How to fold top on a '74?!!

Hoxviii · Post by **Hoxviii** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:00 pm

Allright, I know this thing cannot be as complicated as it seems. Undo the clips at the windshield, fold it up, back, and down, right? Wrong.

There are two reinforcing struts on the top that are giving me all of the headaches. They are right over the pillar that the front door latch is on. They seem like they should pivot, but the heads are too big for the struts to come off over them. If they bent everything would be fine also.

As it sits the rear part of the top folds and the rest of it looks like a giant phallus sticking up in the air.

I know the top on the '73 I had never caused me issues, is the '74 different or am I just forgetting something?

Justin

markie61 · Post by **markie61** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:39 am

Go to this link. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... light=fold
Mark

Hoxviii · Post by **Hoxviii** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:54 am

Allright, in that picture where the red circles are there are steel bands that span the hinge. That's what I can't figure out. The bands look like they should pivot or disconnect, but don't.

Justin

markie61 · Post by **markie61** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:41 am

There are c-shaped clips that hold the fabric onto the side rails of the frame. They have two rivets holding them on. Here is picture of the clips from the Thing Shop website .http://www.thethingshop.com/detail.asp? ... 181871543A If they are not unclipped from under the frame edge, the frame will not fold at that point.

There should not be anything other than fabric (held in place by the clips) bridging the hinge points.

Mark

Hoxviii · Post by **Hoxviii** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:02 am

I know about the clips, like I said folding the top on my '73 never presented me an issue, this is just goofy the way it's set up.

I wish I had a picture, it would make this alot easier. . . I'll try to be a bit more explicit.

The metal band is a piece that is roughly 1/8" thick, 3/4" wide, and 12" long. It has a 3/8" hole drilled at each end. 6" to either side of the hinge there's a tab welded to the top frame with what looks like a pivot point, the strap spans between these two tabs and keeps the hinge from bending.

The welds are real clean and look factory and there is no way that the strap can disconnect off of them since the heads are bigger than the holes in the strap and the pins ends are folded over on the other side of the tab, like a rivet.

If the strap isn't supposed to be there I'll just take a grinder to the tabs and pull them, but they do look like they're suppsoed to be there. But again, it definitely looks factory and for the life of me I can't think of why someone would disable -that- hinge and leave all of the others operable.

Justin

markie61 · Post by **markie61** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:52 am

Check out the pix on this ebay auction http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-USE ... dZViewItem It has some pictures of the frame without the fabric.

THere is the main frame and the main hinge point on either side that meets roughly in the middle of the windows. There is also a guide bar on each side that moves above the hinge (that may be what you are describing). Perhaps the pivot points for those are rusted and frozen...? One of the pics in the auction shows how it moves in relation to the side frame pieces.

I hope this helps.....

Mark

Hoxviii · Post by **Hoxviii** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:17 pm

ok, the struts I'm thinking about are in that e-bay add. 11th picture down. So those are supposed to slide in the top rails to allow it to fold? If so these are hella seized up. I also don't remember seeing a place for them to slide to, but i'll check on that tomorrow when I pick the thing up.

Justin