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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:38 am    Post subject: New to H2O side Reply with quote

Hello

I just picked up a 1988 cabriolet, this is my first water cooled VW. I have owned a bunch of air cooled stuff.

My question is who sells the best restoration parts?

I need a top, padding, and headliner. Plus quality window, door, and top rubber seals along with upholstery.

I found that J Bugs carry stuff even though they don't have a water cooled tab on their website.

If anyone could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate the advice.
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Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
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Butcher
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:00 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

TMI makes some good top/interior parts. I would invest into a cloth top since they seem to last longer. Since I have installed my canvas top, I have yet to replace it. Vinyl tops seemed to be around 5 years.

As for rubber seals, good luck. There are some that are around, but they are not cheap. Yes, it's possible for a Cabriolet not to leak. I have one and in the PNW, it rains more than most places.

https://www.tmiproducts.com/volkswagen/watercooled/cabriolet
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:23 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

Thank you for you response, it will be a nice weather car only but I don't want it to leak.
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
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vwoldbug
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:45 pm    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

Try chucks convertible parts .
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kamzcab86
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:49 pm    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

pondoras box wrote:
I need a top, padding, and headliner. Plus quality window, door, and top rubber seals along with upholstery.


http://www.cabby-info.com/top.htm

http://www.cabby-info.com/top.htm#Replacing

For seals, Mk1Autohaus.com or direct through VintageRubber.com.

Vinyl vs. canvas... sorry, disagree (how unusual). Vinyl can and will last for a couple of decades if properly cared for, and especially if the car sleeps in a garage rather than outside. My '86, and numerous others out there, can attest to the longevity of vinyl. In fact, there is an '88/'89 triple-white out there that is still sporting its factory-original vinyl roof.
_________________
~Kamz Anxious
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
Blue Vanagon 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:43 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

Thank you for the replies so far but please feel free to comment if you have found something or a supplier that works for you.

Mechanically I feel confident on working on the car, but I just want to buy quality parts the first time around.

I have heard that vinyl will hold up as well with the proper care, not sure what path I will take so please constructively give me your real life experiences with either product. Car will be used regularly but babied and garage kept. I noticed VW advises not to leave the top down for more than five days to avoid damage, I have never heard this before.

I don't have problems with paying for quality parts, does the dealer still carry parts for these?
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
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Butcher
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:15 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

I have used TMI vinyl tops. It was to replace a factory top that cracked. It was white and lasted 4-5 years before it started to crack with zero maintenance. Easy to install at home. It can be done in a few hours, but if it is your first time, expect at least a weekend.

When that one cracked, I purchased a black canvas top from Gahh. They are about the best out there. With canvas, it was a bit more difficult to fit. Canvas does not stretch as easy and I'm picky with the small details. It took me the complete day.

With the SAME maintenance plan as the vinyl top [ie none], it has been on for over 10 years. Parked outside 24/7. Rain/snow/sunshine. About a month ago, someone noticed I just replaced the soft top. I laughed and told him the top was 10 years old.

I have a life so babying a car right now is not in the cards.

So, there are those unicorns/stories out there, that when babied, a vinyl top will last longer than 5 years. Since most people drive cars and not baby them, it is not common that they are known to last much longer than that. If the top is never used, a vinyl top may not crack at the folds. This is where they seem to fail first. If you think about it, plastic is not made to bend back and forth without some type of damage over time. Cloth can be folded more often before failure.

With the financial capacity of a typical VW Cabriolet owner, most will not spend more for a canvas top, let alone double for the German canvas option. The Stayfast canvas option is a step above vinyl and a step down from German canvas. I do not think you will find many canvas top owners. There are a few, but most owners have vinyl.

I have experience owning/installing both types and I'm sharing my personal experience. Some people hate it when my opinion is different than theirs. I have the power top option on the Cabriolet. It is used often since the top can be raised/lowered without getting out of the car. It is probably opened/closed more often than a manual top owners car.

I work on expensive German cars and I can say that colored canvas tops are very hard to keep clean. Tan and gray are almost impossible to keep looking new. If you are looking for a colored top, you may want to really think about the vinyl option.

The only time a manufacturer puts a canvas top on is because they are trying to keep the costs down. You do not see vinyl on BMW's, Mercedes, Porsche, etc.
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:57 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

Thank you for the real world experience!

I was leaning towards canvas but didn't want to spend more for something just because it looks better, I want a dry car! Sounds like German canvas is the way to go
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
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kamzcab86
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 12:14 pm    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

Butcher wrote:
I have used TMI vinyl tops.


Well, there's your problem. Robbins and EZ-On are the only two vinyl top brands worth buying.

And for the record, my car isn't babied; it's well cared for, as are all of my cars, but it's not babied. It was a daily driver for 10 years, 3 of those living outside 24/7 and in sun/snow country... and the roof saw a lot of open/close action. The top didn't start showing cracks until about year #15.

I equate vinyl bashing with K-Jetronic bashing and cannot let it slide, regardless of who says it.

Butcher wrote:
I do not think you will find many canvas top owners. There are a few, but most owners have vinyl.


False. That would've been a true statement if this were 1999 instead of 2019. There are tons of canvas Cabriolets running around this world and a good portion began life with vinyl... canvas wasn't even a factory-installed feature for North America until the 1991 Etienne Aigner came along (1990 for Europe). By now, most have seen at least one roof replacement and a lot of owners switched to canvas.

Bottom line:
▪Vinyl is waterproof, canvas is water-resistant
▪Vinyl is UV-susceptible, canvas is UV-resistant
▪White top desired: Vinyl only
▪Daily driver and/or lives outside: Canvas
▪Sunday driver and/or lives inside: Vinyl or canvas
▪Daily driver that is covered up while at work: Vinyl or canvas
_________________
~Kamz Anxious
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
Blue Vanagon 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:17 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

The trouble is as one of your points mention is my car is tornado red with white top and white interior.

After searching canvas tops I noticed white is not an option. I am changing this top this summer so I guess I have a decision to make. Go canvas and go with a black top or go vinyl top retain the white and make sure it stays clean, protected and garage kept when not being used.

You vinyl top guys what do you use to protect it from UV damage and keep it supple to avoid cracks?
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
Back to top
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Butcher
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:55 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

There is some misinformation about canvas tops being waterproof or resistant. Most companies are using a three layer soft top material. The top surface is water resistant but it is bonded to the middle layer which is made of rubber which is waterproof. The last layer is the wear layer that protects the other side of the rubber and adds additional sound proofing.

So is the canvas waterproof? Yeah as long as you do not poke holes in it. It certainly is not like an old canvas tent or even boat canvas material.

I can say with experience, that there has never been a water leak thru canvas material in the hundreds if not thousands of convertibles I have worked on. All of them had a three layer top. Some that are 50+ years old and still looks as good as new.

http://www.mastertop.com/products/soft-tops/mastertwill/

This link shows the canvas that most good shops use which shows a three layer fabric.
http://www.haartz.com/exteriors/cloth-topping

The top I purchased from TMI was made well. It fit/installed without any hassles. Since TMI uses the same high quality material like most manufacturers [Haartz] I do not see why some people think that using TMI products would cause the failure of the fabric starting at the folding areas. Would I use TMI again? Without a doubt but not for a vinyl top.

My opinion is based on real life experiences with owning/installing vinyl and cloth tops. I try my best to come up with facts based on company information. I may live in a place that has different environment than others but I do not need to make up information to support my opinion.

If you want a white top, then the canvas debate will not help you at all. There is only one choice for you.
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 1:18 pm    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

I had my mind set on canvas for sure until I could not find white, but this is probably just a minor speed bump in my plans and will wind up with black canvas. I really don't want to have to replace again in five years, I will be buying parts for something else by then I am sure.

I have seen the Haartz stuff listed is the quality close to the German stuff from GAHH?
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
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Butcher
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:37 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

I believe the German stuff is a higher quality. Do not believe me? Ask any German if their stuff is higher quality than the rest of the world.

On the serious side, Haartz is pretty good and since you are not restoring a Mercedes, then it's a good compromise to save you a few dollars.

As you drive around, if you should see a VW Cabriolet, notice if the top is canvas or not. In my area, it is very rare to see canvas tops on a Mk1. If I do see a Cabriolet, most of the time the top is vinyl and cracked.
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:59 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

That's part of my problem, there are no cabriolets running around here to check out, very few VW's period. I have always said that Erie is a VW dead zone. Tri five Chevys yep plenty of those, PT cruisers oddly enough are plentiful here as well, much to my dismay!
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
dubsteez79
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PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 5:57 am    Post subject: Re: New to H2O side Reply with quote

vwvortex mk1 classifieds always has some good stuff. For mechanical and cis parts, i usually try to get oem parts and rebuild them. I assume youre car is digifant and I dont have as much experience with it as i do CIS lambda but i would bet that used oem parts would be your best bet in the future if you have any mechanical problems as well.

Opinions are correct on TMI being a good interior resource and mk1autohaus has lots of the small nitpicky things you will eventually want to add or replace. Lots on ebay as well.

I have a cabby parts car(partially stripped) if you need anything. just PM me.
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