I can feel your pain, Bryan.

A few years back I replaced the tent on my 84 Westy and it was an
experience I, too, would not want to repeat any time soon. The
instructions said to remove the top completely, which would mean
getting 3 or 4 guys to help. That was out. So I crawled around the
upper bunk (no mattress) with tools gouging me in the back.  I could
not figure out why the instructions said to attach the bottom first.
Since the finished edge was on the bottom, it should get screwed down
first and the slack should be up top. So that's what I did (after I had
already stapled the top up!).

The end result was good, but the fabric was not really sized right.
There was too much fabric in the back (trimmed it off), but the front
was so tight that you could flick the canvas to make a drum sound!

Replacing the tent canvas is a challenging project, to say the least.
One that will try your patience and drive you to drinkin'!

By the way, unless a wind storm or branch rips my canvas, I am happy as
a clam with my old one-windowed tent  canvas. 8-)

Keith O.
90 Westy Syncro "VikingWagen"
Past VeeDubs in the family
1984 Westy "Brownie"
1980 PU diesel
1978 Rabbit diesel
1979 Rabbit gasser
1963? 23 window Splitty (wish my dad had kept that one)
1965 Bus
1969 Bus
1959 Bug