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iamsuperman Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2016 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:44 am Post subject: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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I just purchased a '73 convertible and am trying to figure out how to get the top down all the way. I've put all my weight on it and folded and tucked and pushed and it still seems too high. i can't see out the rear view mirror. as far as i can tell there are no 'locking catches' on either side as described in the owners manual.
Its a new top and am wondering if it might have too much padding in it? has anyone else experienced this?
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mcdonaldneal Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2013 Posts: 2639 Location: Gullane, Scotland
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trelms Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2015 Posts: 248 Location: Denver
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:11 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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Mine does the same. push at this bow and see if it releases. then push it all the way down and clip the retainers
you have a rear glass window correct?
_________________ '74 Ghia Vert SOLD |
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iamsuperman Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2016 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:21 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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trelms wrote: |
Mine does the same. push at this bow and see if it releases. then push it all the way down and clip the retainers
you have a rear glass window correct?
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It worked!!!!!!!! WOOOOOO!
thank you. |
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iamsuperman Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2016 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:31 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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mcdonaldneal thanks. yes, a new obsession. |
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trelms Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2015 Posts: 248 Location: Denver
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:03 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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AWESOME!
I was worried it was something else.
Enjoy the car! looks nice. _________________ '74 Ghia Vert SOLD |
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NOVA Airhead Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005 Posts: 5221 Location: Richmond, VA
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:50 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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This is not how the top should work.
What you likely have is that someone forgot to put the elastic straps on that bow (or did not know they were needed) when they installed the new top. The elastic straps do not come with the top kits. Its something you need to purchase and do during the installation. If you look at the instructions for a top installation in the stickies you will see them sewn in during installation. I put them in when doing my top. You can purchase the material at a craft or fabric store for a few bucks.
This problem can also can happen to an old top as over time the elastic can stretch or break. The elastic pulls the bow back as the top is folded.
There is no easy fix. You have to remove the outer skin of the top to fix it which would likely ruin the outer skin. Its probably something you will learn to live with. _________________ Ghia Owner Emeritus |
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trelms Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2015 Posts: 248 Location: Denver
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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good to know. I'm pretty sure mine is original and just worn out.
Ps that's not my car in the picture I made. _________________ '74 Ghia Vert SOLD |
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iamsuperman Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2016 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:04 pm Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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thanks, yes i'm going to live with it as well. |
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NOVA Airhead Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005 Posts: 5221 Location: Richmond, VA
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:34 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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Here is the relevant image from Ghia Addict's post (Page 2) in the stickies to give you an idea. Why this elastic does not come with the top kits is beyond me.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/628143.jpg _________________ Ghia Owner Emeritus |
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68GhiaNamedStella Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2018 Posts: 2 Location: Orlando, FL
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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I've got the same issue with my '68 Ghia. The previous owner installed a new top and I've seen the top all the way. Since the purchase, I get to about the same angle as the above car, and its stuck.
How do you push on the area shown in the diagram? Down, back? gently or give it a little muscle? Is the outcome just to get it to bow outward? I've been gingerly with it as I don't want to break something.
Thanks for the assist. |
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KGCoupe Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2005 Posts: 3580 Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 10:07 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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I had that same problem with my old 1997 Audi Cabriolet, only it was a standard (non-elastic) strip of webbing that was attached to the rib and had broken loose.
On that car the rib could rotate partially, and would hit a hard stop when the top reached the fully closed position.
After the strap broke free, the rib would stay forward up against that stop instead of rotating back when the top went down.
I found that I was able to reach my hand in between the layers of the top from the side and rotate that rib back whenever I wanted to put the top down.
Having never owned a Karmann Ghua Cabriolet, I'm not sure if the rib moves in the same fashion, or if you can reach in between the layers from the side in the same way, but it's worth it try. |
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68GhiaNamedStella Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2018 Posts: 2 Location: Orlando, FL
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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I can reach in through the sides, so I'll give it a try tonight. I believe the top was replaced without the strapping which is the problem. It's likely it rotates as you said. Keep you posted. Thank you! |
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theghiagirl Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2004 Posts: 537 Location: Near Portland, OR
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:28 pm Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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You never want to use all of your weight to force down a convertible top frame. I have seen quite a few top frames bent, broken or damaged because a piece of the frame gets stuck and the owner tries to force it down...there is no easy fix once the frame gets damaged. It's the intermediate bow that sometimes gets stuck and needs a little help when folding the top down. The intermediate bow is supposed to pivot on the top frame. If you put your hand on the headliner where the previous posted picture says "push here," you should be able to feel the intermediate bow, push back on the intermediate bow as you're beginning to fold the top down and it should pivot backwards and fold down with the rest of the frame. You should also be able to see the intermediate bow from the side as stated by KGCoupe. His method will also work and it will help you understand how the frame operates when you can actually see the frame pieces and how they all work together.
Here's a great video video that shows how the top frame works. If you watch it from about the 9 minute 30 second point to 11 minutes 30 seconds you'll see exactly how the intermediate bow is supposed to work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Bw4zg_72g
Here's another link that might help. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=574861&highlight= |
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bhartwell59 Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2014 Posts: 788 Location: dallas, tx
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Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:01 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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Or you can do what I do... never put it down! : (
Then why have a vert Ghia? Well, I got this baby via my Dad, so no say in the matter.
But really, I have no idea in Dallas who could redo it for me. It's in very good shape, so I don't want to hasten it's wear and degradability.
Installing a new one myself would require a serious amount of "psyching up" to do it. GL. _________________ '74 Zambezi green Ghia vert, autostick, 101k
'87 Jeep Wrangler, 4.2, 330k |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12815 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2018 10:59 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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You gotta love it when the ladies are still having to teach the guys how to get the tops down. _________________ Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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swavananda Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2009 Posts: 889 Location: Can o' Scruz
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Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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bhartwell59 wrote: |
Or you can do what I do... never put it down! : (
Then why have a vert Ghia? Well, I got this baby via my Dad, so no say in the matter.
But really, I have no idea in Dallas who could redo it for me. It's in very good shape, so I don't want to hasten it's wear and degradability.
Installing a new one myself would require a serious amount of "psyching up" to do it. GL. |
Actually I think you have it reversed. Its the UV light that will kill the top more than anything else. Having it down won't hurt it at all. Get a nice boot cover and make sure the snap catches are securing the top when its down ,and go out and enjoy the wind in your hair. |
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crocteau Samba Member
Joined: March 31, 2005 Posts: 1203 Location: Philaburbia
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Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:54 am Post subject: Re: Top Wont Go Down All the Way |
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bhartwell59 wrote: |
Installing a new one myself would require a serious amount of "psyching up" to do it. GL. |
Greg's youtube videos are very helpful, as are the posts by Vince when he was still around. Back in 2004 I searched and came across a VHS video advertised on craigslist, and it gave me all the "psyching up" I needed to replace the top on my '71. I tried digitizing the tape but was unable to reduce the size sufficiently to share via DVD or the internet If you're serious about doing it yourself and still have a VHS player PM me. |
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