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Triple B
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2008
Posts: 41
Location: Whittier
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 Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: Hard Top ? |
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I think I am in the market for a hard top for my Thing and I have one quick question.
Is there a big difference in quality between the factory hard tops and aftermarket hard tops?
If anybody has one for sale in the LA CA area send me a PM
Thanks
Bob |
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uberautowerks
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2005
Posts: 1600
Location: Longmont Co
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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The factory hardtop is awesome, the aftermarket tops, like fiber fab or fiber jet suck.
Why.... The factory hardtop has built in attachment points the aftermarket don't. Mounting a Fiber Jet top involves drilling holes in the body or making a "Hoop" for the rear to attach to the body.
Also the aftermarket tops have no internal reinforcement and ad such the sag in the middle, forming a nice mini swimming pool.
_________________
--- The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.
- Douglas Adams -
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'74 Thing (White)
'71 Single cab (White too)
'70 Weekender (White three)
'05 Evolution VIII (White also!!!)
'68 F-250 (White over black) |
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bmwloco
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2006
Posts: 1093
Location: Asheville NC
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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OEM VW Tops have steel in 'em. I've had two, and I'm happy and not looking for anything else.
I had to put new rear glass in the one I have now (the other was in the hazy 80's). No biggie. $100 with auto glass. Done by a pro and no leaks.
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'85 Vanagon Westfalia |
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Jedi
Samba Member
Joined: October 23, 2007
Posts: 734
Location: Cool California
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:42 pm Post subject: vwoa tops are best |
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If you get one of those cheap ones you will have to cut the tabs that hold down the soft top.  get the right one  |
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[email protected] 
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2003
Posts: 868
Location: Clifton Park NY Saratoga County
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:20 am Post subject: |
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Those tabs DO NOT need to be cut,
all you do is drill a hole in both sides of the fiberjet top where the conv top pivot is, poke it through and put the clip on, thats all i ever needed to hold it down in back.
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Michael Basso
http://www.thingparts.com
New and Used VW Thing Parts Free advice
CALL 518 630 0173 |
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Triple B
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2008
Posts: 41
Location: Whittier
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replys,
Now I have one more question...... Is there a big difference in the weight between the OEM and aftermarket?
Thanks again,
Bob |
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uberautowerks
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2005
Posts: 1600
Location: Longmont Co
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Yeah the aftermarket tops are lighter. I would guess by about a hundred pounds. I haven't weighed either one with anything more than my biceps and back! 
_________________
--- The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.
- Douglas Adams -
---
'74 Thing (White)
'71 Single cab (White too)
'70 Weekender (White three)
'05 Evolution VIII (White also!!!)
'68 F-250 (White over black) |
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man130
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2008
Posts: 406
Location: long island , ny.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject: hard top |
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| I have a orig. black fiberglass hard top w/the orig. chrome stainless roof rack. Thinking of getting rid of it to finance other parts . but would hate to be kicking myself later what do you guys figure its worth .I would think shipping would kill$$$$. Top is off 73and is in good shape. |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2003
Posts: 868
Location: Clifton Park NY Saratoga County
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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it takes two people to lift the original one, the aftermarket can be handled by one person
_________________
Michael Basso
http://www.thingparts.com
New and Used VW Thing Parts Free advice
CALL 518 630 0173 |
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man130
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2008
Posts: 406
Location: long island , ny.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:08 pm Post subject: hard top |
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| hey mike ,i dont know if you remember me but my name is Dave, I gave you a rolling yellow thing, that I had parted out must of the small parts. a few years ago around the holidays. I think you came down to long beach or something for x-mas and towed it home .well just saying whats up. |
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carterzest
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2008
Posts: 3842
Location: Eagle, ID/Sun Valley, ID
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| Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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I have had fiberjet and factory. I prefer factory if you can find it.
I just got this from Santa......Oh, You 
it is a factory but I cannot get the photo to load. SuperS says it or me is corrupted...PN ZVW 175 101 X-2
Just wanted to encourage people to keep looking. Finally stumbled across one after searching for 2+ years. The guy actually bought a Thing I considered flying halfway across country for...small world.
Gonna get a nice little cage up top and call it good. PDX is top on or top off weather so I am in heaven. Now what to do with the soft top and frame..... 
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Happiness=Portland, Oregon in the rearview mirror! |
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DannyK
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2009
Posts: 113
Location: Rogers,Ar.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:34 am Post subject: |
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I was so lucky that AFTER I bought my car the P.O. said "the original hardtop for it is in the garage somewhere." 
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Wanted : "Long Beach - Circle VW Motors " License frame. |
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obus
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2001
Posts: 11070
Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2019 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: Hard Top ? |
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| obus wrote: |
| how hard are original VW hardtops to find these days? unonbtainium? |
One was for sale in my local CL less than 3 weeks ago. Sporadic for sure- but there seems to be a steady supply.
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| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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mondshine
Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006
Posts: 2770
Location: The World's Motor Capital
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| Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2019 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: hard top |
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| man130 wrote: |
| I have a orig. black fiberglass hard top w/the orig. chrome stainless roof rack. Thinking of getting rid of it to finance other parts . but would hate to be kicking myself later what do you guys figure its worth .I would think shipping would kill$$$$. Top is off 73and is in good shape. |
Wow-
My 74 came with a VW brand hardtop. I never wanted a hardtop, so I gave it away for free. That was 36 years ago! |
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Bashr52
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2006
Posts: 5666
Location: On an island in VA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:28 am Post subject: Re: Hard Top ? |
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| I bought one of my parts cars with one. I had no need for it, and it sold quick at $500. |
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obus
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2001
Posts: 11070
Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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ALANSD
Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2015
Posts: 341
Location: Woodstock, GA
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| Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:06 am Post subject: |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
| it takes two people to lift the original one, the aftermarket can be handled by one person |
so true, the thing tops are heavy!
Also the engine noise inside is highly magnified with the hard top on.
_________________
foirmer pro guitarist with 80s band Atlanta
had vws since 1968.buses.ghia,thing....love 'em |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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| Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 7:38 am Post subject: Re: Hard Top ? |
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| obus wrote: |
| how hard are original VW hardtops to find these days? unonbtainium? |
I found a brand new one a few years back, I think it was in the Samba classifieds. |
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BJT
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2018
Posts: 187
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| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 10:00 am Post subject: Re: Hard Top ? |
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| Triple B wrote: |
I think I am in the market for a hard top for my Thing and I have one quick question.
Is there a big difference in quality between the factory hard tops and aftermarket hard tops?
If anybody has one for sale in the LA CA area send me a PM
Thanks
Bob |
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2291819
Looks to be a “factory” VWoA top. |
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