1998 Coleman Grandview...insurance claim....options....rant...looking for ideas.

All,
My wife and I have a 1998 Coleman Grandview with external shower, furnace, air, stove, hot water, three way refridge, electric lift plus a few other accessories that I am sure I have forgotten. The camper has been a trusty companion for our family of 4. We purchased it from the original owner who kept it meticulous. Last year we replaced the Whiffle Gear assembly and we tried to get a replacement seal but had to get one that was close as the local dealer was unable to find it any longer. I purchased a extra whiffle gear to avoid having to locate the part in the future as we planned to keep this camper a while.

It was usually garage kept in the fall/winter unless we needed garage space for a project or to work on the boat etc. Anyways, the camper was outside on its normal concrete pad for spring/summer use when we had a extremely strong storm come through the Toledo area. The storm took a very large cottonwood limb (tree size limb) and landed it on our camper, three sections of fence, and took the running board (snapped in 3 pieces),mirror, tire, and antenna assembly of my ford Econoline conversion van out as well. The branch besides covering half of my side yard also covered half of a neighboors yard as well. Total length ~ 40-50 feet. Needless to say this was not your average size tree branch. Three evenings and two people chainsawing we have the wood piled and branches ready to be ground up.

Anyways 3 weeks later the insurance agents finally show up to cover (adjust) my van and camper damage...The van settlement I feel is reasonable (about $1000 after deductible)....I know quite a bit about automobiles and auto work as my dad was a GM mechanic....I can correct the van for that amount.

The camper which was totaled out is a whole different question....but this may be my inexperience with campers and the reason I am posting to this forum request.

First to let everyone know, I have not signed anything and did not receive any cash yet for the camper....The van I have a check for but have signed nothing or deposited nothing.

The blue book value for the camper when I looked last week was between $2600-$3800. When I went looking for like model (Coleman Grandview) I was able to locate one across the country (Montana) for $3800 and it was sold in three days. My wife and I have looked for campers with similar features and have come up dry especially for anything less then $4000 in our area (craiglist,eBay,trading post\classifieds). The amount they propose for settlement was $3000 and there was no deductible as I have had no claims in the last 6 years. I have been with the insurance company for 15+ years and have policies for the camper, boat and my 5 automobiles. They claim the camper will also be picked up upon my acceptance of agreement and the salvage company will give $169 to the insurance company or I can purchase it for $169. I think the air conditioner that works superbly would be worth that amount....

Now the damage to the camper is mainly to the roof section. It is cracked across rear driver side quadrant missing the air conditioner by about a foot. It also has bent the cross camper bed rail and as one can probably imagine it is no longer able to go up by the whiffle gear/electric motor (at least from my quick effort). My guess the whiffle gear\cable lift assembly took a hit. The under carriage appears not to have been bent other then the stabilizer legs which one is completely toast the other on the rear I believe is workable. The outside molded plastic that the spare wheel sits on has cracked (large circular crack matching tire) around the spare tire. The circular crack is more of a bend crack then a snap in to type of crack...but still apparent.

So I am looking at options here....First has anyone dealt with insurance companies and campers...The adjusters, yes there was two.... one showed up 3 days before they were scheduled to come out and about 20 minutes after the first one arrived.....then they independently told me there was a $3000 maximum on each of my insurance plans....which was a total surprise to me....and I have not been able to locate this fact in any of my policies. Then about 3 hours later I received a phone call from another insurance representative that they will have the settlement paper work out to me in the mail by end of day and wanted to know my thoughts...I told them that the camper was not replaceable at $3000.

I have dealt with insurance companies before and this situation just seems wrong to me....starting with the tag team approach for adjusters, the $3000 limit I have never heard before, and finally the additional insurance person calling the same day even though its taken them 3 weeks to get back to us and we did not hear from anyone during this time.....you can take this as a rant or me just being paranoid/untrusting.

Now I have the right to the salvage of this camper for a bargain price of $169....much to the wife's disapproval.  If I could find a used part source for this camper I am fairly confident I could clean this camper up ...but again I come to this forum for advice......would the effort be worth the reward or am I better off with another camper?.....meaning will the part costs outweigh the worth...regardless of my free labor. For knowledge, is there any good used parts suppliers for campers?

All thanks for listening,
Chris

If there's a dollar limit in your policy, it has to be in writing.  Time to start reading all the fine print.

You can negotiate/argue over the Actual Cash Value of the RV, if that is what your insurance covers.  If you can find like models that have sold (asking prices are not as persuasive as "sold" values) for more money than the offer, you may be able to get a better settlement IF ACV is what your policy pays.

But storm damage is not collision insurance - it falls under the comprehensive or "other than collision" coverage of your policy. There may be different limits for that vs collision damage. Your have to read your policy thoroughly, and then ask your agent to show you where it says the limit for that type of damage is $3000.  You will probably be amazed at what limits and loopholes are hidden away in the fine print.

All,
I have my Declarations page and Policy Contract. Both says Actual Cash Value for collision and comprehensive. Declaration page lists out coverage and the Policy Contract list out in more detail. These are the one from my last renewal....I keep all this kind of paperwork in my file cabinet.

I have found three for sale listings online within the last week for the same model camper asking $4000 the highest being $4500....two are still available.
One with the asking price of $4500 has already been sold.

$4000 - http://rvs.oodle.com/view/1998-coleman-grandview-sp-pop-up-camper/3100973162-college-station-tx/
$4500 -  http://for-sale.yakaz.com/coleman-tent-trailer-for-sale                        (Towards the end of page)
$4000 - http://fyirv.com/RVs/RVs-for-sale.asp?VID=7443744&year=1998&make=Coleman&model=Grandview&city=Greenwood

Previously I also found the one that sold for $3800 as mentioned before.

So at this point I am somewhat disheartened (upset) for being misled.

I also called my local RV dealer and he mentioned that the camper should be more then $3000 and would not settle for that amount.

All, any ideas on how I should let them know that the offer will not fly....I hate to be a a$$ but how would one disagree with the insurance company without being forward/unhappy/disagreeable.  All I want is to replace my camper....hell if they could work out a cheaper price for the same camper (purchase) wise and get me the camper I would let them.

Thanks,
Chris

Continue what you already have done. Tell whoever makes the settlement offer that you disagree that the amount represents the fair market value of your camper. Tell/show them the evidence that you have gathered to substantiate a higher amount. If they say "sorry, that's our best offer", tell them you want to invoke the dispute process in your policy (that should be clearly defined in your copy - could be arbitration or something else) because the amount is not sufficient to "make me whole" by purchasing a similar used camper. You should have a specific amount you are willing to settle for.

This is a small potatoes claim for them, so they have probably not done any research and simply used the NADA or Kelly book value for your unit. Sometimes they don't get quite the right entry, and sometimes the book is out of step with the actual market value. There aren't a lot of recorded sale transactions for small campers, so the book value data is not as reliable as it would be for a car. You can probably get the same data - your local library make have a subscription to the NADA RV guide (it is different than the online one). Also a bank or credit union or an RV dealer would have it and may be willing to show you the page for yours - and maybe make a photocopy for you.

i had a similar problem once when I wrecked a 6 week old car that was a new model with almost no sales history, My insurer just took the previous year model value and added a factor for one year newer and came up with a offer that was way low. I found two ads from area newspapers for a model like mine and challenged them to show me where I could by my identical year & model for the price they offered. They said they would call me back with a source to buy the replacement, but instead they called back (5 days later) with an offer that was over 20% higher.

All,
I went through my paper work for the new policy.....but not on the last monthly statement for the previous policy.... they got out of the $1000 and here is how they said this was proper....mind you I am not as upset as I was last night as I felt I was misled.

On my last month of a six month installment (monthly billings), they stated the rating amount to be $3000 on the camper on a insert page and to watch for the next declaration page\policy information which would be arriving the next week or so. Its in no other page or billing paperwork. I got confirmation on this from my telephone call to the new policy department of my current insurance company.

The declaration page for the current 6 months does not say anything about my $3000 limit on the camper. I do all my payments online so I never even looked at the statements....my dumb mistake....honestly I usually do not even open the monthly statement and throw them away.

Now keep in mind my auto policy (same insurance company) on the current declaration has a statement that there is a $3000 limit on my van. It actually has a series of ****** and the statement of the limitation.  I usually read the declaration and keep the copy of the cards in the wallet\office on a peg board. Unfortunately the camper statement was in the middle of a paragraph nothing discerning it as a limitation or special notice.

After reading all my policies the coverage seems lacking for the following reasons regardless of the $3000 limit.

1) No Coverage for rodent\bird\other animal damage (i.e. mouse decides to take up residence in your camper over the winter type of thing)
and
2) No coverage for water damage (any kind - pipe, leaky roof,seal damage etc)


So in short read all insurance paperwork.....take nothing for granted...read monthly billing statements.

So now the question how to get stuff out of the camper as the Whiffle Gear does not seem to work. I have another Whiffle gear which I purchased new. I am debating about whether to put it in the camper and lift it up (or try to) or try and climb in and push the roof up with a 2X4. The camper has 2 king size beds and a side pull out. The beds meet roughly in the center. So we need to raise the thing enough to raise the roof to try and pull out the beds enough to get into our belongings. Any suggestions for this would be very helpful and I would appreciate it? I really would like all my lodge dutch oven accessories back.

I also focused on the possibility of the salvage title etc. It appears as far as our state is concerned we would need to repair it and have it inspected, and retitled (2) and replated. I was told to plan $150 in State fees/inspection not to mention the closest inspection station is 50 miles away....so some minor hassle but doable.

So that's 5% gone of the repair proceeds if I go this route... The decision I believe comes down to the roof cost... I need to find the roof....anyone have a suggestion (used or new)? I would even consider building one or take one from another model (non Coleman) if would fit. I have done some epoxy work/boat work and I have thought about building one but am concerned about weight.

Also the wife, the boss, stated she would like a hard top with bunk room for kids if we were to upgrade (meaning take settlement add a few thousand for nice used one). So we have looked at this route as well. She is OK with another pop up but said we may want to avoid the Coleman line....Any suggestions of which brand to buy/avoid based on parts availability etc. Mind you I believe if you use or abuse it things break....but it would be nice to know parts will be available.


Thanks,
Chris

All,
Did some research based on some of my previous dealings for the whiffle gear as it was not available initially...at least locally.

The whiffle gear I have new still is a aftermarket one that does not depend on the bearing design it uses a solid brass section for the guide that pulls the cables....The one in the camper is a replacement original. After looking at this aftermarket one I think its much better designed.

Anyways found the camper roof....complete...new to my door. Basically I unbolt and rebolt the new one with me doing the air conditioner swap.

The name of the company is Camper and Recreation Inc out of Loyal,Wi (1-800-232-2079). The only thing I have to do initially is confirm measurements.

Unfortunately the price of $1800.00 + new seal + the state fees for salvage conversion + me buying the salvage unit + odds and ends (screws/caulk (seal)/etc) would put the camper well into the mid to upper $2K range before I correct anything else.

Not much room for unknowns and effort. Not to mention costs for the level jacks, the bent bed aluminum trim, and semicircular crack around tire. So taking it back to original is not a smart financial option based on campers I have seen on the market....meaning its better buying a newer camper and be done.

My wife mentioned if it would be possible to remove another camper top and swap it out.....I am not sure of this but it would have to be a similar size.....Any thoughts on this?

I thought about building a new roof out of wood and covering with aluminum and/or epoxy. While I think its feasible, aluminum, wood, and epoxy is not cheap nor may it be water tight not to mention the internal view point from inside the camper may be poor or at least convoluted.

So in short I think I know the answer...but not happy with result. I still am waiting for insurance to come in with the cash\final paperwork and at this point I guess we are in the market for a new to us camper.

One final thing....with me having salvage rights to the camper I have first dibs on the camper internals...

Would it be beneficial to me to pull the refridge, stove, sink, air conditioner, hot water heater, etc from camper after buying salvage rights and then scrapping out the camper? Meaning would the effort plus 169 bucks be worth those parts to anyone or myself if I was to buy another newer camper? Are camper parts such as the ones I listed above able to be swapped out on many campers or am I pigeon holed with Coleman/fleetwood campers?

Thanks,
Chris

All that stuff is likely common to many campers, but to be useful to you (except as spares "in case" something goes bad) you are not likely to find a camper without them. The refer, A/C, and water heater, all dependant on age, are likely the only things of any value should you be able to find a market for them. The scrap value of the camper without them would be $0.00 as a scrapyard can only make his money by parting it out as well.

I think I would have taken the cash and gone shopping as your current camper, despite your repairs, will never be worth the same again.

All,
I put in the spare whiffle gear and have been able to raise the camper up.and fully set it up. (dinnete out, door in place, and beds in place as well.

So I can at least get my stuff out. The damage from the branch affected the one interior wall panel, one cabinet lower, and bent the bed frame end. The cabinet is a easy fix and the wall would not be impossible by any shape. The bed still opens as it should. The damage did not affect the base frame of the camper in the least nor any of the kitchen peripheals (refridge,stove,sink).  Nor any flooring or cushions etc. All lighting seems to work and all canvas was not affected. Also the exterior plastic circular break is actually smaller then I thought but still a decent size (opened up spare tire area).

I was thinking about the abs roof and called one of my local plastic companies that I have done quite a bit with over the years. They do abs plastics (they said..did not know till I called) and many other types of plastics. They were interested in taking a look and giving me a estimate. Makes me think what may be possible....See what comes out of this....I have seen them do some amazing things in plastic.

Yersterday I received the title transfer paperwork from the insurance company.....So need to make a decision fairly soon.

Will know more in the next few days.....but now I have got the full view of the damages now.

Thanks,
Chris

Sounds as those the repair is fairly easy and a candidate to DIY. There are probably several ways to repair/replace the roof. Maybe some type of standard roll or sheet goods, even if you had to have a seam or two  (easily handled with caulk or Eternabond tape).

All,
I have corrected the lower cabinet problem....wow is that old cabinet wood cheap.  I understand keeping things lightweight..but wow. A trip to Menards, 16 dollars, and my set of air nailers put things better then they were originally IMHO.

I picked up the wall panel ($20) which will be enough to pretty much do both sides of the camper (at least all that's visible) The color is very very close as was the cabinet board we bought. My wife and I also removed the one king size bed, exterior plastic panel, bumper assembly (tire included) and now have access to my interior wall from the outside. The damaged interior panel has been removed. I removed the worse damage piece outside of the roof and I am trying to pound it out with my body hammers/hammers.  It is now flat (big accomplishment IMHO) but I will need to have the exterior plastic panel fixed before final fitting. I am thinking plastic welder but I will talk to plastic guys today to see what their take is on this.

Once I get the plastic panel corrected I can reseal that whole wall back up...its definitely convenient to work on the cabinets etc with the wall removed. Currently the camper is covered by my portable 20X20 portable garage as my large garage is filled by my almost complete (needs steering installed) 1959 Lonestar Monterrey....of course it arrived today.

I am going to call the location that had the $1800 roof.  To get the incidentals.... like whats included(seals, frame bar, etc) and if the air conditioner whole is cut out etc. I am also going to call the insurance company to see what process will need to be done as we have decided (based on the info we have now) to keep it.

Keep you all posted,
Chris

All,
Found out some more useful information....

My new top will not be a Coleman but will be a Palomino.

The funny thing is Palomino Manufacturing ....at least for the roof manufacturing...is about 40 mins from my house (Toledo)  and I may save more cause of shipping...(I will pick it up).

One of the things I have concern about is the the canvas plastic track that locks the canvas\drapes to the roof.

I have removed the canvase from the area that would be the back bed area...where the tree fell so I can correct the cabinet etc.  I tried to take the track off with a Hyde paint scrapers (molding remover in the flooring world) ...its similar to a paint scraper but is heavy duty metal.....and I am not having any luck getting the pieces removed in one piece (its glued and stapled on). I am working in the area were the tree fell as its the area worth risking.

I am looking for a way to safely remove this track.....If that's not possible....any sources of this track available.....or if that's not possible... what is possible to tie the canvas to the roof. I called Bear Canvas and they do not carry any track for a Coleman. Maybe I should inquire more about the other tracks? This is the only thing in my mind at this point at finishing this camper....as I have been assured about the bed canvas poles, lighting, air conditioners, etc.

Well got some good news with the insurance company today.....I presented the case with the amount the camper is worth....showed them the 4 links I found and the amount the camper is going for today....Told them I am keeping the camper. They decided not to Salvage it out (after some discussion) and to give me the $3000. They decided 80% of $4000/4500 is $3200/$3600 which is what decides salvage in their minds...plus they wanted me out of there hair I am sure.

I will keep researching the canvas to roof issue and will be taking the exterior panel to the plastic company later today.

Thanks,
Chris

Good that you settled with the insurer amicably. Now you can get on with the repairs.

Some before and after pictures would be great if you have the time.

All,
Definitely have the before pictures...Wife is taking some as we go along....will post them once I get through.

I have been reading on-line and have heard verbally about RV salvage yards and the availability of them around the Elkhart,Indiana area. I live fairly close to Elkhart and I pass by there at least once a year. I brought up a yellow pages and there seems to many used RV parts dealers out that way. Can anyone suggest a specific few that may be a good place to dig up a few things for the camper. Mainly a king bed as mine has some minor damage to the king bed. The  wood is not broken just a area about 6 inches max on the aluminum trim that suffered a blow from the tree and is bent out of shape. I would love to locate a whole bed and in a perfect world the aluminum trim piece that I pounded out that holds down the plastic exterior skin. Not that I could not use what I have done or will do.... just it be nice. Plus it would be nice to have some parts connections for future issues.

Thanks for the information,
Chris

Feel free to post pictures  as you go along, so we can all follow your progress. Maybe start a thread for the repair job and add to it as you do the job.

SolomonMan, it would probably be easier to manufacture the Strips used for securing the canvas rather than trying to salvage them from your existing top. When the strips in my Starcrafter went bad [stress cracking due to age], I just used some sheet aluminum strips and bent them into the same configuration as the original. If you can get a short piece of the original grip strip, take it to a sheet metal shop any competent shop can duplicate the bends required. I don't know what yours are made of, but mine were a soft aluminum, so I used .040" 1100 aluminum strips to make mine.

[NOTE] I learned the sheet metal trade back in the 50's from an old German Copper Smith.


Lee

All,
I added a picture of the branch that came down on the camper.....Get a more of a idea what I am dealing with.

I have dropped off the plastic exterior skin to the plastics company. They took a look and said not to bad and could be repaired but may not be cosmetically perfect. I told them I am more interested in sealing it up and preventing the crack from spreading any further. They said they are fairly confident that the repair, most likely from the inside, will seal it and prevent the crack from opening any further. They said they may try some other plastic techniques (welding,heat etc) on surface to try and clean it up, if possible. They said two weeks it should be ready but they are swamped....price for it should be less then $100...their hourly rate is $60.

Worse case in my mind, the crack is still very visible but sealed and I can hide the crack with a very good quality caulk to prevent ice from forming and spreading the crack. (Northern Ohio Weather)....I will make that call once I get the skin back and in place.

I re-lubed every item I can think of in the camper from the doors to the bed sliders...I have not done it in a while.

I also finished pounding out the aluminum exterior trim piece that in my opinion really took the second\third biggest damage. The first being the roof. The bed frame trim took a hit as well but I have not gotten to that part of the project.....its much more direct of a hit (pointed).....hope to over the weekend. I am very happy with the results of the trim....especially after looking at some of the original pictures. My buddies large anvil and a bunch of body hammers flattened things out well. There is a minor wave, its not perfect, but I believe once its bolted/riveted in much of that will be limited to the point of impact plus the skin covers some of the damage as well..not to mention the bed once extended you can not even see it. I considered putting the trim piece into a 20 ton flat press a friend has access to at work but the risk of ruining the piece (ie smash) is not worth the reward.  I am still looking for the piece from a salvage yard but not having any luck as of yet....If I don't find a salvage piece it will do my family and the camper just fine. Originally that piece was bent down so much that the plastic exterior skin sprung up after the trim was removed and pretty much handed me the trim and plastic separated.

I have closed up the back of the camper up to the exterior skin....but still need to complete the bed trim and reassembly which will be sidelined by the plastic skin... till its back from the repair shop.

I have begun looking at the stabilizer legs.....I need to replace 2 at a minimum, as I had one from the previous owner....and two were flattened as all four were out at the time of branch impact. I am considering replacing all 4 to get them all matching but am unsure of how to figure the size I need. I have found these on-line a different retailers;

http://www.norcoind.com/bal/products/consumer/stabilizing_products/lt-tr-stabjack.shtml

I am not sure how to measure the size I need...Or if these will fit 100%. They look like mine....I replaced the one I had and it was a fairly straight forward task. Anyone know how to measure or pick the correct one?

I called today on the transportation of the camper lid/roof to my place after it dawned on me that I may need a flat bed trailer to hall it home. The reason I might need is the fact that I have a GMC 1500 and a F150 and a 5X13 foot enclosed trailer. Unfortunately my camper lid is over 6 wide and I believe about 12 long. So I may need to rent a flat bed trailer if the roof needs to be laid flat for transportation. UHaul has a couple options ranging from $30 dollars a day (no mileage cost) to $179 and mileage is covered as its one way trip with a truck. Funny thing is I used to have a 18 ft aluminum step van up to a year ago and sold it as I never drove it. Either case its still a far cry from $500 to ship the roof/lid.

I will update this as I go along and may add some more pictures.

Thanks,
Chris

All,
Sorry for not posting sooner between work and family I have not been able to post much on the progress on my 1998 Coleman Camper.

There were some delays on both sides the first being an extra two weeks in the manufacturing of the roof which was the luck of draw. Basically they manufacture roof on a two week cycle.

I picked up the roof using a U Haul rental trailler (~34 dollars). My trailer was composed of a bathroom remodel debris and I wanted to dispose of the old camper roof at the same time. Saving me ~70 dollars. As I picked the roof up I saved some cash on boxing and shipping (~600 dollars) but I did build a "wall" approximately the same size as the roof using 2x4 at a cost of ~50. The wall was then strapped to utility trailer.  I drove my truck the ~130 miles and picked up the roof (~70 dollars).  The roof was placed on top of the wall and strapped down using 1500-2000lb harbor freight tie downs that I always carry in the truck.

Upon arriving home with the truck\trailer I set the roof temporarily on a picnic table and one of those Lifetime tables (plastic tables obtainable at Sams club....I use those for a lot of large projects). The roof was slidable by myself but to lift I needed 4 people.

Remove all the canvas\electrical connection\air conditioner from the old camper roof lid.

I then reused the wood from the "wall" and built a "box". Sorry for no pictures. This "box" basically was 2X4 construction. This box was used to set the old camper lid on. Basically raised the old lid up. Set the old lid back down on the newly constructed box. The box is built around and through the camper and is used to support the camper lids during the swap out process. The idea is two build a box that could hold the lids without the concern of it falling and to make it easier for removal/reattachment.

So basically unhook brackets that attach old roof. Slide old roof off and flip it over to strip of any other parts/screws/etc as needed. Put the new roof on the "box" and reassemble the brackets (provided by Palomino RV) Same brackets they use for there campers. Take measurements etc to be in the same location as the old roof. (Basically in my case I was 13 inches from the end and If I remember right 5 inches from top. I used screws (5/8 inch wood screws) to get my placement. This is strong enough to hold camper lid but will not extend through the outside of camper lid. After you have raised and lowered camper roof with everthing on it then remove each screw one by one and drill through and stainless steel nut and bolt it in place.

As the top canvas track was not obtainable but I heard close replacements is available. I choose to use a utility knife and cut the canvas track out of the old roof. Cleaned it up a little with a putty knife and used glue and a good electric tacker (similar to original attachment procedure when the camper was new). The tacker I used was a professional carpet tacker. (Very useful but I bet you could use a number of good quality tackers). Reattached canvas to the new lid. I attached the door storage track and a few top items that went along with the door when its put away next.

The next major item is the air conditioner. Bascially I was able to speak to dometic and received a installation guide for my air conditioner. Palomino provided me with two air conditioner support bars. Unfortunately they were slightly not as wide as needed and the brackets provided would not work but I had something to start with. I had a fabrictor friend create me 4 brackets which I painted white (he said took him less then a 1 hr to build me, so a good welder could create them in for about 60-70 dollars. One for each end of the bar that cradled the support bar. I was told to place the bar\brackets in place which would slightly raise the roof. I used the old whole measurements and drew them out with pencil. I then cut the roof lid with one of those high speed drill cutters to avoid chipping roof. I then followed installation guide for air conditioner.

The electrical 12 volt lights required the running of new electric. 14 Awg stranded wire is used as its the original wire gauge\type. I purchased two 50 foot spools and electric track to put wire in at home depot. I also purchased from radio shack two new electrical connector (male/female) to attach new electric to old electric.  The total cost ~60 dollars.

The next step was to build the canvas pole holders. Basically I used 2- 2X6 cut at 11 inches. I cut a 1.5 inch whole through one. Both pieces were cut at 15 degrees on the end. This end will be the end that faces the ends of the roof. I attached the two pieces together with screws (drywall). I then used metal plate used to tie wood pieces together in construction. Basically plates with whole in it. I bent at a ninety degree angle at the half way point. I then attached the 2x6 to the roof lid using the metal plate with screws taking note location using the canvas poles and the fact there is clearance needed for the bed etc when roof is closed. (~5.5 inches) Please note the old roof had a plate that the poles went into which I fastened to the 2x6 wood.

As I used to be a flooring layer, (3rd generation flooring mechanic) - now software engineer, I used flooring to cover the end caps (see photos) and pole holder. Cost of 2 yards of carpet was 16 dollars at home depot. Unfortunately I had nothing of the size,color needed.

That pretty much completed the project and my family and I was able to use it this past weekend. I have winterized it now and will be garaging it tomorrow morning till late Spring.

Total cost around $1650. Many would ask would you do it again, I think I would but I would have done it inside my garage as its not so dependent on weather.

I have included some pictures of the finish product.

I hope this helps someone in the future,
Chris