TheSamba.com :: View topic - Aftermarket canvas or vinyl from Streetbeets

Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:41 am

I have a 69 beetle with an original steel sunroof wich is beyond repair. Has anyone used the Streetbeat ragtop or does anyone know of any other brands which would work. Any info would be a great help.

Thanks

Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:16 am

The street beat "original style" at least used to be seriously lacking in the quality department. I bought one 12-13 years ago and never used it due to this. More recently I bought one of their metal framed units for a Karmann Ghia and I was more than pleased with the quality, fit & etc.

The problem you will have however is what you can't see. Under the headliner in your car there is a lot more going on with bows, brackets, channels etc and you simply can't just cut a hole in the roof unless it is big enough to cut out all the inside stuff.

Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:24 am

I had the same problem with my 70 sunroof. I bought a street beat customs ragtop a couple years ago for around $600. It wasn't the best quality. So I found a 63 ragtop clip for about half that price and put it in myself. A lot of work but I'm really happy. My bug goes to the paint shop today. If I were you, I'd look around for a clip.

Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:34 am

I bought a Streetbeat Ragtop kit for my 58 project in Dec 07.

The fiberglass trim ring is interesting. It seems it was molded from an original ragtop. However it was modified in the process. What I mean is, it fits so nicely from inside and under the roof it pushes in place and stays. But whoever made it molded it so that original rails couldn't be used. Some cutting and trimming later the original rails fit like a glove.

The mechanicals supplied with the SB kit were not good.

I modified the fiberglass trim ring to accept the original rails. I am almost done replicating the original mechanicals patterned after the originals. These mechanicals use the original rollers in the original rails.

I plan on making molds from the now modified roof section and front and rear tensioning bows.

The canvas supplied with the kit was not good.

The setup as I have reconfigured it will accept the original vinyl or stayfast canvas 4 round corner, 2 fold tops.

The headliner will install as original (maybe a little easier because of the way the roof section installs) and the available replica golde handle will be used.

I plan on making these Ragtop Kits available for sale soon. I need to finish the prototype. Target price at first $1135, canvas not included. If anyone is seriously interested let me know. This will be cottage industry with high quality and a 1 year guarantee on parts. Templates for roof cutting, instructions and DVD included.

The advantage of this type of kit is you don't have to find a harder and harder to find complete ragtop clip, remove the windows, cutup your car, weld in the new one, featheredge it all back in paint, install a new headliner etc...

Not that this kit will be easy, but you could do it yourself with common tools and not remove a good headliner or windows. Good body work at the front edge that shows will be required. This is a 38" strip where the sheetmetal butts to the fiberglass.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:29 am

Here's my Project so far.
Using correct rails, rollers and replicated mechanicals, the sunroof so far does what it is supposed to do.

I still need to put the engagement hook in and tweak the throw on the lifting rods. Seems like it will need to lift the front tension plate about 1/2".

It is designed so that turning the handle to the left will open the top and allow it to slide back. Turn 180 degrees to the right and it latches and pulls down on the front tension plate.

The trailing bows move up and over nicely. Not sure if the mechanicals are moving back as far as original.

I plan on making a template so there wont be any worries about cutting the roof section right. The directions will be easy. Push the trim ring in between the roof longitudinal stiffeners, lining up the latching edge with the vent wing separator. Drill through the four pre drilled corner holes. Remove the trim ring. Lay the cut templates on the top aligning the templates with the corner holes. Make the marks and cut out.
This was one of the hardest parts to figure out.

Once its cut the headliner can be installed or the old one reconfigured. The trim ring pinches the headliner. The headliner will install as original.
I will use lots of clamps and a urethane windshield sealant.

The front edge will need to be feathered in and painted just in front of the curl. But all the other edges will hide under the rails and rear tension plate.

I will make fiberglass molds and templates for all parts. I do plan on listing this in the classifieds once I am happy with it.

I think this beats welding and grinding a clip in.

Please let me know if you see ways to improve from the photos. I can handle it.

The stop bumpers under the front tension plate transfer torque to the corners to bring them down tight. By adjusting the stops higher you get tighter at the outside, too high and the middle doesn't seal.

Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:38 am

The first step to installing the Ragtop Kit is to remove the old headliner or drop the old one enough to remove all but the rear bow and cut the sunroof section out of the old one.

My recommendation is to install this kit during a repaint when you would have the windows out and be replacing the headliner with a headliner cut for a ragtop.

Push the Ragtop trim ring inside the roof up against the roof. You want to align the inside front edge with the Vent wing vertical supports. From outside this will put the curl of the Ragtop 6" back of the windshield rubber. But this is difficult to measure from the top and without the rubber in place.

The trim ring will push in and hold in place being a good fit.

Next check the front edge alignment with the vertical Vent wing support.

Now drill thru the four corner guide holes pre drilled in the trim ring. This allows for accurate placement of the templates on top.

Remove the trim ring from inside and set aside.

The steel top is a compound curve, so anything flat wont lay up correctly. Use the thin paper strips with the guide hole marks to template the Ragtop hole. Use a sharpie to make the mark. Mask off 2" each side of the steel roof to protect the top. Now you will use a sawzall to cut right on those lines.

Cut the sides first and form the radiuses as best you can. Put a rolled up blanket inside under the roof section and tie ropes up and over so as you cut the front and back with the section now supported. This will also dampen the vibration from the cutting and save your jitters. Once it is completely cut out, untie and lift it out.

Use a die grinder to clean up the lines and smooth.

Sun Mar 09, 2008 3:25 pm

After marking the cut lines, slots were cut using a rotary cut off wheel.

Applied 4 layers of 2" wide masking tape which protected the new paint fine. The hole was cut out using a sawzall which made fast work of the lines. Then the radiused corners were cut out with a handheld jig saw.

Then a trial fit of the ragtop support and rails. Nothing fastened or screwed in just yet.

Now the new ragtop cloth headliner in 10 pieces. Got the rear section and one of the quarter sections in today.

Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:55 am

Man, that looks good so far...can't wait to see more!

Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:46 am

I have to say, drilling holes and cutting a roof in a newly painted 1958 beetle sedan took all the courage I could muster. Once I drilled the first hole that was it. Then, when an hour later I had the roof section out and the Sunroof fit in like a glove I felt a lot better.

The roof is quite strong because of its shape, even when cut.

So my advice is if you contemplate doing this - do it before painting. You wont care as much and feathering in the sunroof will just be part of the bodywork.

You can use my experience as the confidence that it will all go together.

Also, my little handheld jigsaw cut the steel roof just fine. You don't need a sawzall.

It is just a matter of preference, but this project turns a wonderful little car into a wonderful little sports car!

Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:47 pm

Alright weiner lets see some more pics and i guess by now the finished job. It looks really good so far though. Thanks.

Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:26 pm

Weinerbug,
Very nice job but could you share a little info on those fans you have installed there?

Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:57 am

So would the Streetbeat kit work by installing from underneath like this or did you need to modify the sides and rails too much?