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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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 Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 9:50 am Post subject: Reproduction Westfalia SO-42/SO-44/Dormobile Pop-Top Seal |
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Okay, recently someone (I think it was Evan "easy e" was asking for info/photos/actual original seals). Whoever it was, they are looking into trying to have the seal properly reproduced for us all. So I just dug into my basement storage to get to my SO-42 pop-top roof section and grabbed a piece or two of the dried up old original seal to show a couple of photos.
Here is a shot of a piece of the seal in general so you can see it's profile.
In this next shot you can see a view of the internal embedded "U" shaped metal with barbs that makes the seal grab onto the fiberglass roof edge. Note that both this original seal and it's "U" barbed metal are sprung open, original they would have been much more closed so the seal could be shoved onto the edge and would grip tightly.
Here is a unfortunately out-of-focus shot of the "U" shaped barbed metal channel that would be embedded into the rubber seal, you can kind of see the barbs.
In this shot I am squeezing the rubber seal a bit more closed to show how it might have looked in a side profile when they were newly installed 50 years ago...
Hope that helps...
Bill Bowman
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I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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localboy
Samba Longboarder
Joined: December 06, 2003
Posts: 5153
Location: "Mainland", PNW
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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I have not forgotten. Just have not had time nor inclination to pull it off the bus.
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One man's "patina" is another man's cancer...
Black '65 Resto-Custom S Notch 2110 cc powered
original paint Pearl White '66 Westy SO-42
Allstate single-wheel trailer project |
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 3:02 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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To clarifiy that last post ^^... localboy is referring to my efforts to obtain his pop-top seal.
e
Pssst... localboy, check your PMs for some potential inspiration
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List |
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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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| Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Thanks to Evan for being motivated to try to get this done! Thanks to Everett for donating the "feature" ad to help. Evan, my ratty old seal fragments in the photos probably won't be of much help, but if you don't find anything better, I can send these pieces if you think they might help in your quest. Just let me know if you can't score better condition stuff to take to a manufacturer.
Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Two members approached me recently about the pop-top seals.
One sent me one... and the other will be on the way soon.
The one I received today came off an SO-44 (top pic)
The one coming soon is like Bill's (SO-42) (bottom pic)
I thought they would have both been the same... maybe the SO-44 one is an old school repro... or Bay?
Most notable differences are sealing flap length & presence (or lack of) metal u-channel.
Thoughts anyone...?
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List |
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Major Woody
Samba Enigma
Joined: December 04, 2002
Posts: 9010
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:45 am Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Like you I think they must have had that metal channel. Would not stay on the fiberglass poptop very well otherwise.
The key to a good seal is a thin lip of rubber hanging down that can seat on the roof and provide an air seal at speed.
That's all I got. |
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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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I took the plunge and ordered up one of those luscious replacement Westy pop-top canvas from Helmut and it just arrived from Checkoslavakia (sp?). Well-packed, it looks wonderful, excellent repro. I'll store this away for the day that I finally decide to cut-in/weld-in the SO-42 roof section into my tin-top Campmobile. Thanks again Helmut for going through the trouble to get it done "right"!
Now I have my fingers crossed that the outer top-to-roof seal eventually gets reproduced correctly!
Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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| BulliBill wrote: |
| Now I have my fingers crossed that the outer top-to-roof seal eventually gets reproduced correctly! |
Big Dish (Bryce) hooked me up with a pretty good OG seal. Progress is being made... ironing out the details. Hope to be squared away with ordering in the next week or so. Should have it in-hand a month after.
This effort is much less complicated than table Formica (which is stalled).
_________________
aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
Searchable, click-navigable 1958 Bus Parts List |
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GM Industries
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2008
Posts: 96
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| Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 8:19 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Bryce is a cool cat! Looking forward to your progress easy e, can't wait to see the product.
| easy e wrote: |
| BulliBill wrote: |
| Now I have my fingers crossed that the outer top-to-roof seal eventually gets reproduced correctly! |
Big Dish (Bryce) hooked me up with a pretty good OG seal. Progress is being made... ironing out the details. Hope to be squared away with ordering in the next week or so. Should have it in-hand a month after.
This effort is much less complicated than table Formica (which is stalled). |
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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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| Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 7:51 am Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Thanks Evan!
Awesome news on your progress! I'll be ordering one seal, and at least two local buddies with SO-42's will be talked into ordering also! Thanks for going the extra mile for all of us "nutcases"!
Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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Col_Forbin
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2011
Posts: 84
Location: Austin, Texas
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| Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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thanks for all the info on this! seems Helmut is the way to go, hopefully still taking orders...
Evan: are you planning on selling the seals once you have more info? If so, count me in for one!
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Goin' where the climate suits my clothes
Levon the 66 Westy:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=655780
71 Deluxe Bay |
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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| Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Awesome!!! Thanks for organizing this reproduction from SO-42 Pop-top owners everywhere!
Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
|
| Back to top |
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GM Industries
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2008
Posts: 96
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| Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:35 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Can't wait for these to be ready!
| easy e wrote: |
It's getting closer... Gone from this...
To this...... a few tweaks & it should be looking good.
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Nubby
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2010
Posts: 605
Location: Down by the river
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| Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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| This is awesome! Is there an ETA on production? |
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easy e
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2008
Posts: 3931
Location: 1 hr north of Santa Barbara
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BulliBill
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: St Charles, MO
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| Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 6:16 am Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Evan,
Were you able to have them mold-in a metal "gripper strip", or will it be rubber gripper of some sort? I'm also excited to get one...
Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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| Back to top |
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Col_Forbin
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2011
Posts: 84
Location: Austin, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Q: SO-42 poptop material colour...? |
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Man, looks great. Do you have a background in manufacturing or take it somewhere to have it recreated? Very cool process nonetheless!
_________________
Goin' where the climate suits my clothes
Levon the 66 Westy:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=655780
71 Deluxe Bay |
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