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deeps
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2007
Posts: 27
Location: Scotland
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 Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 9:16 am Post subject: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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In the process of changing my early westy roof to a late westy roof ( resto thread to follow). The later roof has a skylight fitted which needs new seal and plastic top which are available in Germany on the Gunzl site. As I live in Scotland and the rainfall can be prolific I would like some views on the watertight integrity of the Skylight both driving and when the roof is deployed and therefore at an angle. As I've never had a skylight previously I'm tempted to fibreglass over it, cheaper and drier?
Thanks fellas.
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busdaddy
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Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51112
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 9:19 am Post subject: |
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Well if you're going to do that box up the hardware/mechanism and send it to me, I'll pay the shipping!
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oorwullie
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Joined: May 01, 2003
Posts: 2365
Location: fribourg,switzerland
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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the hardware looks original apart from the 2 cross bracings which someone "created".
that plastic lid is not original. |
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Curtquarquesso
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Joined: April 14, 2010
Posts: 63
Location: Orlando, FL
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:32 am Post subject: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Here are some photos of the pop-up sky-light in my 1978 Westy Campmobile Deluxe. I always thought it was an after-market thing, or a PO-hack. I had no idea that they actually put these into pop-tops. I really like using it as a passenger air vent. If you close the side that's to the rear of the car, you can direct air going over the car to the back seat bench. Currently, it's not leaking badly, but when I have really heavy weather, it drips a little, and the fuzzy roof of the pop-top gets saturated and damp, which will then drip and get the carpet wet.
The pop-up skylight:
Close-up of the mounting hardware. All attachment brackets are riveted except for one:
Exterior showing the seal.
Original owner left a small baggie of hardware labeled for the pop-up skylight (roof vent).
I'm planning on restoring the entire pop-top eventually, so it may make sense to wait to tackle this until then.
Does anyone know:
• What range of years and VINs they put these pop-up skylights into, and if it was an option, or standard?
• Where can I buy the rubber gasket between the pop-up and the roof?
• Any links to other threads that cover this topic? (I've searched the forum the best I can.)
• How valuable/common is this feature?
• What's the technical name for it?
(If re-opening an older thread like this is frowned upon, let me know. I figured that reviving this topic would be better than opening up a new one for the sole purpose of consolidating information into a single topic. ) |
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tristessa
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Joined: April 07, 2004
Posts: 3992
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:03 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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That looks like the same type of bulb seal that's commonly sold for use on the perimeter of the Westy poptop, though I can't tell about the dimensions from the pictures. I'd drop a line to Werksberg, he can probably ID that seal and either set you up or at least direct you to someone that has it.
Can't help with any of the rest of your questions, sorry... |
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jtauxe 
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2004
Posts: 5780
Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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I'll just chime in to say that that vent is pretty cool -- I've never seen it before. And if it is indeed original to the bus, then this is a candidate for the rarest of the rare thread. 
I'll also say that if I lived in a wet place like Scotland, I might be tempted to test it, but would be thinking about eventually how to remove it and fill in the hole permanently, in case it leaks.
(Here in New Mexico, persistent rain in not an issue. Albuquerque just went through its driest March in over 100 years: 0 precipitation for the entire month.)
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John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD
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Curtquarquesso
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2010
Posts: 63
Location: Orlando, FL
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:22 pm Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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| tristessa wrote: |
| That looks like the same type of bulb seal that's commonly sold for use on the perimeter of the Westy poptop, though I can't tell about the dimensions from the pictures. I'd drop a line to Werksberg, he can probably ID that seal and either set you up or at least direct you to someone that has it. Can't help with any of the rest of your questions, sorry... |
You're correct about the bulb seal, but either it was manufactured to be a very low-profile seal, or the seal is nearly completely flattened due to age. It's completely squashed. I have a feeling that the design won't be too picky about the seal, but I do want to put the correct seal in there. Thanks for the info.
| jtauxe wrote: |
I'll just chime in to say that that vent is pretty cool -- I've never seen it before. And if it is indeed original to the bus, then this is a candidate for the rarest of the rare thread.
I'll also say that if I lived in a wet place like Scotland, I might be tempted to test it, but would be thinking about eventually how to remove it and fill in the hole permanently, in case it leaks.
(Here in New Mexico, persistent rain in not an issue. Albuquerque just went through its driest March in over 100 years: 0 precipitation for the entire month.) |
I don't have any info on whether it was original or not. My grandfather bought the car from the original owner, and I know my grandfather didn't install it. If it was after-market, or something of that nature, the original owner would have had to have done it. I always thought it was just an aftermarket vent he stuck in there, but after seeing the OP's roof-vent, I know now there's more to it than that. I've yet to see a single other example of this roof vent other than OP's. I've looked everywhere.
An additional find is a custom denim cover that the original owner or his significant other made. It kinda sorta fits, but it needs to velcro on the rood side. Not sure what the purpose would be:
I grabbed a shot of an identifying marking on the inside of the pop-up vent, and cleaned up the image since it was difficult to get without removing the thing. Due to the vent's fabrication, it was also printed backwards, so I flipped it to make it readable:
RIAG - CAB
squiggly-D 389
Google search shows no results. Still have no idea what this thing is or where it came from. I'm going over to the rarest of the rare thread to see what they think about it. |
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Tcash
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Joined: July 20, 2011
Posts: 12844
Location: San Jose, California, USA
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Curtquarquesso
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Joined: April 14, 2010
Posts: 63
Location: Orlando, FL
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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I guess I'll have to give them a call tomorrow. GoWesty and Werksberg are also on the list of sources to ask for info. No clue as to what the markings could mean? I'd figure if any member did have a clue, it'd be you. |
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Curtquarquesso
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Joined: April 14, 2010
Posts: 63
Location: Orlando, FL
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:57 pm Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Managed to do some more digging, and found only two more examples of this particular skylight:
Member posting a [WTB] for it in the classifieds:
(link to ad)
Screencaps from a tour of a a 1978 Helsinki on YouTube:
(screenshot interior) (screenshot exterior)(link to video)
That's all I've got at the moment. I decided to remove the thing, and look for more markings, but found none. Some details show that it's a clear resin casting of some kind, and gets an off-white coat brushed and sprayed on. At some point, someone hit it with a coat of white that aged pretty poorly under the sun.
Cleaning:
Before and After:
Cleaning up the hardware will come later. I saw that it had the same silver paint on it as the pop-top hardware does. One of the mounting rivets is quite loose, and so I may need to re-seat some of the hardware, but not for a while likely. I have no seal to install as a replacement at the moment. |
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otiswesty
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Joined: November 21, 2006
Posts: 1729
Location: Portland
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notchboy
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Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 22445
Location: Escondido CA
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:04 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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In all my searches for the ultimate bus trinkets, Ive only seen - found these as a European option only. As seen in otispeka's example above. Option list for "other" not US buses.
Your grandfather did a Tourister trip - correct? Bought the bus and picked it up in Germany? There are numerous examples of buses here in the US that have options regular US spec buses didn't. Your skylight is one of them. These are either Tourister buses or brought back US servicemen vehicles. Rarer is a dealer here in the US got ahold of used - slightly used and sent them over (difficult at the time with repercussions from VW - but done none the less)
Its always been my understanding that its a European add on that was is now rare. It will be difficult to track anything on them as the Europeans have stricter vehicle registration laws than us - therefore - these skylights may of been very prolific on later campers, but have long since been crushed due to other failing attributes during registration. Or they were rare then? Who's to say.
What you do have in your hot little hands is a cool Baywindow - Westfalia accessory some of us would love to have. You will get 20 people all day long that say its the bomb, but only 3-5 would actually buy and use one. You did a good job on that rear license plate lens. Are you capable of initiating and or following through on any reproduction of this? I know I speak for others when I say Id buy one if you did - like I said in the last thread. 
Thankyou for posting up detailed shots of this. I look forward to buying one of your reproductions. 
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| t3kg wrote: |
OK, this thread is over. You win. |
Jason "notchboy" Weigel
1964 1500 S
1964 T34 S Convertible
1977 Westfalia Camper pop-top |
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notchboy
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Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 22445
Location: Escondido CA
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| Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:28 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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On another interesting note as well. Vanagons will get accessory add ons that were offered to late bay owners but rarely seen. Like intermittent wipers, cruse control and this skylight. Giving you more for less has always been a selling mark for automakers, so it's no surprise that the race to impress for less is never ending. So you see Vanagons having these things as more commonplace.
Pop tops on vanagons are pre set to either have the option or not. In the vid it looks like the seal you are looking for - as mentioned a simple bulb type gasket.
Link
_________________
| t3kg wrote: |
OK, this thread is over. You win. |
Jason "notchboy" Weigel
1964 1500 S
1964 T34 S Convertible
1977 Westfalia Camper pop-top |
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otiswesty
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Joined: November 21, 2006
Posts: 1729
Location: Portland
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Sign me up for a repop, not sure I'd cut my roof for it though.
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1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab
Just a regular guy |
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vworwhat
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Joined: June 10, 2009
Posts: 195
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:21 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Yes, it is a Westfalia add on accessory, pretty rare, I have only seen a few, mostly on Berlin and Helsinki pop tops.
I have a seal and the mechanical bits, what I need would be a lid. Does anybody have a spare one for sale or an idea, where to find one, that fits?
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Westfalia Helsinki 6/77
Winter bus 5/74
Earlybay 7 seater deluxe 11/69
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busdaddy
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Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51112
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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vworwhat
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Joined: June 10, 2009
Posts: 195
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:53 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Yes, Mark, I know that one and I think it will fit. But it is pretty far from the original I think - and a trifle on the heavy side aswell pricewise . I guess I make my own, until the real deal or a decent copy shows up.
The Canada connection sounds interesting, I will try to locate him.
Would anyone have the exact dimensions of that lid? Or maybe even a busted OG one, that could be used to make good copies? The original one is made of fiber, right? Or is it metal?
_________________
Westfalia Helsinki 6/77
Winter bus 5/74
Earlybay 7 seater deluxe 11/69
Type3 9/63 1500N M264 panel
Last edited by vworwhat on Thu Aug 04, 2016 10:51 am; edited 2 times in total |
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skid
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Location: Vancouver, BC
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busdaddy
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Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 51112
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Yeah, I'm fairly sure that was the guy, looks alot like the Serialkombi part, not sure how the price compares by the time shipping gets involved though.
Youtube must be infested with videos on forming acrylic, it's not hard and a small part like that allows for a few "learning experiences" without breaking the bank, making the mold to draw it over might be the time consuming part (carved wood blocks?). A plywood box with holes drilled all over the top and a matching frame to clamp the plastic in would make getting it out of the oven and onto the box easy, then suck it down with a shop vac.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
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vworwhat
Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2009
Posts: 195
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 11:07 am Post subject: Re: Late Westy Roof Skylight |
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Yeah, thats the way. Should be pretty straight forward. With regard to making a mold, would an original lid be perfect of course. Easy enough to make a negative and then draw some acrylic sheeting over it.
If someone has an OG lid and wants to give it a shot, I'd buy one!!!
If I should find an original one, I will make a few copies.
_________________
Westfalia Helsinki 6/77
Winter bus 5/74
Earlybay 7 seater deluxe 11/69
Type3 9/63 1500N M264 panel
Last edited by vworwhat on Fri Aug 05, 2016 7:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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