The Cal-look Lounge

I have access to two goldie sunroof clips and I have been kicking the idea around of having one installed in the '67. Over here in the states '67s came with a steel sunroof, but I like the cloth sunroof. Not sure I could pull it off myself so it may be a farm out job. Anyway, just something I am thinking about and wanted to get some thoughts, opinions etc from others. You think it would look like crap with the sunroof and the upright head lights? I keep seeing that red standard '67 with a goldie and thinking it looks really sweet.

--louis

Hi Louis,

67's also have the Steel Sunfroof overhere in Europe!!!

Only the Standart 67 could be ordered with a Golde Roof...

But as the people who bought Standart Bugs did not have alot of cash this Option was rather rare... ;)

Frank

But it was still an option. I don't know, I am still debating it. The thought of cutting a hole in the roof kinda scares me. It definitely would make the car different though. Plus it would be nice for our weather.

--louis

First off I'd have to say that the Belgian '67 is a really good car and everything looks right so I can't imaging a Golde would be at odds with your car in any way.

With regards fitting the hole, have you had a skip before? Reason I ask is that if you were to see a car you liked with one then absolutely buy it but I don't see the point of fitting one to an already good car. I say this as though they are great for driving (slowly) in the sun they're not much good for anything else in my experience. Open up the throttle and unless you have pop-outs and they're already open you'll get a buffeting noise that sounds like you've lost a cylinder. Whilst the throttle will tell you you haven't it's still an aggravation then go and open it up all the way into the 3 figure speeds and beyond and you get a bunch of other issues with the headlining and the roof itself. Possibly also various other problems including in my case pop-out failure at one point! I don't use the roof on mine too much these days except for when I'm waiting in a fire up lane or rolling back down the return road on a hot day. I don't dislike having one at all but for the use I have the car for I wouldn't go through the hassle / expense of retro-fitting one.

 :)

It better be in there perfect or else your upholsterer will f**king hate you! ;)

Humm, yeah that would be bad lol.

--louis

Honestly though! Just got done doing one today in an original ragtop car- what a pain in the ass. If the hole isnt exactly where its supposed to be, it will be a nightmare to fit.

I say stick with the stock roof. I went through the same thing years ago with my '67. I even bought a roof clip... but I changed my mind before I picked up the sawzall, and Im glad I did!

Cloth roofs look funny with big windows.

Yeah, I probably wont do it. I just keep tripping over the roof section and thinking I should do something with it.

--louis

I agree.

It'll also run hotter with the roof open down the motorway. Max always said that they did and I never really gave it much thought, I was lucky enough to drive Chris' Coral 54 rag back from EBI last year with the roof open but it was running a little hotter than mine does. Stopped at the services, shut the roof and hey Max was right  ;D Ran 15-20 degrees cooler instantly  :o

http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album107
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=174462&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=160

i was playing with the same toughts till now i found these two intresting links

I Think they Look Bitchin Look at This Car  Steel Siunroof's Remind Me Of Late Models 

Yeah that is the car that started all this. Sweet looking car.

--louis

  Hi all.   First of all do want you think you'll like.  I had a '63 rag through high school and loved it. I really miss that car I had no popouts and can attest to the buffeting mentioned. Even though, it is bitchen to cruise a rag. Having said that I really don't like rags on anything later than a '63 just my opinion of course. I would stick to what you have. Keep us posted.    Jason

That is some really nice work on that second thread. Wish my car was that solid.  :(

--louis

They mention an issue of VWT where they did a rag top install. Anyone know what issue that was? I know HVW did one too, but that involved grafting on the whole roof section I think.

Any metal workers have any comments on the method used in this thread?

http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album107

I imagine but welding a section that large would cause massive amounts of warping.

Thanks,

--louis

many waz to skin a cat. the method i use is to but weld the joint not lap.I use a tig welder less heat, also use mig wire .023 for fillet less weld to grind and metal finish. if your close to orange co. i could help you walk through it. By for now gabfab

Hi Danny,

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, I am in Florida so a bit to far just to drop in some time.  ;D (Though I have seen your work and its incredible.) I would prefer a butt weld too if I do it, though I only have a Miller 140 mig. I guess just keep skipping around in an effort to keep warping to a minimum. Anyway, I have a good year from doing body work on the car, just kicking around some ideas.

Thanks,

--louis

Interesting... I wonder if that's caused by the extra drag forcing the motor to work harder or by the disruption of the airflow.

Disruption to the air flow would be my guess. Sort of like when the PO of my '71 put louvers over the back window. Nearly cooked the engine on a long drive on the interstate. Had to stop at a rest stop, so I pulled the louvers off and tossed them in the trash, car ran fine after that.

--louis

Well just to let you know I am putting a Golde 3 fold rag top in my 68, i think most bugs look awesome with a fabric ragtop. One of my favorite cars was Allen Dodson's, from Arizona he had a  pro street 69, which had a stonking turbo motor and a 3 fold rag it looked awesome! IMO late models can have them too.

One question I have though???

My 3 fold Is a bonafide Golde, it has the plaque and handle to prove it, but the roof section that i cut off a 68 donor car doesnt have the raised lip section like in the photo of that 67, I have also seen many earlier bugs with this lip??? Why would mine not have it? There is a hinged plexiglass section that seems to be the wind deflector, do i just have a later Golde?

Thanks,
Rob.

All the Golde's I have seen have the lip. (Of course they all come from '63 and earlier cars.) Sounds like an after market conversion of some type. My friend has the one sold in the mags in his '69, forget the maker, and it has the little pop up wind deflector.

I think it would look good. Thinking Porsche Carrera White, dechromed of course, with a black & gray or red interior. (Maybe a wite or grey rag top instead of black though.)

--louis

Its a strange one as there is definately a blue and silver Golde plaque on the roof frame and the handle (although broken) is also stamped golde, it looks identical to the earlier golde's except no lip on the roof?!?!

Golde did make roofs for other cars as well as kits too. That could be the answer. What market was your car originally sold in? That may have something to do with it too.

--louis

I grafted one into my old 67 , as Volkswagen offer it as an extra on the standard model 67 , had one of those too , perfect for cal treatment as they came minus the trim , still to this day regret selling that car  ::)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff84/49-rag/jordie.jpg)
Thought it came out OK

I don't think what you have there is a original OEM Golde for two reasons , one they stopped the rag top in 67 and replaced it with the steel slider and two it should be a two fold rag for a 67 era car .

I have been considering this on my 67 for a while. If I ever get a wild hair to paint it I will definitely hack a hole. At the same time I will probably dechrome it to make it look as close to a standard as I can. i like 67s and I like sunroofs

I say go for it

The roof with the golde was off a 68 deluxe 1500 bug.

I think maybe my roof is a Golde kit then or possibly from another vehicle as golde made fabric roofs for many manufacturers.

I have never really looked at many golde's up close and seen under the head liner of a bug, do the OEM ones also have a wood frame, as this golde on the 68 roof i have has a timber frame that the metal slider rails bolt to, as if to strengthen the hole and sandwich the bugs roof skin.

Rob.

Its kind of funny the street rod world fills them and the vw guys add them

i like them!

but a bit wrong on a 67 delux, would look cool if you were dechroming it, half headliner, etc...

wow louis, i'm surprised to see the comments have been so laid-back so far.
when i asked the same question a year ago, i almost go crucified on here for ruining an original '67 with steel sunroof.  ;D :D ;)

well, it may have been the stock sunroof that did it, but still...

i'd say it CAN look awesome, but yes i've done a fair amount of research and some actually looked weird.
for example, i'm not too fond of this particular white 67 :

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/114400.jpg)

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/140446.jpg)

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/222378.jpg)

but then, if you'd do it tastefully i can see a greg aronson-ish 67... does that make sense?  ;)

Um, yeah no turbo mirrors. The more I see these cars the more I am leaning towards it. But I will have to improve my welding before I try it. Now I am debating getting a little Miller Tig instead of a the Miller Mig I was looking at. Its only a few hundred dollars more. But then I would have to learn to use it.

--louis

You don't want a 3 fold if you want it to look correct, Rob! 3 fold Goldes are for '55 and earlier - they have different shaped corners on the fabric depending if they are for a split or an oval, but '56 and up should all be 2-fold, including the '67 standard.

Well to be honest i am not fusse if it isn't correct, after all theres not much of the original wolfsburg prouct there, its more american than german now lol, I just want it to look goo an woul love the rag top for summer abuse :)

I have discovered the top is definately a 3 fold, the badge on it says Allard Golde, maybe a partner of golde of something, cannot find anything on a web search.
Heres a few pics, you can see the wood frame and the fact the the front lip is an ali piece.
(http://bp2.blogger.com/_Vk-2ErpOKOk/R5ZE7Bsiz1I/AAAAAAAAAFE/C7BDNDU9n8w/s320/DSCF0418%5B1%5D)
(http://bp2.blogger.com/_Vk-2ErpOKOk/R5ZE8Bsiz2I/AAAAAAAAAFM/fBGEwPJwFq8/s320/DSCF0415%5B1%5D)
(http://bp0.blogger.com/_Vk-2ErpOKOk/R5ZE8hsiz3I/AAAAAAAAAFU/aj3rWCV0dUA/s320/DSCF0414%5B1%5D)
(http://bp2.blogger.com/_Vk-2ErpOKOk/R5ZE9Bsiz4I/AAAAAAAAAFc/my_NVaiE5iY/s320/DSCF0411%5B1%5D)
(http://bp2.blogger.com/_Vk-2ErpOKOk/R5ZE-Bsiz5I/AAAAAAAAAFk/oGMkkuT-YwA/s320/DSCF0410%5B1%5D)

That's a new one on me not seen that before  ???

Maybe I have a one of a kind the rarest Golde in the world muhahahahaha muhahahahahahaha

 ::) ;D

Theres one on this 67 hich was for sale:

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=416053

(http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l234/walwirral/67Rag006.jpg)