Wrap it in bicycle handlebar grip tape!!! 
I did that to mine in 1987, and it STILL looks wonderful! 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Jim Felder
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2014 12:49 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Question about westy poptop crossbar

The crossbar that you use to raise the poptop... mine could se a little cosmetic improvement after three decades of wet towels etc. hung over it.
I'd like to remove it to repaint it. What kind of trouble am I going to run into?

Thanks,

Jim