Roof frame, bad repair and leaks

There may be a little C clip holding them on, just be careful it does not fly off and gets lost forever. Not 100% sure but that's how my boot struts are fixed on and they have similar ends.

X I never had any to start with….that's the reason I'm now freakishly strong. The new ones didn't come with any fixings :/ … I've just asked someone in the berks group if they have any I can have, but where do they go? Like I've got no reference from not having them lol! 

I'll have a look to see if I've got some ref photos later and post em up.
These are the gas struts like  mark says very similar to the boot ones just longer.


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Thanks Chortle x 
I've managed to get hold of the clip things. Hopefully I might be able to have a nose in someone elses car as well on Wednesday haha. Lol sorry for all the stupid questions x I feel like an annoying idiot! 

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[TD]Quote, originally posted by sgren737 »[/TD]
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[TD="class: quote"]I finally have one!
Cheaper replacement struts for your top,
http://www.mcmastercarr.com
strut - 9416K337  110lb force required
eyelet - 9416K84
You will need 2 struts @ $12.30 each and 4 eyelets @ $1.41 each for a total of around $38 shipped!  Compared to the $40 each charged for the oem replacements.  
Hint, keep the rubber booties that go over the top of your stock ones, they take up the extra space on the stud.  I just put these in and the do the job at hand beautifully, popping the top up enough to stay off the snaps.  [/TD]
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here is a pic of them


McMasters is local here, but you may be able to find them at a supplier… They work really well as a replacement and together are half the cost per single vw from dealership at least over here.

Right OK so after getting the bits I needed, including the little arms that bolt to the body, it turns out that my actual frame doesn't have that built in bolt or nub or whatever you want to call it on the upper part for the top of the gas strut to fix onto, the whole part of the frame is completely smooth. I do have a long random dangling arm type bit which just isn't attached to anything. I can swing it about and to check I wasn't insane my friend also had a look at it as well and confirmed there is nowhere for the gas strut to fix onto on my roof frame… So it's a powered roof frame for sure isn't it? Le sigh. 

Take a photo if the fixing area.
But yep power roofs after 1990.
What year is your car?
I'd guess you'd have the switch for the roof at least in the console.
I've seen this a few times with unscrupulous sellers flogging power frames to owners that would have manual tops.
You can tell easy enough if you've got the little tabs that protrude from the plastic covers that run either side of the rear seat back rest.
These are the licking tab that holds the roof in the closed position. In power roofs the hydraulic set up does that for you.




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It's 1988. 
Let me get a photo - I definitely don't have anything that keeps the roof down haha. 
I'm just having a cuppa then I'll clamber in the back and show you what my roof frame looks like x thanks Chortle

chortle said

Take a photo if the fixing area.
But yep power roofs after 1990.
What year is your car?
I'd guess you'd have the switch for the roof at least in the console.
I've seen this a few times with unscrupulous sellers flogging power frames to owners that would have manual tops.
You can tell easy enough if you've got the little tabs that protrude from the plastic covers that run either side of the rear seat back rest.
These are the licking tab that holds the roof in the closed position. In power roofs the hydraulic set up does that for you.




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Ok so this is that little random arm and what is and isn't there. I tried to get a good photo - black headliner just zapped the light away!

The square cut outs in the rear seat upright trims has nothing poking out.
There should be two little levers with tabs on.
These are the hood release mechanism tabs for a manual frame which yours would of been from factory for a 1988.
Looks like someone has fitted a power frame only and no gubbins associated with it.
3 options really
Save gym membership and keep the frame as is lol.

Get a manual frame and swap everything over.

Get the hydraulic set up and have the brackets welded in and go powered too.

What happens is folks buy frames because thier hood needs replacing, instead of putting a new one on they opt for a old secondhand one off another car, which Generaly won't have much service life anyway.
Problem is it's a complete frame swap and I'd rather put a new top on than old stuff. Plus there's 3 different frames in specifications depending on car year.
Nightmare




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I have the levers that fit on the bottom as I grabbed them after seeing them and thinking well I definitely don't have those! I haven't paid for them yet as I didn't know if I could use them, there's not much point in me having them haha. Lol.

Well, I reckon I'll send back the parts I bought and have a mull over.

I don't really want to take all of the roof off as it only just got put back on haha plus I'm now actually well skint.. I might have to sell a kidney. 

This powered set up malarky sounds pretty cushty… I might miss my massive hench arms (lol they aren't, I promise!) but… I'm all for comfort!

X 

Pretty reliable power tops to be fair.
You'd need a set up out of a late car to weld into yours.

Can be done though.

Switch, loom, fascia, pump, rams, brackets etc.


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