Westy roof support question - 1973 specific - the mounting feet.

[MikeyM73]

Hi all and greetings from NorCal.

I was lucky enough to find the pop-top roof supports (front hinged '73) here in the classifieds but I had a question on how the mounting "feet" mount to the metal roof.

When we got the bus, the pop-top was just sitting on it, not attached; someone had removed it, shaved the bolts flush, and painted it I guess making it a sunroof / ragtop project... no idea. So the only holes (with rusty screws) I couldn't find were the ones where the roof supports attach to the roof.

My understanding is that '68-'72 used the sunroof models for the pop-top Westy and my friend's '71 has the lower mounts attached to the flat inner "gutter" channel that surrounds the sunroof opening. My '73, as I was told, was a transition year in that VW started sending tin-tops, also, for the Westy pop-top conversion. My M-code plate says it's a factory pop top but since mine isn't a sunroof model, I don't have the flat gutter surface for the roof support feet to attach to; rather they would attach to the curved roof, I presume.

So I guess my question is, specific to the '73, would I need some kind of angled washer to attach the supports to the curve of the roof or do they maybe attach to the rear inner lip of the opening or something? Everywhere I read says '68-'73 use the same roof support so kinda wondering how they get around the curved roof thing on a tin top / pop-top.

Any advice/help you could provide would be appreciated.

Thanks and cheers,
Mike
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[MikeyM73]

Well heck.. as luck would have it, turns out the roof supports I bought just happened to come out of a '73 so, apparently, they have curved / slanted feet where the '72 and back had the flat feet. So that is perfect! Problem solved... sort of...

Next question is - can anyone tell me where the mounting holes might be? For example: how many mm/inches away from and how far left/right of the opening? Maybe a pic of a '73 is somewhere but I've not had luck finding a shot of the mounting. Again, all the mounting bolts for the top, luggage rack, and tent retaining rails were shaved clean and painted so these are the last holes I need to either find or drill.

I suppose I could support the top with wood slats, attach the supports to the top while it's opened, then fold the supports into their closed position, then lower the top to see where it sits? Center them up as best as possible and drill??

Thanks,
Mikey
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[Zed999]

That's exactly what you need to do. Get it wrong and the roof won't shut right. Much easier if the canvas isn't fitted.

[MikeyM73]

Well, got it all finished. The mounting feet aren't mounted in the "factory" position as the roof opening is cut completely square (not rounded corners) so I think that little difference in lack of metal is where they were supposed to mount. I believe this because I measured, on a friends Westy, where the upper mounts attach to the wood, the spacing, etc., then, after mounting them in the same position, held them closed, lowered the top and marked where the lower mounting feet sat on the roof - and even with the slight adjustment allowance, the lower mounting pads extend into the roof opening about 1/2 inch. So... I just scooted them outboard of the opening, and did a couple test lifts and closes, adjusted them a little more and all seems good. They don't bind and seem to close fine. More importantly, they hold the top open and function properly so at this point I'm a happy camper... quite literally.

Thanks again for all the help.

Mikey
_________________
'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.