I am currently converting a 67 beetle into a convertible looking for some help. If I could have a look at some drawings would be handy or some photos.

cut the roof off..... sorry, had to say it :P:P:P

You should fill in your profile with your location.
If your anywhere near me your welcome to come and have a look.

Always wanted to do a oval convertable............................................................................................

Here in W.A. an engineer's design has to be approved by the authority before any work is started, you should check with your local authority before you cut the roof off. You will find the lack of rigidity is going to be a problem and if you aren't a competent engineer, it's going to be difficult to overcome without a lot of trouble and expense. The factory convertibles copped a lot of flack for this, but many dirvers didn't care - they preferred the top-down experience to going fast.

heheheheh cut the roof off, but seriously ive seen mechanics that wont evevn do the conversion, but then again most of them hate VW's, any who where im getting at is chwck with your local mechanics and RTA to make sure the method you are going to do complies with alll the rules and regulations

Don't do it......please? Not to an early bug. Unless the roof is totally trashed. What it will cost you to do it properly, you may as well save up for a real Cab. Cutting the roof off is an 80's carry over - the thing will leak, rattle, not fit correctly, and you'll be swearing until you get rid of it.

If you want wind in your hair, hunt out something original. Please?

Squiz....

hey why dont you just sell the bug you got the buy a convertable, just an after thought......

The best help anyone can give you is to convince you not to. Do not remove the biggest structural member of a beetle, The roof.

Find one for sale in the paper. Put a jack under the middle of it. Watch the top of it flex at the doors. It should scare you enough. If not... *shrugs* im very sorry.

Even the ones that are engineered are floppy. Havent seen a good one yet. It will leak water. It will be noisy. It will have a shorter lifespan. I can almost guarantee you.

My apologies to all chop top owners who I will no doubt offend with these comments.

I'm not offended but I don't get wet when it rains (we brought it home in a downpour). I'll grant you the noisy bit but only with the top up (and who in their right mind has the top up if you don't have to??).
One huge problem is that they ARE cold in winter, I just bought myself gloves and a Beanie (oh and a jacket) for early morning/night driving. They do tend toward the drafty side.
Probably would be cheaper and easier to just buy one already converted though, mine only cost us 6500 and the paintwork is brand new, don't seem to be any really major problems at the moment (or nothing we can't sort out easy anyhow). They ARE out there!

Quote"The best help anyone can give you is to convince you not to. Do not remove the biggest structural member of a beetle, The roof."

??????? Why does everyone use the chassis for kit cars then?

Ours has had a subframe added to strenthen and stiffen the car. This was done by an engineer so we don't have the problem of flex (hubby jacked it up to see).
All mods had to be approved by QLD transport and supported by an Engineer certificate to be registered.
Buying ready made saves a lot of money in the end, all this would have been really expensive to set up. I'm glad it was all done by the previous owners and not us!

Hmmm, well a Beetle chassis is more of a floorpan really. It's the roundness of the body that gives it strength. I thought it was only the floorpan used on kit cars! A separate chassis was usually incorporated into the mostly fibreglass body. As far as I know they usually are steeled out with square tubing.

In regards to getting it registered easily, you can pick up a wrecked/ rusted convertible body for $100 or so, and if it is registered as a 'Tourer' already then you can use that as a start for ideas and also use that chassis number to register it without going through engineering again. You may have to replace everything except a small bit of metal with a chassis number on it, but you already have that 'dont you?'

in answer to the kit car question:

beats me. perhaps if they are light fiberglass it doesnt matter. Perhaps if there are no doors, it doesnt matter. Perhaps its because you can get them for a case of beer. Perhaps because most cars dont unbolt from the floorpan, the choice is limited. I dont know why. I know the ones I have worked on are not good.

the ones I have worked on all have steel subframe presumably engineered too. Didnt help them.

I'm trying to be less argumentive (someone will punch me out at nambucca!) so I will leave it at that.

[Edited on 10-6-2003 by amazer]

You don't really notice the flex on sand and rocks. I eventually had a couple extra bars added to the roll bar on my buggy, though, and I have seen some excellent jobs done to stiffen them - probably cost a fair bit more than Shani's solution in the end, though...

lol Autostik, Shani's solution is the same as most other peoples. Don't do it! Just go out and get one already converted if you want the wind in your hair