Won't make it any easier when all is said and done. You do have to scrunch up there to get screws (aluminum extrusion on roof) out and back in, and the rear corners are the most difficult.

Getting the screws back in there is easier with a helper. My friend and I replaced 3 canvases last year. We never did get efficient at it but one good tip at the rear is if you have 2 working on it, one is in the van screwing in the screws, and the other is outside at the rear of van with putty knife to push the screwhead into place in roof  hole. ie finding the hole on roof with screw through aluminum extrusion is sometimes annoyingly hard by yourself.

alistair

On 2013-03-04, at 8:37 PM, neil n wrote:

> Hi all
> 
> Bentley says that for my '81, the closet and upper storage need to be
> removed before upper bed can come out. That in itself doesn't doesn't
> seem like a lot of work especially since I don't have AC.
> 
> Will removing the upper bed make canvas replacement, top still
> installed, any easier?
> 
> My canvas has the staples.
> 
> Neil.
> 
> 
> --
> Neil n
> 
> 65 kb image Myford Ready For Assembly  http://tinyurl.com/64sx4rp
> 
> '88 Slate Blue Westy to be named.
> 
> '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
> 
> Vanagon VAG Gas I4/VR Swap Google Group:
> 
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines