Pop Top Seal kit review

[Sage79]

I originally installed the BD seal w/o bulb on my '79 but the roof rack rattled at speeds over 45 from air pressure. I spliced in a length of bulb seal (left over from the pop-top) to the front section between the mounting screws. That stopped the air flow rattle but still allows plenty of drainage on the sides. Best of both.
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Dirk
'79 Westy 2.0FI
'73 Sportsmobile 1.7dual Solex 003Auto - now my daughter's
'77 delux 2.0FI 090Auto - now my son's

[Bala]

[notchboy]

Yeah, Im going to need some pictures here. I have no fucking clue what y'all are yammering on about.

Please pardon mys ignance.

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[poptop tom]

I purchased that kit (granted this was six years ago) and its worked pretty darn good.
http://www.busdepot.com/WESTYRUBBER
It appears to be the same thing they have been selling for awhile.

Mine has an inside bulb around the large poptop section.

A flat piece that fits around the front of the poptop where the main tent screen is. Which allows a tiny bit of air to get in, but nothing noticeable other than my original tent gets filled with some air inside the cabin area.

And a seal (looks like a piece of rubber trim that pushes up onto the bottom portion of the rack. Thisseal has worked really well. I haven't noticed any issues at all with it. I'm 99.9% sure it isn't blubed on the inside.
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'76 Deluxe Campmobile

[Bev1]

Hi, I'm new to this site. I too just got a full set of new seals with a bulb from Werksburg (well the flat top pop top seal has no bulb and it's the only one that needs to be glued). What is the best glue and technique too.?

I have a few questions and searched and so far only got part answers.

How do I prep the topper fiberglass edge removing the old, glued seals and make sure the top edge is clean enough to make the Werksburg seals I got that compress on work well, stay on, and not leak?? I have a '79 sage green Westfalia stick and am going to part with it after 21 years (sob, sob) because I have pain issues making her too hard to drive for long periods. I've been trying to get her road worthy and drum up interest to get others to buy her. I don't want to give her away and I'd like the new owner to take care of her. I was ill for so long (several years) and didn't take care she didn't get some (gasp) rust eating at her . It's not as bad as floors rusted through, but I'd say she's between condition 3 and 4 right now. But, her interior and engine are in great shape ... < 83,000 original miles mostly HWY. I digress...

The question here is about proper prep before placing on the seals.

I am concerned about not taking off the gelcoat, but heck, that gelcoat may already be off. I have not cleaned the "white" top. Where do I go to read about properly cleaning the top and making it nice and white too? I read one forum conversation and most everyone had a different opinion what was the best way to clean and brighten the top. Should I try doing that after taking seals off and then put new seals on? I'd rather the new owner do all that.

I like Westfabulous's hint for the luggage seal (I got the bulb seal for the luggage top too):

"go to the Home Despot and buy a package of small clear silicone cabinet door bumpers with the self adhesive back. Stick them to your bus in a few spots, underneath the seal, and they will hold the bulb off the bodywork, and facilitate water egress."

[Jockomo]

[Hoody]

Bev 1 I would send back the luggage rack portion of the kit to werksberg. I would ask them to send you a length of seal the same size with the bulb. Maybe their front luggage seal is different but it sure looks the same as the 1st one I through money away on from the BD. you should not have to glue that seal on period. Several places sell that seal with the bulb with no gluing required. If you glue it on and you get the same results many of us have you will really have a problem on your hands.

[Bev1]

Thanks Hoody for replying. The luggage rack seal does not need gluing and has the bulb. Its only the Pop Top flat seal without bulb that they say to glue.

My top Question here is how to prep getting the old, bad seal glued on off (mainly the Pop top sections are critical now).

Do I just have someone scrap it off? Someone posted to sand the left over old seal, but I think that will remove any gelcoat that might be there. I want this done right the first time and not damage to Top.

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Life is a test. It is only a test. If this was your actual life, you would have been given better instructions.

[cefalu]

I just restored the pop top on my '74 Westy. I also used the Bus Depot seals. I have not driven my bus yet, but the seals were easy to install. No gluing is required.

However, I took the front and back tops off, since I wanted to install a new canvas boot and paint the whole top too.

I think it would be very difficult to install the luggage rack seal with a bulb if the luggage rack section was installed. Removing the luggage rack section requires access to 4 bolts under the roof which requires removal of the wood ceiling above the drivers section, which was a little tricky. As I recall the original seal on the front had no bulb.

Once I get an engine installed and get it on the freeway I will report back regarding the BD luggage rack seal, and the wind vibrations.

Regarding the glue I encountered, I used a carpenters wood chisel to carefully scrape away the old glue. Then I painted the whole top with Rustoleum as described elsewhere on this site. I also installed a new Bus Depot pop top boot, it fit perfectly and I can't imagine installing the boot with the pop top in the bus.
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1970 Jeepster Commando
1974 Volkswagen P27 Westfalia Camper
1974 Mercedes SL350 Euro Market Model
1974 Jeep J-20 ZZ
1985 Alfa Romeo GTV6
2005 Toyota 4Runner V8 Sport
2008 Mercedes E350 Wagon
2018 Lexus GX460

[Hoody]

Sorry Bev for misreading your post. The BD flat seal requires no glue and is 20 dollars. For that much cash personally I would not mess around with any glue. I do not remember there being any residual glue when I removed my original one. If there was any it came off easily when I wet sanded the entire top with 400 grit. So I guess my best guess would be to tape off the edge and wet sand with 400 grit the 1/4 -5/8ths inch that the seal will push on to. One thing I will add is leave an extra 1/4 inch on both sides of this seal to allow for when the top is lowered. I am on my second seal because of this. Another reason not to use glue. Hope this helps.

[69satellite]

so what seal kit is the best to go with? seems theres issues with bus depots and some thing with werkberg luggage rack seal. I need a seal kit for my early style poptop and only want to have to buy this once.

[Bev1]

Thanks Cefalu and Hoody. I appreciate the advice! Will try to tackle the pop top push on seal this week. I'm not sure where is the best forum area to update the progress. Seals: here - yes. VW selling, different topic area, but where? I'm noticing a number of people coming to see my 79 Westy and "test drive it" who use to own one. I think they are not serious buyers, but just want to go for a joy ride. Others come and don't even know the top pops up. Again, not serious buyers. I think I'll figure out how to sell it here on Samba. Maybe trade with some cash for a good Westy automatic this old body can hack.

[bugger101]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[Westfabulous]

As mentioned earlier, I have the bulb seal all the way around the bus. It is the only way to go in my opinion. Once and a while I'll pull the seal off the luggage rack and wash underneath. It can be put back on with the luggage rack in place; there is no need to remove it. There is no glue needed to secure it either. Click on the picture and you can see a larger picture of the seal and in particular the bulb.

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"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

[Hoody]

In answer to the question as to which is the best kit. The pop top seal and flat seal from BD are excellent. No complaints at all. The issue I had was with the luggage rack portion of the kit. Honestly I do not think they should even offer the "trim peice" with out the bulb. I am sure you can purchase their kit with the luggage rack seal with the bulb. As several people have stated there is no issue of water retention with the bulb. Personally I would not purchase any of these seals if they required glue.

[notchboy]

[Westfabulous]

[Kirk]

[werksberg]

As IMO both Bus Depot and myself sell 2 different kits for both early and late bays.

A cheaper one with the trim for the luggage rack (more factory correct) and a little more expensive kit that has the luggage rack seal like the pop top bottom.

In my instructions for the luggage rack seal kits, I suggest to removing some of the bulb seal off the ends for water run off or slit the seal in the front or the back (late vs early bays) for water run off.

But most choose the cheaper kit.....

There never was any gel coating on these Westfalia FG tops. Just as instructions state, clean the lip where you need to glue the HD flat seal, apply some glue, apply seal and you might have to tape it into place until the glue sets up....

It's not rocket science.
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