Nice unit! I remember working on those when they were new. I noticed when you started to crank it up the crank was slightly stuck; that was a common issue I remember. We were replacing the ratchet mechanisms all the time until I realized people were cranking all the way down, and then continuing to "crank down" until tight thus rendering the clutch useless. Just don't make that too tight and you'll be fine. Should be a great camper once you have those few things fixed!
We actually bought fabrics we liked from a local craft store and did the stitching mostly by hand. I believe we used the sewing machine for some of it. Fortunately, my sister is very handy with crafts and was able to do most of it for us.
