71 Super Vert top questions - EDIT - the result.

[andk5591]

I already talked to Chuck a little and have searched extensively on here. Need a little more help. Fixing hacks on a restored 71 Super Vert. Really nice car, but had some hack bandaids done by PO and another shop. Had been restored by the PO and seems to have been a body off totaly resto. Which means EVERYTHING was taken apart at one time or another.

Heres's what my initial issue was - body needed shimmed in the rear - door gaps were wrong and the top was not coming as far forward over windshiels as was needed. Added 1/4" shims above shock towers and that fixed it.

All top related seals did not seem to be installed incorrectly. Just got a new set from Chucks but still waiting on windshield top seal.

Problem #1 have a 3/4 gap between vent wing and A pillar. Seal is not thick enough. PO or someone installed a 1/4" aluminum shim. Was installed too high and prevented top from dropping as far as it should. Is a shim like this the norm? What I am concerned about is that maybe the vent window is tweaked - seems to sit further back in the top of the door than it should. There is a strong 1/4" gap between the front of the slot in the top of the door and the vent frame. Is this normal? Both sides are the same.

Problem #2 With the existing top seals (all were relatively new) I am afraid to close the door with the windows up. Really lay into the seal at the top and dont seem to slide in . Thinking that I may need to adjust the window height stops. Sound correct?

Problem #3 - the top is scewed to one side some - maybe 1/2" when you go to close it. You kind of have to pull it over just a little for the pins to drop into the holes. Normal or something to fix? (fairly new top)

#4 Please explain the function of the tensioner cables. Tells me how to adjust in the Bently, but doesnt really explain what the hell they do.

#5 I currentl have an M&H windshield top seal that is installed wrong - how far back is it supposed to sit in the top of the windshield frame? Against the rear lip or only back that far on the corners? Should front of seal be flush with windshield frame?

Seriously - I have searched and searched......

Thanks and I have already reviewed the nice post where the guy did a step by step on I think a 70 bug. Doesnt help me.

Thanks for your help and I wanna get this thing out of my shop so I can get back to my own project.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[HippyTom]

I am also currently restoring a 71 Super Vert and had some of the same issues. Here's what I found.

In my car's case, the PO has adjusted the j-hooks that hold the top frame to the top of the windsheild down to far to where they were really too tight and pulled the top down too far. This caused the vent window frame to hit the top seal way too high and caused a huge gap between the vent frame and the a pillar. It also caused the door windows to hit and be VERY hard to close and seal. I loosened the j hooks and twisted them out a couple of turns and tightened the set nut back down. Did this on each side and continued tweaking them until I got a nice fit. Now, when I close the doors on each side all I have to do is lightly push in on the vent windor frame at the top and it slides right in and seals nicely. The door windows slide right in with no problem. No more binding.

[andk5591]

Is the tensioning cable only run along the back of the top?
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[cjsuner]

Yes, it is there to keep the top outer liner in place, i guess it's the best way VW found to do it...

[andk5591]

Slowly getting a handle on this - and yeah - figured out the cable thing late this morning.

I have an email out to Chuck and hoping he gets back to me with a couple answers. It looks like I have to reinstall the 1/4" shims on the A pillars for the seals to work. So that will take care of that escept not sure what seal gets notched (top or A pillar?) so they dont run into each other when you close the top.

And the other has to do with the middle and rear side top seals. Currently the rear of the middle seal is chewed up from closing the rear quarter window. It hits the joint and has buggered the seal up. The seal joint is right at the break in the metal and it seems as though if it overlapped some, it wouldnt be a problem...Any ideas?
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[andk5591]

If you EVER need to deal with this - grab the big early Bently manual. Has a lot more help than the later ones. If a car has been complely blown apart at some time, you will need to adjust the window and vent window angles as well as the regulator stops. If you need seals - contact Chuck's convertible. The car had a bunch of seals from M&H or someplace like that - Chucks seals seem to be made from a softer material which should seal better - plus Chuck will help you out over the phone. Great Guy!

I have to say this has been a total pain in the ass - I have the worst side almost done and then I just have to do the other side. I dont even want to tell you how much time I have in this and probably 70% of it was research and figuring out how to do things. If anyone balks at how much someone charges to install and set up a convertible top - just write the check and say thank you.

The upside is that I now have a good handle on how to do this, if I ever run into something like this again. The guy that owns the car should be pretty happy with it. This was one of those projects that I took on for the challenge and I won.....
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[flyboat]

[andk5591]

In my last post I said I got a handle on it - so thanks - Was just a bit of a learning curve. The big thing was to get the header seal right, which required shimming the rear body etc. I ended up instaling 1/4" shims on the A pillars. The rest is coming together nicely.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...