I  installed this on my westy several years ago, make sure to cut it long,
so that if/when it shrinks/expands from the temp being cold or hot, you
don't end up w/ a gap at the ends. You can always trim it if too long, but
not if you pulled it too tight & it isn't long enough.
Worked slick w/o any glue, etc & just a rubber hammer to firm it up to the
poptop.

YMMV,

Mr. BZ

On Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 9:08 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>wrote:

> According to the BD site, the front top seal does have metal clips.  You
> can use a rubber hammer on the bottom seal and just work the top front seal
> on with your hands. You will not need to pinch it on with pliers, unless
> you screw up, and then you'll need to pinch it back into shape when it's
> off the top (BTDT).
>
> Do not use any sealant, and the metal clips are aluminum, not the steel
> that rusted out on the original seal.
>
> Now is a good time to remove the top, clean it inside and out, re-paint
> it, replace the skylight seal, replace all the fasteners with stainless
> steel, add gas assist springs, and add a new three window canvas.  Oh,
> right, you only have four days  . . .
>
> But then again I did all this in four days.
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Jim Felder
> Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 5:38 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Seeking advice for installing poptop seal
>
> Thanks, Marc. I have leave in the Westy for four days on Thursday, and
> wanted to install the new seal on wednesday before I left. I just didn't
> want to open a can of worms that would jeapordize the trip.
>
> In observing the new trim, I see that the metal reinforcement comes to a
> crease at the bottom, where hammering it on to the thickness of the
> fiberglass top is going to spread the sides out away from the top. I can
> see where you would have to crimp around with pliers after hammering it on
> and spreading the sides apart. It would be better if it were made in a
> tight-fitting U-shape, I think, but it looks good and I can deal with it.
>
> My present seal is ripping loose from the padding, leaving especially the
> back open to the suction of driving. That pulls air in and baloons my
> poptop inside up front, and probably lets in more noise than I know. Not to
> mention sucking in rain to the canvas sides while I drive.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 7:27 PM, Marc Perdue <mcperdue@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Jim,
> >
> > A rubber hammer is the right tool, if you need it. My experience was
> > that the weatherstrip was slightly loose, very easy to get on, even at
> > the back of the poptop. Once installed, I squeezed it slightly with
> > pliers taking care not to damage the weatherstrip, to get it to crimp
> > on. It has metal inside. You shouldn't need any kind of gasket
> > sealer/weatherstrip cement to hold it in place. Where I would use that
> > is on the rubber weatherstrip at the front of the poptop; that one
> > comes off regularly and doesn't have metal in it to grip the fiberglass.
> >
> > Marc Perdue
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 7:10 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Just received my new Bus Depot poptop seal. Anyone done this
> > > recently who can give me some advice as to how to install, what to
> > > look out for? Looks like a rubber hammer is the tool of choice, but
> > > wondering about getting
> > it
> > > right around the rear of the poptop.
> > >
> > > TIA,
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> >
>

--
Tom Buese