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easy e Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3930 Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 2:19 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42 SO-44 Pop-Top Seal |
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notchboy wrote: |
This is of a dormobile from xavi_242. Left one is OG. Looks like the one you are making and the type I removed off my 77 pop top. I cant find an og shot of Bay rubber.
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I missed this!... good to know. _________________ aka: Evan
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42 SO-44 Pop-Top Seal |
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I don't want to step on any toes but why would you pursue redoing a seal like this? The one I posted looks the part and works great.
Its kind of hard for me to get an idea of the size of the proposed seal but with that much of a bend im wondering if it would actually even seal the top at all? _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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easy e Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3930 Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42 SO-44 Pop-Top Seal |
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No toe stepping felt.
I'll use cargo net hooks as an analogy to the pop-top seal.
Someone could say...
"Why not use the Home Depot brass hooks for your SO-23 cargo net / chandelier? It looks the part & would work great."
But, I don't think the look is right... so I had them made with a correct aesthetic representation.
Same goes for the seal.
.
.
It all depends on what you are interested in.
Everybody cares about different stuff... and some are interested in various things looking closer to being a 'factory' look.
On the flip side... I wouldn't get too exited about the rubber dust seals on aftermarket tie rods not looking like originals... but, someone else might.
If an NOS pop-top seal hit the classifieds... I'd want it. _________________ aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
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nlorntson Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004 Posts: 3776 Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 10:13 am Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42 SO-44 Pop-Top Seal |
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notchboy wrote: |
This is of a dormobile from xavi_242. Left one is OG. Looks like the one you are making and the type I removed off my 77 pop top. I cant find an og shot of Bay rubber. |
By the looks of the seal on the left, it is the same or nearly the same profile.
Can anyone tell me how many feet of seal a Dormobile top would take?
I'm trying to sort out the numbers to see if I can pull the trigger to have this seal made.
Thanks. |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 10:56 am Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42 SO-44 Pop-Top Seal |
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easy e wrote: |
No toe stepping felt.
I'll use cargo net hooks as an analogy to the pop-top seal.
Someone could say...
"Why not use the Home Depot brass hooks for your SO-23 cargo net / chandelier? It looks the part & would work great."
But, I don't think the look is right... so I had them made with a correct aesthetic representation.
Same goes for the seal.
.
.
It all depends on what you are interested in.
Everybody cares about different stuff... and some are interested in various things looking closer to being a 'factory' look.
If an NOS pop-top seal hit the classifieds... I'd want it. |
I see your point on the hooks but what we are talking about here is something not nearly as far off as the hooks. Id rather have your hooks too BTW.
Here's an original
Here's the replacement on my bus
Its a damn close match.
Id also suggest to anyone making that seal to figure in shrinkage of the seal as not all pop tops are perfectly square; meaning the clearances from the top of the bus roof to the outer edge of the top itself are seldom the same from bus to bus. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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easy e Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3930 Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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Sure, it's close.
It's how close that drives reproducers (Gerson, WW, etc, others)... to try to get it very close.
Think of how aftermarket sheet metal used to be... and where it is now.
It's only because somebody wanted something to be a little bit better, even though it may have already been close.
What can I say... it's a passion... not just an exercise. _________________ aka: Evan
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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easy e wrote: |
Sure, it's close.
It's how close that drives reproducers (Gerson, WW, etc, others)... to try to get it very close.
Think of how aftermarket sheet metal used to be... and where it is now.
It's only because somebody wanted something to be a little bit better, even though it may have already been close.
What can I say... it's a passion... not just an exercise. |
Sheetmetal is not a great analogy as there are plenty of replacement pieces that have been documented to be 1/8 to 1/4 off. In the world of replacement metal that is nothing that should have ever left the production facility. Imagine promoting your seal as a perfect copy of an NOS one yet it takes and additional 4 hours to reshape it to fit but I digress...
The only way to see if this seal is worth it is if its a perfect match and is at a price point that people will pay for it. I understand the passion, I made curtain bungees for years before a few others jumped on the train and started producing incorrect versions and then I stopped making them. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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easy e Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3930 Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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crofty wrote: |
...why would you pursue redoing a seal like this?
...
I made curtain bungees for years ... |
I'm at a loss Brother.
It's going to take a few minutes for me to absorb. _________________ aka: Evan
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7045 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 12:44 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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easy e wrote: |
crofty wrote: |
...why would you pursue redoing a seal like this?
...
I made curtain bungees for years ... |
I'm at a loss Brother.
It's going to take a few minutes for me to absorb. |
as far as i can see y'all should be running off together for the betterment of the westy community _________________ regards
Uli
----------------------------------------
'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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easy e wrote: |
crofty wrote: |
...why would you pursue redoing a seal like this?
...
I made curtain bungees for years ... |
I'm at a loss Brother.
It's going to take a few minutes for me to absorb. |
When I was doing the bungees no one else was and there wasn't anything available out there at all. a few years later there were three different folks making them so I figured I had better things to do with my time.
From my perspective the seal I found is about a 95% match and I think was around $60 so that was as good as it was going to get. I think if you get it made and its more than whats out there only a limited number of people are going to care about a perfect copy of a seal that only they and a handful of people will notice. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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easy e Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3930 Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 1:42 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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crofty wrote: |
...only a limited number of people are going to care about a perfect copy of a seal that only they and a handful of people will notice. |
How many bungy sets did you sell?
Did you consider that only limited number of people were going to care about a perfect copy of a bungy that only they and a handful of people will notice? _________________ aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19670 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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easy e wrote: |
crofty wrote: |
...only a limited number of people are going to care about a perfect copy of a seal that only they and a handful of people will notice. |
How many bungy sets did you sell?
Did you consider that only limited number of people were going to care about a perfect copy of a bungy that only they and a handful of people will notice? |
I sold a few dozen and gave away a few sets over about seven years. I did consider that the market was very limited at $75 a set and that's why I only made up about 6 or so sets a year to sell. I also hand made each brass crimp which was time consuming to say the least. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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easy e Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008 Posts: 3930 Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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nlorntson Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004 Posts: 3776 Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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easy e wrote: |
Calling N Lorntson... any new news to share? |
Not yet. I've been somewhat distracted with a couple of funerals
I'm still working on it though. |
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nlorntson Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004 Posts: 3776 Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:15 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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I need the length of a Dormobile seal. If anyone has a dormobile (side hinging style) they can measure the perimeter of, I believe I can finish this job and have an identical seal for both poptop and dormobile roofs available.
It would also be good to know the length of what is currently sold for the poptop seal as well. Anyone?
I need that measurement though!
Thanks |
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Birdmanhere Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2006 Posts: 1054 Location: CANADA EH
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:23 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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nlorntson wrote: |
I need the length of a Dormobile seal. If anyone has a dormobile (side hinging style) they can measure the perimeter of, |
The original seal on the split Dormobile tops never went all the way around. They only had a strip at the front and back. Later Dormobiles did, and it seems most people do have one now all the way around, including myself.
Perhaps when you make them for sale make 2 options for people with Dormobiles, either all the way around, or 2 pieces for the front and back.
I can measure mine all the way around for you, but I don't have the exact measurements for the front and back ones, but I will rough measure those too.
I work shift work so give me a couple days. PM me if I forget. _________________ 66 Bus
71 Bug |
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sled Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2005 Posts: 6171
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 5:06 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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front and rear pieces are about 51" long
to do the whole roof is about 296" (thats probably a little extra but I erred on the high side)
I would LOVE to see a good seal because I need one for my dormobile. _________________ drive your split. |
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nlorntson Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004 Posts: 3776 Location: Twin Cities, MN
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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Finally. Thanks Sled. Now that I have that information I'll plug in the numbers and see if I can swing the cost.
Stay tuned. |
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the.fordhams Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2004 Posts: 471 Location: Charlotte, NC
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:05 pm Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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Any news on the seal? _________________ 63 OG Turkis Bug project
65 OG Safari Beige Notch
65 OG Pearl SO42 Patina
67 SO42 welding project
03 Eurovan Weekender
08 Touareg 2 V6
WANTED :
Bob King VW dealer Wilmington NC dealer tag surround and any Literature for 03 Weekender |
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demo four Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2011 Posts: 46 Location: the garage
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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Has the better seal ever come to fruition? I am ordering my pop top cloth, so will need the seal as well to finish the pop top. |
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