Awnings: Fiamma, Horizon, & "Florida Rooms"

Zach Woods

New member
The following is archival:

*****
The first Westfalias had a Fiamma awning with the label "Westfalia" on
the outside. They also came with a rain gutter (piece of vinyl/rubber
material between the awning and the van body).

Later Westfalias had a Horizon awning with the label "Horizon" on the
outside, and without the rain gutter.

Both awnings are installed similarly (using the same brackets and pre-
made holes).

According to Fiamma.com, both awnings are essentially the same except
for the fabric (and I don't know whether the Fiamma or the Horizon
fabric is considered better). Both fabrics look like they're made of
polyester reinforced vinyl. The Fiamma has a 1 year warranty and the
Horizon has a 3 year warranty (presumably the Airstream coach warranty
would make the warranties equivalent?).

Fiamma is an Italian company which manufactures high-end awnings
http://www.fiamma.com. Horizon is the name for the awning made
(distributed) by A&E, part of DometicUSA. On the Fiamma website,
you'll see the following statement (http://www.fiammausa.com/faq.html):

Q – Does your "Florida Room" attach to A & E's Horizon awning?
A – Yes. We manufacture the Horizon awning for A & E. All of the parts
are identical except for the fabric.

On the same website, they have various accessories/options for the
Fiamma 45 awning, including the new Florida room (attaches to awning).
There are also wall brackets attached to the van body (you insert the
legs into the wall brackets rather than on the ground). For whatever
eason, it seems that most Westfalias do not have the wall brackets
installed.

On the DometicUSA website, http://www.dometicusa.com/awnings.php?
product=37 there's more info on the Horizon. Didn't find a specific
Florida room made by Dometic for the Horizon (although there were other
enclosures on the Dometic website).
 

Zach Woods

New member
Did you find any "add room" for your Westy?
Hello songjc -

I have not purchased any sort of side tent for my Westfalia. If I did I would get the tent available from Westfalia in Germany as it integrates very cleanly with the Westfalia and can be left set up while allowing the Sprinter to drive away.

Zach
 

512Westy

Member
Just read Vince's treatise on his conversion from the Fiamma to the Shady Boy awning. I've always wondered about the mounting brackets that came with the Fiamma to attach the support arms to the body of the van. I've seen trailers that mount their awning support arms from the side of the trailers. Has anyone done this to their Westy? It seems that this would make a secure mounting and avoid the need for tie down straps/ropes (except in high winds). My concern would be about the loading from the awning flapping in a wind and if that would deform the van's body sheetmetal at the point of connection.

David

you can see his blog here...

http://eat-drink-men-women.blogspot.com/
 

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
1. Awning Mounting Brackets to Fiberglass Top

The fiberglass top has four screwhole inserts at the bottom indentation. (On the driver side, can see four black plastic caps.)

Westfalia has two metal mounting brackets which screw into those screwholes.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=333858&postcount=8

Note: Westy owner in Bend, Oregon, mentioned that the screw (really a bolt) is a special tapered bolt as the recessed hole is tapered. If don't have, best bet may be to find someone who has one to get exact fit.

The Fiamma (Horizon) awning fits into those two metal brackets. There are two small bolts on each bracket which then hold the awning in place (at least that I could see).

TIP: Another poster mentioned that the two little bolts on each bracket can become loose and fall off (nut is on top and bolt inserts from bottom). Suggestion is to flip bolt around so if nut falls off, bolt is still retained in hole. Have not personally done to see if this works.)

The Westfalia metal mounting brackets look custom-made just for the Westfalia.

2. Replacement Westfalia Mounting Brackets

Do not know of any replacements. Another poster here found brackets for other Westfalia models, but not for the Westfalia James Cook model.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=453737&postcount=7

Possibilities include

(a) checking with Airstream to see if they might have some (unlikely as Airstream disposed of most of the Westfalia parts),

(b) checking with the James Cook Friends Forum to see if they have a source (there is an independent Westfalia repair shop in Germany),

(c) checking with Westfalia in Germany for a source (Westfalia no longer has an online parts store),

(d) fabricating your own (see subsection below on third bracket), and

(e) checking with Fiamma in Florida (unfortunately, they recently had some murders at the company so may be regrouping).

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56782

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?p=572859#post572859

3. Third Mounting Bracket

Fiamma recommends three mounting points for our size length awning. Westfalia only has two mounting points. There is an optional instruction sheet on how to do a third mounting bracket.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46895&highlight=Awning+bracket

4. Strengthened Mounting with Aluminum Angle

Looks like Discus used the original two mounting brackets and added a piece of metal to add additional holding mounts between that piece of metal and the awning. Then used the three Fiamma brackets to mount between angle metal and awning.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=453311&postcount=4

5. Sleeker Awning

Discus replaced original awning with a newer sleeker lower profile Fiamma awning. I do not know whether this newer model.has same size awning fabric.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=428599&postcount=4

6. Leg Mounting Brackets

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51943&highlight=Awning+bracket

7. Other Info (Replacement Caps, etc.)

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44759&highlight=Awning


Please let us know what you find and do. Thanks.
 
Last edited:

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
On the James Cook Friends Forum thread above, the most recemt post 3/29/2018 is an inquiry for orders for stainless steel awning brackets (presumably need minimum number of orders to get manufacturer to make).

Extra ones for use on the driver side might be nice. Could use to mount a plastic tube for fishing rods (Bend, Oregon, owner did that but with his own brackets).

The Road Shower might be too big and heavy to mount on fiberglass top, but it's an interesting idea.

https://roadshower.com/
 

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