3/30/17
Unfortunately I have some terrible news.
We went to pick up canvases and learned the family patriarch has recently had a stroke. As a result VW canvas operations are being suspended for the foreseeable future. Those with pending orders are being contacted and refunded.
It is $250USD shipped/insured in the US using a flat rate USPS box. When doing international the same box can be used though the shipping charges are more. Due to this the US destination shipping charge is removed and the final location shipping charge is added to replace it.
Alright guys, I know you're across the ocean but I have a connection with the local Amish community to make thick heavy duty waterproof canvases for the front hinged early bay Westfalia/Campmobile, i.e. 1968-1973.
At the moment this is a feeler for international shipping to gauge interest. I don't know for sure how much it would cost to send these across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. I am sending one to Canada in the next week or two, typical sewing time is 2 weeks, and that is going to cost $50 to ship. The good thing is that they fit in USPS priority mail flat rate boxes. I will also be learning the joys of customs forms.
The link to my listing on thesamba is below. The pertinent information is also copied and pasted below.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1611644" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Update 6/8/14: I have Paypal now so that can be used for payment (plus 4% fees) and I can transfer/withdraw funds to bring to the Amish.
I organized a group buy for these canvases twice, once in 2010, and again just recently. A small group of local Amish craftsmen that we know make these in between other large scale projects they are doing, such as their buggies/tents/awnings/boat covers etc. With the increased interest in the second group buy, they asked me to put out feelers to the greater VW community to gauge if there was any interest beyond us local folks.
My parents use my 71 westy when I'm not around and the friend who got one in 2010 also uses his bus a lot. There were no complaints with fabric quality or fit from him, and I have no issues with mine.
These are custom made from a heavy duty canvas. An old original orange-ish three window canvas was the template for them. This canvas was carefully taken apart, measured, and used to make a master template that serves as the reference for each successive new canvas. The bottom seal under the trim strip is a black rubber of the same profile/shape as on the originals. This is not cotton, hemp, nylon or acrylic material. It is thick canvas that is fairly weather resistant (from personal experience.) I asked during the last few that were made and was told this is a marine/boat grade canvas. If the weatherproofing starts to be less after a few years, or you want to make it more waterproof for piece of mind, be sure to use a marine grade compatible waterproofing spray.
The zippers are plastic and larger than original for a better grip and ease of access, plus they don't tarnish/rust. The side window flaps are easy to open for a breeze and the rear screen zips out to use the storage space on the luggage rack, just as the originals intended. The only color available is a tan/toast shade of brown.
Canvases will be preorder only, with sewing to begin upon receipt of payment and delivery of funds to the Amish.
Turn around time will probably be ~2 weeks due to the canvases being sewn when other large scale projects are completed or in between during breaks on said larger projects.
When we worked out these purchases before it was all done using cash, as that was the method of payment that they preferred.
The process would work out to be like this to order one:
You reply to the ad posted here; if you have any questions I can provide you with my phone number
After any questions are answered you can send a USPS money order, I will give you all my contact information
We contact the Amish craftsmen that an order is pending
The money order arrives, we let you know it has arrived
The same day or next day, we bring the Amish the money after cashing the money order, less $15 for shipping costs (If multiple orders come in at a similar time we will try to consolidate our trips to visit them at one time)
They contact us letting us know when to pick up the canvas
We pick it up from them
We ship it to you and send you the tracking number
Late model bay bus 74-79 canvases MAY be available this summer. A prototype was sewn after finally sourcing two templates to combine to make one for the initial group buy interest. Once a price is determined and the prototype is validated to fit correctly (waiting to hear from friend), a separate listing will be created for it, or added here as an option. The late 74-79 style requires more fabric and lower seal than the early 68-73 style canvas and as such the price will be different.
Installed in 2010 in my 1971 westy and still going strong.
A 2014 group buy friend's 1972 westy installation. His bus and photography skills are a lot better looking than mine!
Unfortunately I have some terrible news.
We went to pick up canvases and learned the family patriarch has recently had a stroke. As a result VW canvas operations are being suspended for the foreseeable future. Those with pending orders are being contacted and refunded.
It is $250USD shipped/insured in the US using a flat rate USPS box. When doing international the same box can be used though the shipping charges are more. Due to this the US destination shipping charge is removed and the final location shipping charge is added to replace it.
Alright guys, I know you're across the ocean but I have a connection with the local Amish community to make thick heavy duty waterproof canvases for the front hinged early bay Westfalia/Campmobile, i.e. 1968-1973.
At the moment this is a feeler for international shipping to gauge interest. I don't know for sure how much it would cost to send these across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. I am sending one to Canada in the next week or two, typical sewing time is 2 weeks, and that is going to cost $50 to ship. The good thing is that they fit in USPS priority mail flat rate boxes. I will also be learning the joys of customs forms.
The link to my listing on thesamba is below. The pertinent information is also copied and pasted below.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1611644" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Update 6/8/14: I have Paypal now so that can be used for payment (plus 4% fees) and I can transfer/withdraw funds to bring to the Amish.
I organized a group buy for these canvases twice, once in 2010, and again just recently. A small group of local Amish craftsmen that we know make these in between other large scale projects they are doing, such as their buggies/tents/awnings/boat covers etc. With the increased interest in the second group buy, they asked me to put out feelers to the greater VW community to gauge if there was any interest beyond us local folks.
My parents use my 71 westy when I'm not around and the friend who got one in 2010 also uses his bus a lot. There were no complaints with fabric quality or fit from him, and I have no issues with mine.
These are custom made from a heavy duty canvas. An old original orange-ish three window canvas was the template for them. This canvas was carefully taken apart, measured, and used to make a master template that serves as the reference for each successive new canvas. The bottom seal under the trim strip is a black rubber of the same profile/shape as on the originals. This is not cotton, hemp, nylon or acrylic material. It is thick canvas that is fairly weather resistant (from personal experience.) I asked during the last few that were made and was told this is a marine/boat grade canvas. If the weatherproofing starts to be less after a few years, or you want to make it more waterproof for piece of mind, be sure to use a marine grade compatible waterproofing spray.
The zippers are plastic and larger than original for a better grip and ease of access, plus they don't tarnish/rust. The side window flaps are easy to open for a breeze and the rear screen zips out to use the storage space on the luggage rack, just as the originals intended. The only color available is a tan/toast shade of brown.
Canvases will be preorder only, with sewing to begin upon receipt of payment and delivery of funds to the Amish.
Turn around time will probably be ~2 weeks due to the canvases being sewn when other large scale projects are completed or in between during breaks on said larger projects.
When we worked out these purchases before it was all done using cash, as that was the method of payment that they preferred.
The process would work out to be like this to order one:
You reply to the ad posted here; if you have any questions I can provide you with my phone number
After any questions are answered you can send a USPS money order, I will give you all my contact information
We contact the Amish craftsmen that an order is pending
The money order arrives, we let you know it has arrived
The same day or next day, we bring the Amish the money after cashing the money order, less $15 for shipping costs (If multiple orders come in at a similar time we will try to consolidate our trips to visit them at one time)
They contact us letting us know when to pick up the canvas
We pick it up from them
We ship it to you and send you the tracking number
Late model bay bus 74-79 canvases MAY be available this summer. A prototype was sewn after finally sourcing two templates to combine to make one for the initial group buy interest. Once a price is determined and the prototype is validated to fit correctly (waiting to hear from friend), a separate listing will be created for it, or added here as an option. The late 74-79 style requires more fabric and lower seal than the early 68-73 style canvas and as such the price will be different.
Installed in 2010 in my 1971 westy and still going strong.
A 2014 group buy friend's 1972 westy installation. His bus and photography skills are a lot better looking than mine!
