Removing / replacing your top RE-Write

Post by **Briano1234** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:05 am

Installing Your Convertible Top

See:

viewforum.php?f=27

vw_nick · Post by **vw_nick** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:46 pm

Nice writeup.

My '92 top didn't have the brass chains... Also, to replace the gooky squished foamy gasket stuff between the top and the seal channels I used some pickup truck bed cap/topper mounting tape which squeezes down very thin...

Looks nice... I'm annoyed with how mine came out, as the area around the rear window has some waves/wrinkles.

Post by **kuklaki** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:06 pm

That is, with a doubt, he best new top writeup I have read. The pictures just make it perfect.

Thank you once again for sharing your information, I am sure many a Cabby owner will find it as important as the Bentley. And others (like me) will just be more convinced to take it somewhere and have it done

Whew, that seems like a lot of work but looks amazing!!

kamzcab86 · Post by **kamzcab86** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:31 pm

Whoa!! That, sir, is gettin' FAQ'd!

And 'cuz all three layers are getting replaced on mine, I'm payin' someone to do the job.

If I was only replacing the outer top, I'd honestly try doing the replacement in my garage.

CalAltaDubber · Post by **CalAltaDubber** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:39 pm

Brian, Would you mind if I format this into some kind of manual?

That way it can be passed around to those that need it.

Post by **Briano1234** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:51 am

The Brass chain was a idea that I had about 6 months ago (first shared here) to keep the side cables from kinking and breaking and possibly cutting the top. I never knew the measurement was exactally 37 1/4 until I got the parts cabby.

Thank you Cristine, and Kammy... it is a piece of cake actually, if I hadn't lost a day and a half tryign to straighten out my bent frame...

You are free to use and abuse, but if you charge anyone for this I will inflict the vilest of Irish Curses on you....

I just wished I hadn't dropped my camera.. the battery holder shot one way the batteries the other and when I picked up the camera the lens was half cocked and wouldn't expand or contract...

I did get it fixed, but only after working on the top a bit more.

CalAltaDubber · Post by **CalAltaDubber** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:30 am

Briano1234 wrote:You are free to use and abuse, but if you charge anyone for this I will inflict the vilest of Irish Curses on you....

Brian, Being chained to a bar and forced to drink amazingly large amounts of Guiness for the rest of my life... wait that's the blessing, I got it mixed up.

Thanks, I wouldn't charge for that, but I might bother you for the odd clairification.

PS Yes I'm Irish too.

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:20 pm

awesome write-up!!!!

i'll be printing and using this.

kamzcab86 · Post by **kamzcab86** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:43 pm

PDF'd and FAQ'd!

Post by **Briano1234** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:10 pm

KAMZ you are AWESOME......................................................

it LOOKS MARVELOOOOOOOUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSS

gull · Post by **gull** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:38 pm

kamzcab86 wrote: Whoa!! That, sir, is gettin' FAQ'd!

And 'cuz all three layers are getting replaced on mine, I'm payin' someone to do the job. If I was only replacing the outer top, I'd honestly try doing the replacement in my garage.

I did all three layers, and honestly, it isn't that much trickier. Doing the headliner and pad adds another three or four hours of work (if you're slow, like me) but doesn't really require any more skill. You'll use a fair bit of spray glue fastening the headliner tabs to the frame, though.

The real key for me was taking lots of pictures, especially as I removed the pad and headliner. I took pictures of the details of how all the straps and hardware attached, so I could refer to them later when I had to put the thing back together. As Chilton is so fond of saying, "assembly is the reverse of removal."

And Briano, lubeing the rear cable bead is one of those genius touches that I wish I'd thought of. It took me at least an hour to get that cable in place, and I had to go back later and reseat it in some places...the vinyl just didn't want to go into that channel. I broke two clothespins using them as drifts.

I'm sure lubeing it up would have made it go in slick as can be.

Post by **Briano1234** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:33 pm

gull wrote:
kamzcab86 wrote: Whoa!! That, sir, is gettin' FAQ'd!

And Briano, lubeing the rear cable bead is one of those genius touches that I wish I'd thought of. It took me at least an hour to get that cable in place, and I had to go back later and reseat it in some places...the vinyl just didn't want to go into that channel. I broke two clothespins using them as drifts. I'm sure lubeing it up would have made it go in slick as can be.

The trick is removing all the excess material from the top where the rear bead and the top meet, as that allows only 1 layer of vinyl to go in to the tray, and you don't have to use a clothes pin at all, it pops right in with your hands...

gull · Post by **gull** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:19 pm

Briano1234 wrote:The trick is removing all the excess material from the top where the rear bead and the top meet, as that allows only 1 layer of vinyl to go in to the tray, and you don't have to use a clothes pin at all, it pops right in with your hands...

I actually did trim it, and still had a hard time. Probably the difference between us is I tried to put it in "dry."

gull · Post by **gull** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:16 pm

Oh yeah, one additional tip...when using an electric stapler, get the thickest, heaviest extension cord you can find. These things draw one big spike of current when you pull the trigger, and the extra resistance of an extension cord takes power away from the stapling action. You want to minimize this.

Post by **Briano1234** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:45 pm

Added a section on the Rear Window Frame... and some pics of making your side cables.

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Removing / replacing your top RE-Write

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