| [ Total Views: 736 | Total Replies: 14 | Thread Id: 7334 ] |
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 prickle
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 posted on June 9th, 2003 at 10:33 PM |
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help on conversion into convertible
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. |
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warb
Custom Title Time!
gimme some butter im on a roll.....
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| posted on June 9th, 2003 at 10:50 PM |
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cut the roof off..... sorry, had to say it :P:P:P
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fatboy
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| posted on June 9th, 2003 at 10:53 PM |
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You should fill in your profile with your location.
If your anywhere near me your welcome to come and have a look.
" Captain Picard, why are there no Indians on the Enterprise ? Don't you need IT Support ? "
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BiX
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| posted on June 9th, 2003 at 10:59 PM |
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Always wanted to do a oval convertable............................................................................................ |
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manxed69
A.k.a.: Steven Vanes
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| posted on June 9th, 2003 at 11:02 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by green57
cut the roof off..... sorry, had to say it :P:P:P
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And be carefull of the sharp edges...... sorry, had to say that too
PS - Everyones a bloodly comedian, and no I wont give up my day job!
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70AutoStik
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 02:55 AM |
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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.
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pyr0
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 08:25 AM |
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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 |
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squizy
A.k.a.: Paul
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 09:17 AM |
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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....
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pyr0
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 09:40 AM |
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hey why dont you just sell the bug you got the buy a convertable, just an after thought...... |
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amazer
Bishop of Volkswagenism
kombi pilot
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 06:08 PM |
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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.
Chris.... kombi pilot, oval dreamer... finisher #26971 2005 city to surf
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Shani
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 06:16 PM |
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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!  |
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daz67
A.k.a.: Darryl Hall
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 06:21 PM |
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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?
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Shani
Seriously Crusin Dubber
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 06:28 PM |
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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! |
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 helbus
A.k.a.: Pete S
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 06:35 PM |
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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?'
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amazer
Bishop of Volkswagenism
kombi pilot
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 06:41 PM |
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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]
Chris.... kombi pilot, oval dreamer... finisher #26971 2005 city to surf
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70AutoStik
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| posted on June 10th, 2003 at 11:19 PM |
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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...
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Shani
Seriously Crusin Dubber
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| posted on June 11th, 2003 at 12:35 AM |
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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 |
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