Oval Convertible top installation.

[Ninamashr]

After much investigating I decided to install my top myself. The cost for someone else to do this for me was going to be way over $3000. I priced the materials and they came up to about $875, that includes a Mohair headliner, German canvas top, padding material, rear window wood bow and misc hardware (tack, glues, etc;) I would really like to thank L572 and Billb for sending me the instructions, without those I would not have been able to do this, thanks guys.

This won't be a step by step thread but it will detail what is involved in installing a convertible top on an oval vert. You will see some pics where I got ahead of myself on a few steps but that is because I did not have all the material when I started. I hope it helps anybody thinking of doing this themselves. I REALLY suggest you get a set of instructions before doing this, there are critical measurements that must be followed for the top to fit. I had instructions for 1954-1957 and 1958-1961 verts. The later instructions were a little more detailed than the earlier instructions which were kinda vague and had less pictures.

My wood was in fair to poor condition. I had to make my rear bow myself, luckly I had my old rear bow to take a pattern from and I had to repair my main bow, it's $400 plus new

Header bow

dome light holder bracket

Here's the front bow gasket I made from some high density foam.

Covering the front bow

Facing for front of headliner

I nailed it right side down to the header bow and glued some 1/8" foam

Folded the corner 45deg

folded back the headliner material

inside of header is done

That's it for now, I'm almost done with my top and I will add some more pics later today.
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1957 Karmann Kabriolet "Franky"
1957 Allstate trailer

[2Dokas]

[Ninamashr]

[vdubinit]

nice job with the dome light
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**WANTED** ONE 4 1/2 EARLY FUCH

[Ninamashr]

[Ninamashr]

On to the header

I decided to go with tacks because when I took off the original top the tacks where VERY hard to remove. They should last longer cause they are galvanized

Per the instruction you have to add a piece of leather here to make the wood flush with the metal

I started to attach the straps to the wood and wrapped the wood in the headliner material

I also covered the bottom with vinyl to keep the water from touching the wood

Straps are in and dome light is wired

Here comes the headliner. It has to go in order, 1)main bow. 2) rear top bow. 3) bottom bow, 4) header bow 5) trunk wood pieces. 6) metal bow behind main wood bow. 7) metal bow between main and header bow.

Header is in nice and tight

The inside looks loose but that will be fixed in the last step of the headliner install

This is how you take out the wrinkles by nailing a string along the seams ,sewing the seams to the string and pull until the wrinkles are gone

Front looks good

Now the dome light bracket is hooked up again

Very cool Albert dome light, actual glass not plastic

Ok for now I should finish by tommorrow. 8)
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1957 Karmann Kabriolet "Franky"
1957 Allstate trailer

[Major Woody]

You have some real skills. It has been cool watching your progress with that car since your very first post here.

Chris

[Splitdog]

Looks good. That shit ain't easy!
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CH³NO²

Z = z² + C

Der Blitzkrieg Kafers

#notacallooker

[Ninamashr]

[Mike Att]

Great work

Keep the pictures coming!!

[sweetlokin66]

Looks great ninamasher, thanks again for the info, my verts getting its top put on this week.
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Follow IG for more content @greyarearacing

Turbo type 4
http://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=134157

66 NA hard top

****Insert event here****

[johnshenry]

GREAT work and props to you for tackling it yourself (and sharing the knowledge and pics).

I encourage people to try to do things themselves all the time, and some stammer and say "No, I can't do that. I don't have the skills you do." And I always tell them "Hey, I wasn't born with these skills!!!" Just do it!!

So maybe you F-up the top, so tear it all off and do it again! You probably will still not be into it for as much as paying someone, and look at what you LEARNED!!! Again, kudos to you!!.

I did the top on my old '85 Cabrio years ago (no, I'm not gay BTW..... ). I just made sure I gave me self a WHOLE weekend to do it... and it came out great. Take your time, research, ask questions on the web.. and do it YOURSELF, that is what I say....

Can't wait to see pics of it done.....!!
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John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab

[Ninamashr]

[Ninamashr]

[Ninamashr]

[markm]

Nice job! Did you put anything on those bows? Like polyurethane or some sort of paint?

[Ninamashr]

On to the muslin padding/foam liner, it has to be glued and nailed into place and is made from 5 different pieces

Here's the rear window frame with the wood insert. Got that insert from Chuck's Convertible parts. Great guy to deal with and he shipped it right away when I really needed it the most! I centered the frame in the muslin sheet a little bit lower to the bottom

Before you center the window in it's location you have to add an strap to both sides as additional bracing so when the top is closed your headliner won't rip out.

Here's the front piece just nailed over the front and hanging on the sides

Here's a rear view

This is the rear corner sheet

Now the final piece is set in

Another view, sorry for the out focus, it was late

A close up of the rear window frame. After 1-1/2 years I can finally look behind me!!!

Ok for now I gotta go, should finish later tonight!!!
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1957 Karmann Kabriolet "Franky"
1957 Allstate trailer

[Ninamashr]

[sweetlokin66]

[vdubinit]

you need these
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=520067

I have the others check my ads
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**WANTED** ONE 4 1/2 EARLY FUCH