Rear cable

Why is my cable visible on just this side? I tried pushing it back in but wouldn't stay. Is it loose? 

This is a very bad photo !!

The photo is good, it looks as if your rear cable is broken.
You can order new replacement and try to have a go at re-installing it.
If you can grab the cable and if  is loose, then the nuts may have gotten loose on the inner cable tray, but with all the tension on that cable it is very rare that they loosen, they usually break. Yours looks to be old and rusty.
So that is why I think it has broken

 

I am not sure how to get in where the cable is fixed to the car???
 I have looked at your rear cable fixes and I didn't see where to access the cable. ( I think)

you have to remove the headliner from the gripper hooks, 5-to-6 each side under the parcel shelf.



Partially open the top and safety it with a broomstick and a couple of vicegrips.



Then you can just make out the cable tray, removing the 10mm pivot arm will give you more room.





You really need an articulating 10-11mm gear wrench.


You have to work between the headliner and the top but it is doable to check the nuts.
If the cable is broken, then that is going to entail you to undo the side covers, rear seals and trays, carefully peel back the sides of the top off the rear frame and place a new cable in it.

If that is the case and your top is old, OLD vinyl doesn't like change and is prone to breaking or cracking so I suggest a warm garage and take your time.  Don't rush it, and don't forget to replace the boot tabs on the replacement cable.  Since the old cable will be rusty, when you remove it, you will need to clean your cable tray, and vinyl top, to remove the old rusty stuff, and be sure that you lube the cable tray, and top.

Replacing a cable in a top isn't the same as installing a new one, it is almost easier… I did say almost.
Going back you will have to re-glue the sides of the top to the rear frame and brush on glue is more effective in this case than a new top and spray glue.

Oh jesus mary joseph and the little donkey !!! This frightens me….I'll have to show this to the man!! Thank you.

As i read that again...If the cable is not broken then it is very easy to tighten??

Not very, as you still have to undo the headliner, and then get to the bolt via the small space between the rear frame and the headliner.  The big issue is that the rear strut mount gets in your way, but removing the 10mm bolt that holds it allows you to get to it.

I think that if you adjust your nut and it bottoms out, then your cable is probably broken or stretched to the max, as with older cables use discretion as they are very prone to snapping under the increased tension.

I just noticed this screw…I dread to find out why it's there… can you see it in hood?

Well that itty bitty screw isn't normal.

I think it was placed that there because,
1. They didn't make the relief cut in the top where the cable goes in to the cabin.
2. Or they forgot to place the Stiffeners in to the center bead prior to the end caps being placed on.

Cable not broken. Not attached to car ???

Are you sure?

As the nut doesn't look right or maybe it wasn't installed correctly.

Here is what mine looks like.




Notice the nut is on the other side of the metal.
Here is the Cable tray where the bolt enters, and you screw the nut on the back side.

I am opening it up to allow my needle nosed vice-grips to grab the cable end.

No I'm not sure… I haven't gone in to look properly but I see the end just screwed into nothing and just lying there.. I pulled the cable gently forward and there was resistance. So I am really only assuming it is not broken. I need to see where it should screw into. I'll use your photo for reference. Thank you.

Cable broken I think???

Your cable looks a little rusty and looks like someone has wrapped black tape around it, so it might be broken?

How long would it take a very experienced person to change the cable??

An hour tops with getting acces to your old cable and removing it then fitting a new cable and refitting the trim etc.. you only have to lay the cable around the roof, push it in and teighten the nuts to get the tension, the hardest bit is stopping it popping out but you get someone to hold it in place.
I managed it on my own but took 3 attempts to get it in.

They problem you have is your roof is old so not sure the roof will react to being pulled about?

There a guide to replacing your roof in the FAQ section to give you and idea of what's involed with replacing the tension wire.

page 3 for removal, page 4 for fitting new cable.

https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/index.php?page=cedi&type=misc&id=31

If you supply the parts get a good quality rear cable as there's some rubbish ones out there.

I feel annoyed with the car now because of the rear cable…I was making progress with other stuff and now this!.Anyway Mark1gls you say my  roof is old so not sure how the roof will react to being pulled about? How much pulling about is actually involved? Surely if I'm just  laying the cable around the roof, pushing it in and tightening the nuts to get the tension I'm not pulling at the hood ??
I am just worried that if i start at this and mess it up that the hood will be out of alignment and floppy or blows off. I have looked at the link. I suppose it just looks scary untill I am in the middle of doing it ! Briano mentioned glueing but I see no mention of glueing in those links? My hood is canvas I think not vinyl.

No you glue other things or Staple them on the hood.
What you glue is spacers to the cable feed to hold them in place as you feed in the cable.

Older Canvas and Vinyl aren't as pliable as new and well can be a pain to remove.  

Do it in a warmed garage allow the canvas to get to temp.

You will undo the cable from one side or the other.  You will push the cable and hood out of the cable tray and your bigg issue is getting it out intact with out tearing the canvas bead off.  



The bead is hiding the cable, and when loosened both will come out together, then after the cable and sheath and hood are out of the cable tray, you gently remove the cable from the hood……  The corners are the killers.