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Working on my new top - Done.
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:28 pm    Post subject: Working on my new top - Done. Reply with quote

Decided to tackle the task of building myself a new roof.

I've looked at a few boat builders but they are either too buzy, too far or simply too pricy.

The stitching may not win any awards but I like the progress so far.

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How the hell does this work again?!!

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Does it really need to be straight?!!

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Getting there...

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The back is done.

Next week, windows and doors.


Last edited by vincent9993 on Mon May 16, 2011 5:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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LeeVW
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking great so far, Vincent. Aside from saving yourself several hundred dollars in labor, you will have the bragging rights to say you made the soft top yourself. I don't know anyone else who has done that!

Lee
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73SpeedBuggy
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PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2011 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is going to be nice! What's it attaching to on the back there?
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CrashedAgain
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PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2011 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

First question: Why??? You already had a soft top. I know from your trip posts you had some trouble with it & had to do some on the road repairs but was it that bad?? Were there design issues with it?

What material are you using? What thread?? Where are you getting window material??

Is that a "heavy duty" sewing machine or just standard?

I presume you have seen my post on making a bikini top.
(http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=425410)

I have thought about making a full top but haven't got beyond the thinking stage yet.

Looking good so far. Keep us posted, lots of details please.
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2011 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

73SpeedBuggy wrote:
This is going to be nice! What's it attaching to on the back there?


I'm using 2" velcro to the side of the raised trunk. From experience, the back is not the issue as there's a low pressure back there and it requires very little effort to stay on. The tricky part is the roll bar attachment.

I've opted for two 4" velcro strips that wrap around the roll bar the whole length. I also plan on putting on hooks at the bottom of the to hook into the bottom of the roll bar.

CrashedAgain wrote:
First question: Why??? You already had a soft top. I know from your trip posts you had some trouble with it & had to do some on the road repairs but was it that bad?? Were there design issues with it?


Good eye/memory... Yes we had a top but it's more than 15 years old and has been modified to fit my new Berrien shell (was made for my previous manx clone shell). The miss made it very clear that we were not going to be doing field repairs this year! lol

As for design issues, yes there were a few... They included:
- Rain through corners of windscreen at speed
- Doors being ripped open at > 65mph
- Holding onto the roll bar at speeds.

It did manage to stay on last year driving into Florida's tropical storm with wind speed > 100mph though. It's had a good life.

CrashedAgain wrote:

What material are you using? What thread?? Where are you getting window material??

It's Sunbrella. It's not the most water proof stuff but I'm hoping with treatment, it'll do the trick. The plan is to field test it and if it does not meet my standards, I'll be sewing an extra layer of material on the top prat.

CrashedAgain wrote:

Is that a "heavy duty" sewing machine or just standard?

It's an old "regular" machine. They just seemed to over build these things in the old days. I'm able to sew 2 layers of material + 2 velcro layers with it. When I start to sew the windows, I'll let you know. BTW, I've never sew before.

CrashedAgain wrote:
I presume you have seen my post on making a bikini top.
(http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=425410)

I have thought about making a full top but haven't got beyond the thinking stage yet.

Yes I did see that thread, and to be honest, you were very much an inspiration.


CrashedAgain wrote:
Looking good so far. Keep us posted, lots of details please.


I'll keep you posted as I progress.
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CrashedAgain
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PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vincent9993 wrote:
......Yes I did see that thread, and to be honest, you were very much an inspiration.


Thank you.

Hope your attachment to the roll bar works out. The airflow over the top creates quite a lot of aerodynamic lift, I had significant ballooning & flapping until I put the elastic strap in the centre of my top now it just flaps a bit at the edges. My material is a bit stretchy so elastics work better than fixed attachments.
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greg mgm
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PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vincent- Great job so far. I'd love to get a new top made for my buggy....in time. Thanks for posting.....Looking forward to more progress pics.
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new-n-old-vdubs
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PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice! What's the total cost and are you going into business Laughing
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

new-n-old-vdubs wrote:
Nice! What's the total cost and are you going into business Laughing


I have no idea of the total cost yet... I obviously over bought materials to ensure I can fix any screw ups. I also ended up buying 2 types of plastic window material.

I'll try to get my hands on the invoices and post at project wrap up.

Not a chance I'm going into business... I have a day job. lol.
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2011 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got some progress this week-end. Still no windows but almost there.

Here goes progress:
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Turns out I can hook and un-hook the front sitting inside the car. Looks like I may not have to add a zipper.

I have a few stitching and sewing on some velcro on the driver side and I'll be able to test drive the top and see how well it holds up to the wind.

We have high hopes...

The main goal to the get a top that can sty on at 75mph+ and water stays out of our faces. The old top's corner let in drops of water that had extreme high percision to hit our faces...

Again, sewing is not going to win any awards... It's my 1st attempt at building a top and sewing... Be kind. lol
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Hawaii50
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PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2011 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LeeVW wrote:
Looking great so far, Vincent. Aside from saving yourself several hundred dollars in labor, you will have the bragging rights to say you made the soft top yourself. I don't know anyone else who has done that!

Lee


Me thinks that the labor alone would be more than a few hundred!! At least here...checking with "top shops," labor would run 500!
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm done... for now.

There's still some stitching that could be re-done and some of the insides can be finised better.

Went for a quick test drive and we had no problems keeping it in place up to 65mph. There was some side wind as well. Looks like I may have accomplished what I had set out to do. I'm pretty pleased with the result.

Again the stitching is not going to win any awards but the goal was function not design.

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wythac
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PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice job. Smart man. Looks like an essential for your upcoming trans-Can run. It has remained unseasonably cold and damp in the PNW/SW Canada, and we are still waiting for our first 70F day this year in Seattle. I think that top is really going to help you feel snug and smart if you hit a 2-3 day patch of bad weather on your trip.
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nightmanx11
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vincent,

I think your top will get a good test this next weekend.

See you at Carlisle.

Joe
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MURZI
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks awesome!! Sewing is waaay harder than it looks.
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MURZI wrote:
Looks awesome!! Sewing is waaay harder than it looks.


Thanks for the comment. Yes sewing is not easy but I would say that it was easyer than expected. Everyone in my entourage had high doubts of me actually getting the job done.

By the end of the job, I think I had gotten the sewing principles down and could probably re-do some of the stitching and get a nicer job. Time will tell if I'll have the patience for that.

Just think, when I 1st started this top, I had to google on how to thread the machine and had no idea what the bottom thread was suposed to do.

I found that tension is key, get the right tension on the thread and the job is not that hard. If only I could sew in a straight line...

Again, the goall was function not design...

Next step, can I fold this top to fit the trunk. hummm.
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Lo Cash John
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I commend you for your bravery. I'll tear apart motors, cut up chassis, beams, bodies, but I've always been scared to do upholstery.
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice job on the top Arrow so when are we changing out that rear bumper and exhaust Question
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vincent9993
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

EMPIImp69 wrote:
Nice job on the top Arrow so when are we changing out that rear bumper and exhaust Question


You are 100% right, truth be told I'm completly loss on what I want... Everything else, I knew/know exactly what I want it to look like or do but the rear bumper and exhaust - no clue... And I'm with you, I'd prefer something nicer.
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not to change your subject..

But you should get one of these like this:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1021847

and something like one of these:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=926078

It would look much better Exclamation
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Last edited by EMPIImp69 on Tue May 17, 2011 5:24 am; edited 1 time in total
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