I have a 'custom convertible'. A vehicle apparently that should be avoided at all costs from what I have recently read here.

When I sold my Nissan Patrol equiped to go anywhere I wanted something smaller, cheaper to run with a bit of fun attached.

A 'proper' beetle was sought and then one day on the side of the road was old RED6E. I didn't want to look but the boss decided I would. The price was pretty good and the owner at the time was a Major in the Salvos. Pretty good combination I thought.

It has an engineers certificate and a heap of additional strengthing steel underneath. It doesn't flex when jacked up and the roof only leaks in driving rain. I know it aint perfect. (My son has a 'proper convertible' made by FORD/MAZDA and with the rain we have now it has minor leaks). All to be expected I reckon when you put a tent on top of a motor car instead of solid metal, factory or custom.

I enjoy driving my red mate. I have spent some time fixing this n that and have more to fix as is the nature of owning an old car. I am learning how to do most of the repairs and adjustments myself with help and advice from others.

When out n about people always look at it because it is different. When the weather is warmer it is a lot of fun and that's what I wanted. Even now it is not too bad with the amount of rain we currently have.

It is part of the experience of owning a motor vehicle especially one that is bit different. It is the difference in everything we are and everything we have and do that makes life so much fun.

So please instead of bagging things out becasue you may have had a bad experience, or your bias is against all things not standard, just offer advice based upon the facts of 'your' experience and don't just blanket ban something. Such as, "I had one, or know of one that was bad becasue of this." DONT SAY AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

This post will hit a nerve with some of the purists but after reading what some people have had to say these are my thoughts and I have owned a standard beetle and now this one and they are all good for the right reasons that apply.

I talk to kids everyday about exceptance without ridicule based upon being different. Teaching it is great big world and how boring would it be if we were all the same.

A factory convertible would have been great but I didn't have the $$$ for one. So the next best thing is what i have, after checking it was roadworthy etc and properly engineered with papers. Guess it kinda found me.

It aint perfect and I expect more days and nights crawling under the damn thing but that keeps me off the lounge.

Yes the roof flaps, and the rear window is not clear anymore but it is an easy and surprisingly low cost fix with quality products that will last longer than what it currently has. Hey guess what though, I didn't buy it to drive 12 months of the year with the roof on!

Get what YOU want and ENJOY it for your reasons.
Most of all accept that VW's are unique in many ways, part of a special Kulture, and whilst some are lemons others can be peaches and all the owners I have met have all been gems!

Guess I sit back now and wait for the abuse?

I would like to see some photos if ya have a moment or two spare.

Your having fun with it and that's all that matters. Custom vw's are rad!

Dont base your worry by the people on this forum as most are only into RATS and RUSTY BUSSES your car only needs to please YOU .think out side the square.

Uh oh, now starts the contradictory advice, and my confusion! It's all to be expected though when you ask any group of people for opinions and advice, and I appreciate getting another angle thank you. I wouldn't mind seeing the photos too.

However, we are currently charging our van battery in the hope that we can get over to see the Beetles... It doesn't like starting in the rain! Ah love those fussy awkward vehicles...!!!

Yeah and apparently mines been molestered but I love it that way.

what i really feel badly about is that you had to give up the patrol to go anywhere as i have one and we currently planning our next trip but i do love driving my bug and am not really worried about others opinions each one is individual that is why pats are so readily available

You love it - that's great! I am on one of the 'avoid at all costs' side of the fence because it's easier to say one sentence than explain to some bright-eyed P-plate uni student all the possible problems that afflict chop-top convertibles:

Rust due to leaks from dodgy roof;
Rust due to poor capping (bog) of cut pillars;
Body shimmy, firewall-to-inner-quarter spreading (the spot welds break due to flexing) and poor door alignment due to poor reinforcing;
Broken windscreens due to A-pillars flexing;
Cold draughts due to poor fit of replacement roof;
Dodgy door glass actuation from loss of pillars' guides;
Rust/leaks due to burning of floorpan rubber when reinforcing rails welded on;
Impossible suspension/torsion bar adjustment and bush maintenance due to interference from reinforcing rails;
Electrical problems due to bad replacement wiring;
Difficulty of replacing floor pans (rust repair) due to rail interference;
Poor ground clearance...
etc

But I'll still wave at you from my 'factory' Karmann-built Beetle Cabriolet

As long as you are happy with it, it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks !!

the hate comes from the fact that alot where very badly built especially in the 80s when the laws werent as strict
many were built with inadequate bracing and poorly finished bodywork which led to all the probs glenn already mentioned

as he also said its always the young girls that seem to fall in love and want them and without trying to be to sexist they are the worst for looking after them
i know a young girl here in lismore with one and she often cant get her doors to shut if the ground isnt flat
but its not very well braced
the requirements now are the rollbar needs to run from the chassis bracing up along the door pillar to the to the other side with a brace across to the windscreen and one from the roll bar down to each rear wheel arch

the Lbug convertable i had had all this but that didnt stop the rust attacking the floorpans and heaterchannels

u will find if u try to blueslip/roadworthy one now they are put thro some very scrutinising tests which test the rigidity of the body/floor pan strengthening most of them fail and fall apart cos the common practice was to just attatch half a roll bar were the middle B pillars were cut of off and run some RHS down either sill and that was good enough

but if its roadworth and u love it then good for u, another saved from the scrap heap
ive had a few soft top cars and also know theres nothing like open top coastal cruising in summer

Welcome...

And Don't worry about the Nah sayers. Convertibles are totally awesome. Even Choptop beetles.

The reason they were avoided were...well ... for the reasons noted above. But it sounds like your is kewl, so dont panic too much. You will find your niche here, everyone does in time.

I have a convert golf (but maybe not for too much longer ) Next purchase will still be a convertible though, cause I found the golf such fun driving with its top down at night.

I used to have a Baja convertible which I loved. I sold it to a neighbour, who also loves it. I want it back, but he won't sell it to me.

It flexes and has scuttle shake when it goes off road, the driver's door needs to be slammed, because the top hinge is dodgy, the gear shift is awkward, because the sleeve at the front end of the gearshift rod is missing and it's held there with a big bolt, the roof leaks and flaps etc., etc., etc..

It has a low milage L Bug engine, mechanically it's OK and it goes quite well.

It's an altogether very cool little car that everyone I know thinks is really good value.

My posh, snobby sister loves it.

Don't worry about the naysayers, love you home job convertible, wave at all VWs, not just Cabrios and ENJOY IT!!!!! The great unwashed envy you for it, especially those in modern clones.

As a newbie to VW's (i have never owned one yet will be soon) I cant say what is good or not.What I can say is that no matter what
your version of motoring nirvana is,thats all that matters.
I love the rat rod look personally,yet this is frowned on by some people in the motoring world.
I have a small Mitsubishi ute with a V8 in it thats totally impractical and illegal,yet my mates hate it coz it isnt a Monaro or whatever.Its DIFFERENT,thats what i like.
Since ive only seen custom VW's in the past week at the Volksrod site (among other sites) I have totally changed my way of thinking
when it comes to a cool cruiser.Some of the cars i have seen are awsome,yet when i finally buy one myself,i know i will be an outcast.
Enjoy your rides,whatever they are!

Put a rotary in a beach buggy and you cop the flack as well
But for me its different and makes it mine

There would be a lot more Beetles around today for us to enjoy if the 'chop top' fad had never happened.

It's possible there were some better made local chop tops, but overwhelmingly, they were rubbish for the reasons given.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion - some people love Trabants and Citroen 2CVs too. Many of us are old VW enthusiasts and we were there when this fad started. We are not criticising an individual's right to drive whatever they want. If you want to drive a chop top, and love it, that's great.

But it goes against what Volkswagens were built for - to be reliable, well-designed and well-built, long lasting motor cars.

each to their own i say!! if you're keeping a vw on the road, stock or custome it's better then it going to sims.

it's yours and if it's what you want just enjoy it.

(i can say not all my dubs have been stock...:yes

keep dakkin

Aaron.

If you can't please everyone, then please yourself.