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eth727 Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2007 Posts: 542 Location: san diego
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: 56 ragtop rear corners supposed to be rounded or square? |
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When I replaced my sunroof cover a while back someone told me that the rear corners where supposed to be square instead of being rounded like a 57+. I recently looked at some 56 ragtops and they were all rounded in the back. Does anyone know for sure which is correct? |
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Dave Samba Elder
Joined: July 11, 2002 Posts: 2709 Location: The Forest Moon of Endor, in the Redwoods
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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Model year '56 had the one-year-only square corners in the rear. _________________ 2003 Samba Chummie Winner- Best Story
"Those that matter, don't mind,
and those that mind, don't matter" |
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Alan Willis Banned

Joined: November 22, 2004 Posts: 4181 Location: booted from the SEWR and stalked in here
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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Early '56 had the square corners. It was changed mid year,like the taillights on '55 beetles  _________________ die schwarzen Schafe #666 |
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djkeev Samba Moderator

Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32966 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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ian c Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2007 Posts: 270
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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dave ,
which change coincided with plastic runners ?? _________________
ian c wrote: |
only losers have quotes in their sig . |
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djkeev Samba Moderator

Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32966 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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ian c Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2007 Posts: 270
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:30 am Post subject: |
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what changed to mech in november ? _________________
ian c wrote: |
only losers have quotes in their sig . |
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djkeev Samba Moderator

Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32966 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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ian c wrote: |
what changed to mech in november ? |
They made some changes in the design of the track and the head piece.
Keep in mind they only made 94,900 of these bugs world wide. Only a small percentage of these bugs had a sunroof, Figure 80% (a complete guess here) or better are crushed, crashed, rusted or some other way destroyed that leaves probably less than 20,000 left world wide, a small percentage of these have sunroofs. I really haven't any idea how many are left, just guessing it is precious few. Most of us will probably never see one of these August 55 tops in our lifetime.
Because of the changes in the November mechanism the sunroof cover needed to be a little bit longer than the earlier version put on in August.
Also the cover for the August roof was still made of canvas.
That was changed in November to the Vinyl type of cover for the Deluxe.
The big changes for the four rounded corners were on how you adjusted the tension of the cover with slots in the roof enabling you to move it forward or back.
Dave _________________ Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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vwclap Samba Member

Joined: April 21, 2004 Posts: 519 Location: Qc, Canada
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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djkeev wrote: |
Hi,
In 1956 there were 3 sunroof styles.
In August 1955 at chassis # 1 0929 746 the 3 fold 4 square cornered sunroof was replaced with a newer two fold roof.
The front corners were rounded and the rear corners were square.
In November 1955 at chassis # 1 024 647 The mechanism changed but the rounded front and square rears were also on this version. This new mechanism did not retrofit into the earlier roof.
In May 1956 at chassis # 1 181 041 the sunroof had multiple changes made to it, the most visible was 4 rounded corners. This continued to the end of the 1963 USA version and much longer on European versions.
Dave |
My sunroof is (ser # 1 102 38XX) so I presume that the roof that goes into it is a 3 fold type ragtop? How can I be sure it is for a 3 fold ragtop. Any measurement? How can I determine that it is not a grafted ragtop...
Claude _________________ Claude
cox 1956, 1962 et 1975
Split panel 1963
Samba 21 fenetres 1966
Ghia 1968
Sport Ghia 73
West 1970
Jetta 1992
Jetta TDI 2015
West Multivan 2002 |
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vwclap Samba Member

Joined: April 21, 2004 Posts: 519 Location: Qc, Canada
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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vwclap wrote: |
djkeev wrote: |
Hi,
In 1956 there were 3 sunroof styles.
In August 1955 at chassis # 1 0929 746 the 3 fold 4 square cornered sunroof was replaced with a newer two fold roof.
The front corners were rounded and the rear corners were square.
In November 1955 at chassis # 1 024 647 The mechanism changed but the rounded front and square rears were also on this version. This new mechanism did not retrofit into the earlier roof.
In May 1956 at chassis # 1 181 041 the sunroof had multiple changes made to it, the most visible was 4 rounded corners. This continued to the end of the 1963 USA version and much longer on European versions.
Dave |
My sunroof is (ser # 1 102 38XX) so I presume that the roof that goes into it is a 3 fold type ragtop? How can I be sure it is for a 3 fold ragtop. Any measurement? How can I determine that it is not a grafted ragtop...
Claude |
Is there 7 or 8 digits in the serial number in 56? The achive section tell 7?
Claude _________________ Claude
cox 1956, 1962 et 1975
Split panel 1963
Samba 21 fenetres 1966
Ghia 1968
Sport Ghia 73
West 1970
Jetta 1992
Jetta TDI 2015
West Multivan 2002 |
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RareAir Samba Member

Joined: May 11, 2002 Posts: 14577 Location: 18 miles North of the border
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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vwclap wrote: |
My sunroof is (ser # 1 102 38XX) so I presume that the roof that goes into it is a 3 fold type ragtop? How can I be sure it is for a 3 fold ragtop. Any measurement? How can I determine that it is not a grafted ragtop...
Claude |
Look at the Aluminum rails that are attached to the roof. How many screws are used to hold down that Aluminum rail? If it only uses 5 screws, you have a 2-fold sunroof. |
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Denz Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 112
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Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:49 am Post subject: |
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djkeev wrote: |
Keep in mind they only made 94,900 of these bugs world wide. Only a small percentage of these bugs had a sunroof, Figure 80% (a complete guess here) or better are crushed, crashed, rusted or some other way destroyed that leaves probably less than 20,000 left world wide, a small percentage of these have sunroofs. I really haven't any idea how many are left, just guessing it is precious few. Most of us will probably never see one of these August 55 tops in our lifetime.
Dave |
I have one!  |
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ian c Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2007 Posts: 270
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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thanks for the answers dave .
i think mine is one of the august 55 roofs ,
i can take a measure of the aperture to tell ?
i can take pics and post them on here if you can help ??
its time to order a new roof outer cover for it
i'm looking on wolfsburg west site , and they have 2 different kinds of material available in black , round front/square back .
any advice on this guys ??
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/ShowCart.cfm?1053118685
thanks
ian
. _________________
ian c wrote: |
only losers have quotes in their sig . |
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Denz Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 112
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 1:28 am Post subject: |
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I'm in the process of moving house guys but once settled I'll get some pics of my August '55 ragtop roof section and post them on here.  |
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ian c Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2007 Posts: 270
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Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:01 am Post subject: |
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heres the latest .
after going to look at my car ,
i found it has rounded corners front and rear .
and it has the earlier "ribbed" handle . _________________
ian c wrote: |
only losers have quotes in their sig . |
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carnut63 Samba Member

Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 336 Location: Murrieta, CA & Everett, WA
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe this thread is played out. or not, either way here is a pic of my Aug 55 2 fold ragtop. vin 1-0949815
_________________ Tyson
---> Mar 2 1955 Strato Silver Oval <---
---> July 1957 ragtop project <---
---> May 5 1966 Ghia <---
---> 1962 Ruby Red Deluxe (sold) |
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newwaver Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Surrey, England
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:58 am Post subject: |
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carnut63 wrote: |
Maybe this thread is played out. or not, either way here is a pic of my Aug 55 2 fold ragtop. vin 1-0949815
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Is that what the original iron slat(tension plate) looks like on a 56? I thought it was the same as the 3 fold one. Does anyone have dimensions of this slat so i can make one. |
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David Samba Member

Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2038 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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newwaver wrote: |
Is that what the original iron slat(tension plate) looks like on a 56? I thought it was the same as the 3 fold one. Does anyone have dimensions of this slat so i can make one. |
That appears to be a later 56 -> front header bow. Three fold bows are square at the front like this:
If you need a front bow, just cruise the classifieds:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?...ton=Search _________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
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newwaver Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Surrey, England
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 11:02 am Post subject: |
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No sorry i was talking about the rear slat iron that bolts through the roof into capsulated nuts, my ragtop came with a later studed round corner slat and someone butchered the capsulated nuts to fit it! |
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carnut63 Samba Member

Joined: May 14, 2009 Posts: 336 Location: Murrieta, CA & Everett, WA
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, I would take some measurements but I left the military decided to deploy me so i wont be back for a long...long....time... _________________ Tyson
---> Mar 2 1955 Strato Silver Oval <---
---> July 1957 ragtop project <---
---> May 5 1966 Ghia <---
---> 1962 Ruby Red Deluxe (sold) |
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