Ragtop roofclip

[Diederick/DVK]

To realise my plans for this season i am looking for a ragtop roof(clip).
It's for my 67 beetle, but i suppose any 2 fold will do.

Please let me know if you can help.

Thanks

[Turtle001]

don't do it diederik -- keep it original 

[Diederick/DVK]

arrangements are in progress, i'm tired of getting wet in my neck when driving through rainy weather 

[.]

Does your 67 already have the factory style metal "crank" sunroof ?

[empi67rag]

Bad idea Diederick!!        -)

[Diederick/DVK]

yes it does richard

kurt, i've wanted this for a long time now, even before i saw your 67...
but i get your point, competition is on its way 

naah, my 67 doesn't have such a tight finish as yours does, but i don't need to... i'm about the youngest around here 

[.]

If you are getting water in, and the sunroof closes all the way.
It is probably one of two things.
Either the rubber seal that glues to the face of the sunroof panel itself (rear) is missing or in bad shape.
Or the 4 drain tubes are clogged.
Two exit just above the running boards and two exit just below the front hood hinges.
Blow compressed air through them and see if they are clear.
One or both of those should fix your "leaking" problem.
Don't carve up your car because it just needs a little maintenanace !

[Diederick/DVK]

hi richard,

i appreciate your help, but it's even the sliding mechanism that s*cks...
this summer the entire mechanism was redone and the wheel was also replaced but it's just no good...
the car has even been flooded 2 years ago

so, does anyone have a ragtop for sale? 

[Zach Gomulka]

Dont do it!! You are a lucky guy to have an original '67 sunroof car!! Dont cut it up!!! There has to be a way to fix what you have!!

[Andi/DFL]

I second that.

It's a '67. It has a sunroof. It's javagreen. Don't cut it up, or I'll make you drunk at the next DDD, paint your car pink when you fall asleep and write "German style is my life" across your doors! Did I mention the Mangels Triangulo wheels, that would fit nicely to your bug then? :-)))

[Diederick/DVK]

I get your point, but i have grown to hate that sunroof... the trouble it has given me over the 2 1/2 years of owning my 67 now is just a nightmare.

It doesn't work properly. This summer i paid a guy to fix it and as i said he renewed quite a few parts, but after opening and closing it 2 or 3 times the cable started to jump again... it's just a fucking nightmare unbelievable. I even put my 67 up for sale 1 year ago because i hated it so badly. And there is no point in having a sunroof and not using it right?

I could also swap the roof and go with no sunroof at all... 

 

[Jon]

Hang in there!! I know it's hard when it's working against you, but if there's a will there's a way. How about locating a donor mechanism and study that compare to the one you have? AND start a Project thread on it, and I'm sure the guys on the lounge can help you thru it!

Don't give up 

[Diederick/DVK]

thanks for the encouraging words jon, but i've been through that and through with that already.
i got myself a second mechanism and replaced the parts 

are these by the way only arguments because a 67 with sunroof is not seen that often? 

[thehanz DVK]

hello diederick

i have a ragtop clip with all the parst needed with it, send me pm and tell me what price you have in mind, and maybe i will not use it for my own 67...

[Dokke/DFL]

If you really wanna ragtop and you still have to paint your car and doing a lot other things, why don't you spend the money for another 67 bug with an original ragtop ...
Just drive the greenone for now and enjoy it.

[Turtle001]

listen to dokke ! don't cut that 67er diederick! if you want a ragtop -- you can come over to the Grimm Hills and drive mine

[48IDA66]

I have a steel sun roof like you have Diederick, and Im no expert doing sun roofs, but mine has now work well and have being dry for the past 7 years..When I restore mine, I try to find as most parts new as posible.

Yours are leaking, as Richard already says try to clean the drain tubes, if you have trouble pulling the roof open-close it can be the "runners" that the wires are running in, they has to be in grease all the time, well I have a few more how to, if your interestet...

[Diederick/DVK]

thanks for the offer turtle, i'd love to!
and dokke, if only i had the money for it

i'm really starting to feel bad, and having second thoughts...

...however i should stress that the work will be performed by someone that is very skilled with aircooled VWs and it's going to look the bollocks with the fresh paintjob 

to be honest, i know that all of you around here love beetles and wouldn't wanna see a 67 ruined. but i don't really care whether it's a 1500 deluxe with steel sunroof if all the sunroof does is sit there, don't listen to me, and ruins my car. i've cleaned and replaced draining lines already and the runners have been oiled and the gear has been replaced. also the whole sunroof is scratched and i don't want this to happen again after the paintjob...

and besides - apart from the originality argument - i haven't heard a single negative comment on kurt's 67... 
and kurt, don't worry this is as far as i will "imitate" your ride 

[.]

There are two other things that could cause your sunroof not to function correctly.
It's hard to describe without pictures, but here it goes.
The gear that is attached to the crank the opens / closes the sunroof only has so many turns lock to lock.
The easiest way to adjust it is to first remove the crank and gear drive from the roof.
Then close the sunroof manually.
Then turn the crank while holding it in your hand to the right as if you were "closing' the sunroof.
next, install it back into the roof.
If it is in the right position, your sunroof will be completely closed and the crank will be facing forward and in the "notch" in the roof.
If not, remove the crank rotate very slightly and then re-install.
Secondly, this concerns the metal sunroof panel itself.
Again, this is difficult without pictures, but picture yourself standing in front of your car facing the windshield.
On either side of the metal panel is a "flange" or "lip"of sorts.
If these are not 90 degrees to the surface of the sunroof panel, they will rub the sides and or the felt "seal" and cause enough friction to make the crank gear "skip" and not move the sunroof.
Too bad you don't live near me, I would get your sunroof operating better than new for free.
I just hate to see someone carve up a car just because of a simple mechanical repair.

[Cornpanzer]

Im with Richard here.  With the money you are going to spend haveing a clip welded in, you could buy all new parts for the steel roof and have it fixed by someone who knows what they are doing.  You would probably have money left over for more cool parts.

[Diederick/DVK]

thanks richard, and if you only lived nearby 

the first i have done indeed, but the second thing not.

but also, i think it is gonna look cool too, right?

[.]

If your car was an original 1967 STANDARD model with the optional "M" code ragtop sunroof, then yes it would be cool.
But destroying a cars originality and value just because you can't fix the sunroof that's already there is not cool at all.
If you shut the hood and it wouldn't open, would you cut off the front clip and get a fiberglass tilt front end ? (I hope not)
PLEASE find someone where you live that nows how to fix them CORRECTLY !
P.S. I have heard that the reproduction sunroof cables are too long, so no matter how much you "tinker" with it, it will not function correctly.
Could that be your problem ?

[48IDA66]

Richard, good you try to have Diederick skip his plans dropping his "not soo god funktion" sun-roof, it is importent that all parts are new, or have the right specifikation, I got my wires from "Wolfsburg West", severel parts come from them, top itims, if you ask me...

I remember that "Hot VWs" have and "how to restore your steel sun roof" way back ( sold my old ones) so I can remember the year, but around 96-97 someone else remember?, and can maybe do a few prints, or sell I belive 1-2 maybe 3 numbers to Diederick?..

[.]

Think about what you would be getting into.
The going rate for a ragtop clip seems to be $300.00-$400.00.
You will have to get someone to do the cutting and welding, more $
You will need a new sunroof cover, more $
Not to mention all the sunroof "guide bushings that will need replaced. more $
The you will have to have your headliner redone and a new headliner for the sunroof, more $
The you will have to have your car re-painted, or at lease the roof panel, more $
Unless you can do all this by yourself and not have to pay for anything except parts, you could be spending $1,000 - $2,000.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just to fix a problem that should cost less than $50.00 to fix !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Turtle001]

you'r 100% right richard!

[Dokke/DFL]

So Diederick, I think Richard has made everything clear that you better fix your sun-roof problems then getting a ragtop on your bug.
I know ... having a ragtop bug is always nice !!!

[Diederick/DVK]

a not so nice - but hopefully more clarifying - in-sight of my car:

[Diederick/DVK]

and

[48IDA66]

Great ! to se some photos of your problems Diederick, from all the scratch-marks your roof is sure out of adjusting! , for the rust around it, it can be repaired and you can have the roof paintet to the edge of the front window down to the rear window and the rain-gutters, I can se that you not have the filt-list around the edge, not is that why the rain come in, do you have the rubber that go from side to side on the roof- plate ?, you have being asking that also by Richard R, but that one is important.!!..

[thehanz DVK]

i think i have a strong argument not to cut the ragtop section in the car.... i was thinking of selling him the section, only i haven't got a sunroof at all in my 67 so i think i will regred it when i sell it so i keep it for myself..as selfish as a i am...so diederick when you have other offers go with them otherwise , try to listen to boy's above and repair the roof...