Making A Bikini Top - How To

[Driftin]

This is just the thread I was looking for(No pun intended) ha ha

Hope I can get a neighbor to sew this for me after it gets cut to size. I'm making this top out of pet screen for a window or door. It was found at Home Depot for about $20

[RedBaronofRedBud]

Mike,

I have a mix of riveted and screwed in snaps. The riveted ones are for the main top and the screwed in ones are for the doors. Seems the top was first and the doors were added later (different material).

Either way should work as long as you have a good tight seal.
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Or you can call me………Tim

My two pennies…your mileage may vary

I’m not a complete idiot, there are parts missing

[buggy55]

This is a fantastic thread!! Thank you for the info!

[Mike_CNYBuggy]

I borrowed an old top from a friend to mock up the top I'm building and all his snaps in the tubing were loose, they looked like wood screws, is it possible to just rivet the snaps on?
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http://CNYBuggy.org - Central New York Dune Buggy Club

Kristen's Buggy (UltaViolet) Build Thread

VW Club of Central New York

[CrashedAgain]

[Wetstuff]

Crashed, Good job. If you think you could still use snap heads that attach via machine screw, send me your address in a PM. I have a couple types.

Jim
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Manx #2614

[CrashedAgain]

[CrashedAgain]

[chimo]

where did you get that j trim been wanting to put a top on but couldnt find a good trim for windsheild

[heywebonya]

Do you think that fabric glues (or silicone glue) would work? I do not have a sewing machine and the quotes I got were pretty silly.

Jeff
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[busterboy]

well done! and thank you for this really useful post.
glenn.

[heywebonya]

Thank you for the timely and useful information.

-Jeff
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[ttemple]

WOW! How awesome is this? Very awesome!
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Resto in progress: Spatz on 66 pan

Who dares, wins.

[CrashedAgain]

How to make a bikini top...
The finished top:

Other informative threads:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=367142
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=300664
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4739961


Some choices:

1. Attachment to the windshield: I used an insert strip that fits into the groove in the windshield, this requires a plastic insert strip. Others have used velcro ( see:http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=367142 ). The insert strip is supposed to be sewn into the top but I just have it loose in a pocket.

2. I use bungee cords to attach the top at the back. Others have used webbing tie straps which look neater, however I chose the stretch cords because I could change the attachment points more easily if the first attempt didn't work out.

The How-To :

Material requirements:
approximately 2 yds vinyl upholstery material, should be fairly lightweight so it can be sewn on a regular sewing machine, should also have a good UV rating.
5 or 6 yds of 1/4" edging cord
1 spool upholstery thread....ask for the stongest they have. You might also want to pick up the heaviest duty needle available for your sewing machine.
A couple of snap fasteners, they are available with a built in screw for attaching to a solid surface (windshield frame) (usually come in a kit with the necessary punch & die set)
Some non-stretch webbing to make loops for attaching tie cords to the top or some webbing & tie strap connectors if you are not going to use stretch cord to attach the top.

All the above can be got from an upholstery supply store.

One plastic insert strip part #SC-03 from BD at 800-748-2244. Cost was about $25 plus shipping. Delivery should take only a few days (regular parcel post) but I waited 3 weeks then contacted them to check.....for some reason they had not shipped it yet but then shipped it out right away and it arrived the next week.

Measure. My rough measurements were as follows but yours will probably be different......

Cut to size. Leave 2" extra length at the front to form the pocket for the insert strip and if in doubt, leave oversize.

Fold over the 2" at the front edge to form a pocket and sew this edge, starting and stopping the seam about 2" from the sides. The pocket does not extend right to the outside edges. The insert strip is only as long as the straight part of the windshield frame, the outside ends where the top curves down around the frame are held down by a snap fastener.

Insert the plastic strip in the pocket and fit the top on the car. I found that the plastic strip was very stiff and hard to get into the groove in the windshield and I use a cheap plastic lever action C-clamp to force the strip into place.

How the insert strip fits into the pocket:

It is supposed to be sewn into place but there is no way I could get a needle thorough it.

The C-clamp for making sure the strip is tight:

The first fitting (note the bungee cord/spring clamps holding the back in place):

Mark where material has to be removed to make it lie flat at the roll bar, and make this tuck point. In my case the required V-shaped cutout was about 6" long.

There will initially be wrinkles at the ends of these tuck seams but they will flatten out over time. Alternatively, you could make the entire back edge as a separate piece so there is one long seam across the roll bar. There should then be no wrinkles.

Replace on the car for a second fitting. I found that I needed two more tucks above the rear window opening as it was baggy here because the top narrows toward the rear.

The second fitting:

When satisfied with the fit, sew in the edge cord all around the top except at the front, then add the webbing loops or tie straps for attaching to the body. I have attachment points pulling the sides down beside the rollbar as well as the ones at the rear. I also found that adding a tensioning cord in the centre of the top pulling back to the rollbar really reduced the tendency to flap at speed. The downside of this is that it makes a visible wrinkle in the middle of the top.

The centre tensioning point from underneath (also showing the tucks in the rear window opening):

Finally, trim back the excess pocket length at the edges, hem the front corners to finish it off and install the two snap fastenrs to hold down the front outer corners. The material should be double thickness where the snaps go though so make a really big hem or add a patch as needed to get the thickness here.

I found it difficult to get the snap fastener attachment screw to thread into the windshield (it is a wood screw thread) so I ground flutes on a similar sized wood screw with a dremel tool & small cutoff wheel to make a "tap" to cut the threads in the hole first.

Thats about it. You're on your own regarding the fasteners which mount on the body, I found mine in a junkyard so can't help with sources for this.

There are more pics in the gallery under the kit car section, do a search for posts by CrashedAgain.