.alcock@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:31 AM
> Subject: Re: Removing the Westy Top and Installing a Temporary Top
>
>
> Chris --- can't the top be shipped?? Try a long-haul house moving company.
> The Adventurewagon top ain't much bigger than a canoe. When I was moving
> from Victoria to Toronto the moving company would have moved my canoe for
> the same price per pound as the other stuff. What would the top weigh? I'm
> guessing 150 pound at a buck or so per pound -- much cheaper than a road
> trip. If you're not in a hurry -- they'll wait 'til they have a truck coming
> your way from Oregon. You're looking at $800 worth of gas alone.
>  Cheers,
> Doug
>
>  On 11/9/05, Tom Buese <bueses@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
> > Sent: Nov 9, 2005 7:37 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: Removing the Westy Top and Installing a Temporary Top
> >
> > In a message dated 11/9/05 7:53:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> > bueses@EARTHLINK.NET writes:
> >
> >
> > > How about a poly tarp & duct tape!
> > >
> > > Tom-no sense in making this more complicated than you need to
> > >
> >
> > thats great.....if youre not moving.. after 300 miles it would be reduced
> > to shreds....
> >
> > Depends on how you install it. If you stretch it tight/put slats across
> > the opening every couple of feet & duct tape it down tightly, I don't
> think
> > it will flap much? Also put bungee cords across the top outside to further
> > keep in place. Or install plexiglass in the opening w/ duct
> > tape or gasket material-more expensive.
> >
> > The key thing is to keep the material from flapping which will
> > disintegrate it like Chris says.
> >
> > Early bus sunroofs were fabric w/ slats that slid back to open the roof.
> >
> > Sounds like a WGC (wild goose chase) in any event- why not push the low
> > tech to the limit??
> >
> > Grin,
> >
> > Tom
> >
>