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busraker Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2016 Posts: 2 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:06 pm Post subject: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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I can't seem to find one in the great interwebs ... I woke up this morning to find this. And I don't want water to get in and rust my roof out.
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avernon82 Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2015 Posts: 292 Location: Richmond,CA
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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ouch. A boat shop can fix that. |
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kourt Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013 Posts: 1922 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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Look carefully at the luggage rack, specifically the corners of the actual luggage carrying space. There are holes.
The luggage rack space is designed to drain water through those holes and down to the sheetmetal roof below it, where it then drains out the front and sides of the luggage rack, through the loose "seals" (that don't really seal, and aren't intended to seal).
If you don't believe me, run a garden hose in your luggage rack and see where the water comes out... it flows out neatly from under the fiberglass rack after first flowing over the sheet metal roof.
Westy luggage racks should be removed every few years to clean debris from under the luggage rack. It's the wet debris that can cause rust, not plain water.
Your fears of water and rust are unfounded, because water has been coursing through that space since it rolled out of the factory, by design.
The post above is where I would start. Any boat shop could fix that luggage rack fiberglass easily. Get it repainted, and order new decals from your favorite vendor... and your problem is solved.
kourt |
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busraker Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2016 Posts: 2 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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avernon82 wrote: |
ouch. A boat shop can fix that. |
Awesome ... I never would have thought of that! |
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Jeffrey Lee Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2014 Posts: 1488 Location: Wisconsin
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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I’d suggest removing the luggage rack and repairing the damage. Fiberglass repair is deceptively simple, if you have the right materials, and some patience/elbow grease, etc..
While a boat shop can certainly handle that, it will likely be quite expensive. A friend had a local marine shop fix a fiberglass kayak with about half the damage as your luggage rack, and the bill was $400.
Here are a couple of threads covering somewhat similar repairs:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6591875
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7790592 _________________ Camp Westfalia
Camping Tips • Newsletter • Cool Campervan Apparel
www.CampWestfalia.com |
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avernon82 Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2015 Posts: 292 Location: Richmond,CA
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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Yes, forget my boat shop idea, do it yourself. I was successful with no prior experience. I'm sure a boat shop would have made the repair seamless. You can definitely see my repair. I probably could have spent some more time cleaning it up. I still may... |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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busraker wrote: |
I can't seem to find one in the great interwebs ... I woke up this morning to find this. And I don't want water to get in and rust my roof out.
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Dang, Did a branch land on it? Looks like a bit of damage to the window frame too.
Short-term, it looks like the windshield needs to be replaced. Long-term, repair or replace the luggage rack. There was one on the Seattle CL recently, but now there's a pop-top with no luggage rack. There are two pop-tops with luggage racks in the classifieds for $400 or less, one in CA.
Repair does seem to be a rock-solid approach. The luggage rack can be removed in 10 minutes and a rudimentary fiberglass repair can be completed in a day or so. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Michael4104 Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2014 Posts: 340 Location: Livermore, Ca
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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Unless you have done fiberglass repair on curves before, your end tesults will look like the above mention repair.
Your damage is not simple so, take it to a body shop or boat repair shop that repairs fiberglass. The repair will not be inexpensive.
If it where mine I would wait for one to show up in the classifieds, as mention no harm will come to your roof. Have you posted in the classified wanted adds here? _________________ 1990 Wolfsburg Carat with new poptop.
1985 Westy now sporting a 1995 Jetta ABA 2.0L. Sold |
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avernon82 Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2015 Posts: 292 Location: Richmond,CA
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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huh, I can't find the pop top in CA that you mention... |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Steve M. Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 6798 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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dobryan wrote: |
The nice thing about fiberglass repairs is that you can do them over later if you are not satisfied. Try the repair yourself first. It is not rocket science. You can go back and make it better later. |
Yep, you could repair that a thousand times if you didn't quite get it perfect the first 999 times!
Do a search for fiberglass repair. I'm sure there are You Tube videos on it. _________________ This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6378 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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avernon82 wrote: |
ouch. A boat shop can fix that. |
Took the words out my mouth.
Unless you can find a replacement cheaper, and the color matches (!), looks like a good time to redo your old, tender, and now-damaged roof -- if you have the time, and space, and inclination. About to redo mine sometime soon myself, likely in the middle of nowhere.
(Edit: after reading the DIY thoughts, which are certainly possible if you're comfortable with trying it, make sure to use the woven-cloth type of fiberglass cloth for structural strength -- the location of the damage needs all the structural help it can get) |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 7:27 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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There are two fiberglass products to consider for an at home repair of your luggage rack.
Cloth & Matting.
Use the matting.
It is really easy to work with and it absorbs & holds more resin at any one time to give you quick build up results.
Do go over to you tube , there are plenty of examples of how to repair that hole real easy. _________________ T.K. |
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cmayna Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2014 Posts: 1143 Location: SF Bay area, CA
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 7:35 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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Is it the same luggage rack for all westys with front luggage? _________________ '90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Craig |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6378 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:21 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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I believe they're all the same. |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 8:00 am Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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avernon82 wrote: |
huh, I can't find the pop top in CA that you mention... |
Dang. The hinges are in CA, the pop tops are both back east. I misread the locations when I scrolled over on my phone. Sorry about that.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?...ds=Pop+top _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Tully Mars Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2006 Posts: 93 Location: Wheat Ridge CO
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 10:21 am Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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I looked for SEVERAL years to find a replacement one. No luck. Anybody that had one for sale only wanted to sell it complete with main pop up section. Or they would not ship it.
I ended up repairing it on my own with advice gained here and some You Tube videos.
I repaired inside and out with fiberglass and then "cleaned" it up shape wise with a little bit of bondo.
It came out pretty good. Have not painted it yet. The white you see is primer.
_________________ I'm a man. But I can change.
If I have to.
I guess.
_______
84 Wolfsburg Westfalia
Hobie Cow |
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7402 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 8:35 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Replacement Luggage Top |
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Nothing like first hand experience (on both finding and then fixing) to answer a question.
Your pics are good inspiration for someone in the same boat. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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