The problem with the tip up
The problem with the tip up canopy is all because Vans are throwing us a few curveballs. It should be an easy structure to build if you look at the plans ,but right of the bat there is a problem. Let me try to explain... ( sorry for the long essay)...
1: The nylon blocks that are used for the canopy hinge points are not the correct size. There are two nylon blocks per side , one thick and one thin. Go and measure the thickness of each and you will find that the thin block is right on the money at 1/8 of an inch, but the thicker block is not 3/4 inch as in the plans, but 1/32 inch thicker. This causes the 1/4 inch gooseneck hinges not fitting in the gap where they are supposed to go. The gap is therefore to narrow. In the instructions they say to bevel the front of the goosenecks to fit in the gap ,and sort of force them in. This is where things start to go pear shaped, every time you take the frame of and put it back on will fit slightly differently due to the flex of the canopy frame, but if you just use your time and mill the blocks down to exactly 3/4 of an inch ( as they should have been) the fit will be perfect and the goosenecks will just slide in the 1/4 inch gap with no flexing at all.
2. The C-702 skin does not fit the prepunched holes in the canopy frame. This in turn causes the backside of the skin over the curved tubing part to bulge away from the tube, as seen on a few pictures on this thread. The problem is with the row of prepunched holes along the side of the C-702 skin that are supposed to line up with the holes along the sides of the canopy frame. They are punched in the wrong spot, and this causes the problem. I asked Van?s if they could make me a blank C-702 skin without the prepunched holes, so that I could then drill the holes in the skin where they are supposed to go, but the answer was a most definite NO. Maybe if there was enough interest or pressure on them they might just do it, or even better, make a C-702 skin that actually fits the frame without any bulging.
Regards
Arie