GWorks Canopy

After using our Snugtop canopy for nearly twelve months and finding it too difficult to access items at the front of the tub despite having side windows, we decided it needed to be removed in favour of a more functional and user-friendly canopy. The canopy was sold within a day of being listed on Facebook, along with our Engel fridge, Enerdrive lithium battery, and 40-amp DC-DC charger. We also tried to reduce dust entry through the rear tailgate, even though we purchased sealing kits from the United States and installed a scupper vent on the front of the canopy.

Our only real option was a custom-made tray and canopy that were waterproof and dustproof, featuring automotive-quality rubber seals on the canopy doors to prevent dust from entering.

With all that in mind, we finally decided to go with GWorks, a Port Macquarie-based company that manufactures canopies, trays, and fit-related accessories; best of all, they are all Australian-made.

We are again utilising an Enerdrive battery system, which includes a B-Tec 200AH lithium battery, a DC2DC 40+ vehicle/solar charger, a 40A AC charger, and a 2000W AC transfer inverter. A 180-watt solar panel will be mounted on the canopy roof inside a 35mm low-profile full-length canopy platform.

 

To ensure our Silverado fits into our garage, we have had to limit the sizes of our tray and canopy. Our canopy will be 1700mm long.

 

All the Enerdrive charging equipment is installed on the front wall of the canopy, with a Bushman 85-litre upright fridge just behind it.

In the meantime, we have decided to use plastic crates inside the canopy and only fit drawer systems once we have been away for an extended period, to see if these will suffice.

We dropped our vehicle off at Port Macquarie early on Monday, the 15th of May, and by COB that day, the tub had been removed and the chassis scanned to determine what mounting point brackets needed to be made to secure the tray.

I arranged for Robbie Holmes of A to Z Imports at Currumbin on the Gold Coast to upgrade the vehicle's GVM. Robbie is an NSW VSCCS Certifier.
 
During the build process, I ordered wheel covers featuring the Chevrolet bowtie to adorn the rear tyre of the canopy.