Need help tracking down the frech car that looked like a stretched out vw bug. It had a folding canvas top and I want to incorporate that on my 30 sedan. Anyone know what car this was?
Ugly, Old, French, and sorta looking like a Bug... Sounds like it could be the Renault 4CV. Could be bought with the canvas top ( Decapotable)
The Bug Police will kick his *** if he does. The VW canvas tops are big bucks. Better idea would be the aftermarket canvas top that the Mexicans use on their bugs., has a plastic back window, like a convertible top. Only thing left is the roof rails when put down.
Rambler made a roll top convert as well. Complete with a little electric winch in the trunk. Good luck finding one of those... The only one I ever saw was the one I stole the winch out of! ;-)
Ahhahaahha yeah you're right!!! I actually almost bought a roof section with the slideback canvas roof for $50....but that was 1990 Who knows what they'd cost now. OT: I actually went to a Mexican VW dealership when I was driving down there 5 years ago. Pretty trippy to see those cars brand new. I think those pseudo-convertibles are way ugly.
The one you were thinking of was the Citroen 2CV, as said, though the Renault 4CV, as well as later Renaults, the VWs, including Bugs, buses, and Sciroccos, had them, and a number of other European cars. But, it's easier to simply buy one new from these guys: http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/sunconkit.html They can do one for any car, in any size, as well as having ones already made up. This used to be all they did, but now they also carry all the trendy late model accessory ****, too.
Used to be a company a few years back that made the "super slider" roof for Beetles. Like discribed above, the whole roof, and rear window, slid back leaving just the outer rails.
and if you get one from them be sure to buy yourself a good supply of buckets to catch all the leaks. it may not be as bad installing one in a flat surface but in a bug they ALL leak. i've seen one put in a squareback and it didn't leak but was really well done. VW rag clips for bugs aren't to bad now. the average is about $300-500 depending on your location. i lucked up and bought a '58 rag at a show a few months ago to get the clip from. the car was toast but had a good roof clip and a few other good parts. $250 and i got enough other spare parts that i have made $120 of that back. so for $130 i got a nice complete rag clip. one of those streetbeats is gonna cost $500+. i'd at least try to look for a vw bus clip as it's gonna be your best bet. only problem with a bus clip is gonna be if they know what it's worth. bus rag clips bring 2-3 times what bug clips bring. the good thing about vw clips is that all the repair parts are readily available for them...ken....
The problem I've seen with the bug/bus clips for this sort of application is that the Bug and bus use curved bows, and the roof he's putting it on is much flatter. More like a Scirocco or Renault 17 Gordini. It's extremely hard to flatten out the roof of a bug (especially the multiple compound contours of the sunroof opening and tracks) to fit on a nearly flat surface like a '30 sedan. http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/st/stlouiscarmuseum/18VW61beetle.JPG While the StreetBeat slider rag for a flat top, like a cap/shell or SUV might cost a bit more initially, It won't need a few hundred dollars of restoration to the material and operating hardware to make it work, nor will it need many hours of possibly futile labor to be flattened and customized to fit the A roof contour. And with a little care, it won't leak.
I believe the compeny you are referring to is Webasco.They made them for Minis(old style)and were available through several Mini aftermarket shops(Mini Mania for one).They would even rent the template to cut the roof out to install it.
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