Over the last couple of days, I've cut 1-1/4" 6061-T6 angle for the front canopy rails and drilled them to fit on the slides. Unlike the rear canopy, I've moved the slides inwards from the corners a couple of inches. The nuts attaching the canopy to the slides were pretty much exactly where I wanted to locate the column stiffeners on the rear canopy, and I wanted the front canopy to be free of that kind of fit interference. I've also built the rear columns for the front canopy, seen here in zinc green. They are each made of four pieces of 0.032" 6061-T6 sheet aluminum. I'm very happy with the fit, as it is an even distance around the rear canopy, allowing weatherstrip to fill the joint nicely. The side skins are riveted to the canopy rails with flush rivets, and the side wall is riveted to the bottom of the canopy rails by means of a 1" 6061-T6 angle bracket. I've also bent the first of the canopy bows, but I haven't riveted it into position just yet.
